The Highest Rated Burghley Performances That Didn’t Win

Wins are remembered, but ratings tell a different story. Some of the best Burghley performances didn’t come home with the trophy, but the numbers prove they were world-class. And for three of these combinations, the story isn’t finished - they’ll be back at Burghley this year to try again.

Piggy March smiling
Piggy March and Vanir Kamira came close twice, with both results earning top ratings. They went on to win in 2022.

Some of the greatest performances in eventing don’t come with a trophy. That’s where High Performance Rating (HPR) comes in.

HPR measures the quality of a performance, not just the finishing position. It looks at factors such as the field strength, the conditions, and the scoring difficulty. This means you don't always have to win to produce one of the best performances on record.

At Burghley, there have been second and third-placed finishers that have produced performances that history says were good enough to win almost any other year.

Here are the highest-rated Burghley performances that didn’t win.

 


 

1. Piggy March & Vanir Kamira – 101 HPR

2019

  • Final position: 2nd
  • Score: 30.9
  • Phases: 26.9 dressage | 0 XC | 4 SJ

Piggy’s 101 rating would have been enough to win 8 of the 15 previous Burghleys on record (going back to 2008). Despite finishing second, this remains the best non-winning performance Burghley has ever seen.

 


 

2. Tim Price & Ringwood Sky Boy – 101 HPR

2015

  • Final position: 2nd
  • Score: 28.6
  • Phases: 25.8 dressage | 2.8 XC time | 0 SJ

Just 2.8 time penalties put them behind Michael Jung and La Biosthetique-Sam who won their 4th five-star together. Three years later, Tim and Ringwood Sky Boy came back to win Burghley on the exact same HPR.

 


 

3. Tim Price & Vitali – 101 HPR

2024

  • Final position: 2nd
  • Score: 29.5
  • Phases: 22.3 dressage | 3.2 XC time | 4 SJ

Tim and Vitali’s 101 would have won Burghley the year before, when they finished 4th. In 2024, they had to settle for 2nd - but the rating shows just how good they are. Next week, Tim and Vitali will return to Burghley for the fourth time.

 


 

4. Tom Jackson & Capels Hollow Drift – 101 HPR

2022

  • Final position: 2nd
  • Score: 32.5
  • Phases: 28.9 dressage | 3.6 XC time | 0 SJ

Tom Jackson added the fewest penalties, in the entire field, to their Burghley dressage score to climb from 13th after dressage to 2nd. 

 


 

5. Oliver Townend & Ballaghmor Class – 101 HPR

2019

  • Final position: 3rd
  • Score: 31.3
  • Phases: 25.3 dressage | 2 XC time | 4 SJ

This performance is easily overlooked due to their third place finish, but Oliver’s 2019 third place rated higher than all three of his Burghley wins: 100 (2023), 100 (2017), and 96 (2009).

 


 

6. Christopher Burton & TS Jamaimo – 100 HPR

2015

  • Final position: 3rd
  • Score: 30.0
  • Phases: 30.0 dressage | 0 XC | 0 SJ

The only rider to finish on his dressage score that year, Chris' 100-rated performance was pure class. They were also the first to do so in four years. This is the highest-rated Australian performance at Burghley on record.

 


 

7. Harry Meade & Cavalier Crystal – 99 HPR

2024

  • Final position: 3rd
  • Score: 31.3
  • Phases: 31.3 dressage | 0 XC | 0 SJ

Cavalier Crystal’s 99 was the highest-rated performance of Harry’s career and it was their second time on the Burghley podium. This year, they will be returning with the aim of finally winning.

 


 

8. Piggy March & Vanir Kamira – 99 HPR

2017

  • Final position: 2nd
  • Score: 32.3
  • Phases: 29.1 dressage | 3.2 XC time | 0 SJ

Their first 5* together, and they were only 0.7 penalties from winning. That near miss set the stage for later success: winning Badminton in 2019 and Burghley in 2022.

 


 

9. David Doel & Galileo Nieuwmoed – 99 HPR

2023

  • Final position: 2nd
  • Score: 33.7
  • Phases: 33.7 dressage | 0 XC | 0 SJ

Their second time finishing on their dressage score at 5* level that year and just 0.7 penalties behind the winners; Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class. David and Galileo Nieuwmoed are entered for this year's Burghley and will be one to watch on Saturday's cross country.

 


 

10. Andrew Nicholson & Nereo –  99 HPR

2013

  • Final position: 2nd
  • Score: 33.5
  • Phases: 27.5 dressage | 2 XC time | 4 SJ

The highest-rated of Nereo’s three Burghley runner-up finishes - 94 (2016) and 97 (2011). One of the most consistent 5* horses of his era — but Burghley was the one that got away.

 


 

Why HPR Matters

Wins are remembered, but HPR shows us the performances that were exceptional, even without the trophy. Burghley has produced moments where a 2nd or 3rd place was a world-class performance, sometimes even harder than winning in another year.

 


 

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