United States Eventing Association

A huge crowd rose to their feet in appreciation as Michael Jung (GER) and his wonderful horse La Biosthetique Sam jumped the perfect clear round to win the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (GBR), sixth and final leg of the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015.

Jung, who will be defending his European title next weekend, is the first German rider to win a British CCI4*, and he received a great reception from the crowd, who recognised a phenomenal horseman in action and had been surrounding him all weekend asking for ‘selfies’ and autographs.

“To come to Burghley is amazing, to ride the cross-country was wonderful and to win here at an event which is such a great tradition in the sport is just fantastic. This will be one of the highlights of my life,” said Jung. “I really enjoyed it here and hope I will have horses for it next year.”

This is the 21st international event he has won with the 16-year-old Sam, which he describes as “being like a good friend - every time he gives me 100%.”

Jung also finished second in the FEI Classics™ 2014/2015 behind his compatriot Ingrid Klimke, who was at Burghley to receive her cheque for $US 40,000 in the main arena.

Jung was under huge pressure coming into the arena as Tim Price (NZL) had conjured a beautiful clear round from the improving Ringwood Sky Boy to finish runner-up behind the German for the second time this year, following Kentucky (USA) in April.

“Sky Boy has been improving and I hoped that would show itself on the flat,” explained Tim. “He has always been a good cross-country horse but to be still here today, in second place, is wonderful. He is not a natural show jumper, but he is learning to try hard at the right moment.”

The talented Christopher Burton (AUS), who has never previously completed Burghley, had a perfect day with two clear rounds to finish third and fourth on TS Jamaimo and Haruzac.

“I haven’t had a very good run here before - I came here as a young rider from Australia in 2004 and fell off at the third fence, so just to see the finish flags was a pretty good feeling,” he said.

Jonelle Price (NZL) slipped from third to fifth when Classic Moet hit the first part of the treble, but clear rounds elevated Sir Mark Todd to sixth on Leonidas ll, Cedric Lyard (FRA) to seventh on Cadeau du Roi, Kristina Cook (Star Witness) to eighth and best British rider, and Sam Griffiths (AUS) and Paulank Brockagh to ninth.

William Fox-Pitt (GBR) had a fence down on Fernhill Pimms but still rose three places to 10th. However, for the first time since the inception of the FEI Classics™ in 2008 he missed out on a cash prize. The Badminton winner finished on the same score, 24 points, as Tim Price, but the New Zealander took precedent in fourth place on the final leaderboard as, according to the rules, he had gained his points at fewer competitions.

About the Burghley winner

Michael Jung (GER), 33, was the first rider in history to hold Olympic, World and European titles simultaneously and the first to win four championship titles consecutively.

He first came to prominence in 2009, when he won the Luhmühlen CCI4*, the FEI World Cup™ Eventing final in Strzegom (POL) and an individual European bronze medal in Fontainebleau (FRA), all on La Biosthetique Sam.

The pair went on to win the world title in Kentucky (USA) in 2010, double European gold in Luhmühlen in 2011 and double Olympic gold in London (GBR) in 2012 and, in 2013, they were second at Badminton CCI4*.

Jung won a second European title, at Malmö (SWE) in 2013 on Halunke, and last year finished second at Luhmühlen and won world team gold and individual silver medals on FisherRocana FST. He lives at Horb, Germany, where his parents, Joachim and Bridgette, own a riding establishment.

U.S. Update from USEF Press Release

Symansky (Middleburg, Va.) and The Donner Syndicate, LLC's Donner began their week at Burghley by scoring 47.7, a personal best at the CCI4* level, in the dressage phase on Thursday. On Saturday, she and the 2003 Thoroughbred gelding made light work of the massive track, though took some time to settle into a rhythm and went the long routes at Maltings 360 and Discovery Valley, collecting 13.2 time penalties. In its show jumping round, the pair had a rail at fence three for four faults, but finished strongly, ending on a score of 64.9 in 14th place.

"I think jumping on turf is a challenge since we don't practice on it a lot at home. He felt great this morning, but he got a little spooky in the ring and the footing is a bit holding so we had a rail," Symansky explained. "Being the person that I am, I always want to do better, but I am thrilled with such a great finish in our first appearance at Burghley."

Colleen Rutledge (Frederick, Md.) and her own Covert Rights, recipients of a Jacqueline B. Mars Competition Grant through the USET Foundation, had a great showing in the horse's second CCI4* start and first appearance at Burghley. Rutledge gave the the 2006 Thoroughbred Cross gelding solid rides throughout the three phases, beginning with the dressage phase where they earned a score of 46.5. On cross-country day the pair came home with no jumping penalties and 28.4 time penalties. Their weekend came to a close with a phenomenal double-clear round in the show jumping phase, putting them in 22nd place with a score of 74.9.

Laine Ashker (Henrico, Va.) and her own Anthony Patch also made their debut at Burghley and earned valuable experience on the international stage. She and the 1999 Thoroughbred gelding had a respectable dressage test to receive a score of 48.8. The pair completed the renowned cross-country course, but had a few issues along the way, collecting 40 jump penalties after stops at fences 4B of the Lion Bridge and 20A at the Land Rover Trout Hatchery and 46.4 time penalties. They knocked three rails for a 12-fault show jumping round, ending on a score of 147.2 in 48th place.

Final Results

1 Michael Jung/La Biosthetique Sam (GER) 39.2 + 0.8 + 0 = 40.0

2 Tim Price/Ringwood Sky Boy (NZL) 38.7 + 2.8 + 0 = 41.5

3 Christopher Burton/TS Jamaimo (AUS) 45.0 + 0 + 0 = 45.0

4 Christopher Burton/Haruzac (AUS) 41.2 + 6.4 + 0 = 47.6

5 Jonelle Price/Classic Moet (NZL) 44.9 + 0 + 4 = 48.9

6 Sir Mark Todd/Leonidas ll (NZL) 41.7 + 8.8 + 0 = 50.5

7 Cedric Lyard/Cadeau du Roi (FRA) 39.6 + 11.2 + 0 = 50.8

8 Kristina Cook/Star Witness (GBR) 47.4 + 5.2 + 0 = 52.6

9 Sam Griffiths/Paulank Brockagh (AUS) 42.5 + 15.2 + 0 = 57.7

10 William Fox-Pitt/Fernhill Pimms (GBR) 34.2 + 20.4 + 4 = 58.6