Emotional double-clear victory for Jesse Campbell at the Burghley Horse Trials

The entire eventing community cheered on Jesse Campbell as the New Zealander tackled his first Defender Burghley Horse Trials. Jesse's wife Georgie was killed in a fall in May and as he completed the course clear on Saturday, he looked up and pointed to the sky as purple and white ribbons – their cross-country colours – fluttered on his body protector in Georgie's memory.

In the final phase of the show jumping, Jesse's horse Cooley Lafitte managed a clean jump within the time limit and secured a huge jump in the rankings: from 61st place after the dressage to 21st place.

“It's a great way to end my first Burghley,” said Jesse. “It's been a rollercoaster ride. Getting five stars is a challenge – and I've had a lot of challenges this year – and it's a big challenge to overcome.”

“Big week” for Jesse Campbell on his debut at the Burghley Horse Trials

This was Cooley Lafitte's third five-star race after placing 15th at Badminton in the spring. They were near the bottom of the leaderboard after the dressage, but that double clear put a smile on Jesse's face.

“It's been a great week where I've learned a lot and I'm just delighted with my horse, he really tried hard today,” Jesse said of the 12-year-old Je T'Aime Flamenco after the showjumping. “He's been pretty problematic all week but he made up for it today. He's got what it takes to be really competitive but it's a slow road.”

“It's a chicken-and-egg situation – whether you prefer a really good dressage or a double clear – but it's always nice to end the week with a positive result. He made up for the dressage with his jumping.”

Many riders wore purple and white ribbons at Burghley in memory of Georgie and in support of Jesse, who added that “the horses gave me focus”.

“I'm pleased to have a goal for sure,” he said. “Events like Badminton and Burghley get you up in the morning but to be honest it's not the events themselves but the work with the horses that keeps us going every day and wanting to improve, that gives us the drive and focus. To get to such beautiful places is the icing on the cake.”

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Editor for H&H features

Martha is an experienced journalist with a passion for horses and dogs. Her CV as a reporter includes the Paris Olympics, the European Championships, the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen and the World Cup finals. After growing up with various brown and white Springer Spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually mud-smeared black and white Springer. Martha has written on subjects as diverse as cloning a top horse to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural affairs for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator And The Telegraph next to Horse and dog.