Ireland’s Austin O’Connor makes history with runner-up finish at five-star Burghley

Austin O’Connor (IRL), Ros Canter (GBR) and Harry Meade (GBR) share the podium at the 2025 Defender Burghley Horse Trials (Photo: Irish Eventing Times)

Cork Olympian Austin O’Connor has recorded Ireland’s best result in 62 years at the five-star Burghley Horse Trials in the UK, after he partnered the 16-year-old gelding Colorado Blue to a superb runner-up finish at the Lincolnshire venue, while no less than three of the top four places were filled by horses bred in Ireland.

O’Connor and Colorado Blue, who was bred by Kate Jarvey of Mellon Stud in Limerick, produced their best ever five-star Dressage test on Friday when they scored 27.8, which put them in eighth place at that stage. An outstanding Cross Country performance on Saturday where they jumped clear and added just 0.8 time penalties, moved them into second position. They went on to secure a runner-up finish on Sunday with just one fence down in the final Show Jumping phase to complete on a total score of 32.6 in second place, which was Ireland’s best Burghley result since Harry Freeman-Jackson won in 1963.

The only combination to finish ahead of O’Connor was Britain’s Rosalind Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who claimed the Burghley title for the second year in-a-row. Lordships Graffalo 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).

Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue (Photo: Irish Eventing Times)

“Being second to this lady [Ros Canter] is as good as winning because this combination, as history will show, is the best there is,” said Austin O’Connor, who was third behind Canter 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.

“It’s surreal, he is an incredible horse. He has changed my career, I think he has changed Eventing in Ireland, just his sheer consistency, there are very few horses in the world with that consistency at this level. The horse has been incredible for me and for Ireland, he keeps breaking records, or we keep breaking records, but the bottom line is that you wouldn’t do it, whether it’s me Ros [Canter] or Harry [Meade] without that standard of horse. We know each other since he was a foal basically, we have got a great rapport – he has just got so much heart and ability.”

Cavalier Crystal (ISH) was one of three horses bred in Ireland to finish in the top four (Photo: Kirsty Pasto Media)

World No.1 Harry Meade completed an extraordinarily consistent run of CCI5* success and was third with the 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Cavalier Crystal, (bred in Co Waterford by Thomas Horgan,) for the third consecutive year at Burghley.

“Cavalier Crystal’s record represents what five-star 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 (ISH) who was bred in Co Offaly by Sinead Healion.

In total, seven Irish-bred horses finished inside the top 20 with Cooley Rosalent (ISH) 12th with Oliver Townend, Ballyneety Rocketman (ISH)[TIH] 13th with Ireland’s Sam Watson, Ballyneety Silver Service (ISH)[TIH] 14th with Holly Richardson (GBR) and Hawk Eye (ISH) 19th with Tom Jackson (GBR).

BREEDING
2nd Colorado Blue (SHBGB) 2009 gelding by Jaguar Mail (SF) out of Rock Me Baby (AES), by Rock King (WNTR). Breeder: Mellon Stud / Kate Jarvey, Limerick.


3rd Cavalier Crystal (ISH) – 2010 mare by Jack of Diamonds (SWB) out of Cavalier Iris (ISH) by Cavalier Royal (HOLST). Breeder: Thomas Horgan (Waterford).


4th Annaghmore Valoner (ISH) – 2012 mare by Coroner (TB) out of Annaghmore Lady Valier [ISH] by Black Walter [ISH]. Breeder: Sinead Healion (Offaly).


12th Cooley Rosalent (ISH) – 2014 mare by Valent (KWPN) out of Bellney Jewel (TB) by Roselier (TB). Breeder: J W Rosbotham (Armagh).


13th Ballyneety Rocketman (ISH)[TIH] [was Haw Rocket & Ballyneety No Rocket ] – 2014 gelding by Diamond Discovery (TB) out of Ballyneety Macrocket (ISH)[TIH] by Errigal Flight (ISH)[TIH]. Breeder: James Hickey


14th Ballyneety Silver Service (ISH)[TIH] – 2015 gelding by Butlers Cravat out of Great Island Lady (TB)[IRL] by Great Palm (TB). Breeder: Fiona Hickey (Limerick).


19th Hawk Eye (ISH) – 2012 gelding by Beach Ball (ISH)[TIH] out of Summerholiday (ISH). Breeder: Robert James Smyth (Tyrone).