Ros Canter and LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO win Burghley 2025

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo won their second consecutive Defender Burghley in the best possible way, with a superb clear showjumping round performed in the harmonious, foot-perfect style that is a joy to watch and has characterised their whole week.

They also rewrote eventing history: Archie and Michelle Saul’s 13-year-old Lordships Graffalo – “Walter” – is the first horse to win both Burghley and Badminton twice, and he is only the third horse to win back-to-back Burghleys, following Priceless (with Ginny Holgate, 1934-84) and Avebury (Andrew Nicholson, 2012-2013-2014).

“I really hope he will go down as a legend of our time and a legend of the sport, not only for the performances he gives, but his character as well. He is an unbelievable horse to have at home,” said Ros, who is pregnant with her second child.

“He absolutely thrives on these occasions. I could have dropped the reins and waved at the crowd for 15 minutes and he would just have thoroughly enjoyed himself. I don’t think there are many horses in the world that would do that.”

The runner-up, Austin O’Connor, achieving Ireland’s best Burghley result since Harry Freeman-Jackson won in 1963, also has a special horse in the Salty Syndicate’s Colorado Blue, but was quick to pay generous tribute to the winner.

“Being second to this lady [Ros] is as good as winning because this combination, as history will show, is the best there is,” said Austin, who was third behind Ros and Lordships Graffalo at Badminton in May. 

“I am over the moon. To finish the year like this is unreal. My horse has been incredible. He is 16, but I think he thinks he’s six. He was mad fresh today and pulling my arms out, which is why we had a rail down, but it didn’t make any difference in the end.”

World number one Harry Meade completed an extraordinarily consistent run of CCI5* success and was third with a clear round on Charlotte and Peter Opperman’s 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Cavalier Crystal for the third consecutive year at Burghley. 

“Cavalier Crystal’s record represents what CCI5* eventing is – in other words, it’s quite hard to do. She is a classic example, overlooked at the lower levels, but a gutsy little mare,” said Harry, who was also fourth on Annaghmore Valoner and ninth on Et Hop Du Matz.

New Zealander Tim Price slipped three places to sixth with two fences down on Vitali, behind Brit Alice Casburn and Topspin, fifth, who were celebrating their third consecutive double clear at Burghley and best placing so far.

Frenchman Gaspard Maksud (Zaratoga, seventh), New Zealander Caroline Powell (High Time, eighth) and Laura Collett (Bling, 10th, GBR) rounded out an international top 10.

American rider Cassie Sanger, who is based with Ros Canter, has clearly benefited from her time with the Olympic gold medallist and reigning European champion: she finished 17th with a double clear and was best Burghley debutante.

LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO (Results)

Gender: Gelding
Foaled: 2012
Height: 17
Sire: GRAFENSTOLZ
Dam: CORNISH GREEN
Sire of Dam: ROCK KING
Owner(s): Michele Saul, Archie Saul.

Rosalind Canter

Ros Canter grew up on the family farm in Hallington, Lincolnshire. She has a degree in sports science from Sheffield Hallam University.

Canter’s CCI **** results include finishing fifth at the 2017 Badminton Horse Trials on ALLSTAR B, and ninth at the 2017 Luhmühlen Horse Trials on ZENSHERA. She then won team gold and finished fifth individually at the 2017 European Eventing Championships on Allstar B, before finishing seventh at the 2017 Etoiles de Pau on ZENSHERA. In May 2018, she finished third at the Badminton Horse Trials on ALLSTAR B.

Canter won two golds at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, riding Allstar B. She is the fifth British rider to become World Champion in Eventing, after Mary Gordon-Watson (1970), Lucinda Green (1982), Virginia Leng (1986), and Zara Phillips (2006).

Speaking on The Eventing Podcast’s episode “Horses to watch 2023” in early 2023, Irish Olympian Sam Watson opined that Lordships Graffalo would inevitably become the highest-rated British event horse of all time.

In May 2023, LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO and Ros Canter led The Mars Equestrian Badminton Horse Trials from start to finish to win with a record victory margin of 15 penalties. They followed this up with victory in the 2024 Defender Burghley Horse Trials, where this combination lay in second after dressage behind Ros’s other ride IZILOT DHI and added only two time penalties in the showjumping phase. In May 2025 they repeated the Badminton victory with a start-to-finish display of brilliance.

She is sponsored by Emerald Green Foods, a local Market Rasen company.

Notable Results for Ros Canter and LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO

2025

Burghley CCI5*-L – 1st
Hartpury CCI4*-S – 1st
Badminton CCI5*-L – 1st

2024

Burghley CCI5*-L – 1st
Paris Olympics – 21st and Team Gold.

2023

Badminton CCI5*-L – 1st

2022

Pratoni del Vivaro CCI4*-L – 4th
Hartpury CCI4*-S – 2nd
Badminton CCI5*-L – 2nd

2021

Blenheim CCI4*-L – 2nd
Blair CCI4*-S – 1st
Bicton CCI4*-L – 2nd
Aston-Le-Walls CCI4*-S – 1st

2020

Burnham Market CCI4*-S 8/9YO – 2nd