Defender Burghley Horse Trials
CCI
9 th
5*
01. Gemma Stevens
onChilli Knight (Alfie)
Chilli Knight (Alfie)
Eventing
- Studbook -
- SHBGB
- Gender -
- Gelding
- Height -
- 168 cm
- Color -
- Chestnut
- Level -
- 5*
- Year of birth -
- 2010
Pedigree
- Chilli Knight (Alfie)
- SHBGB
SIRE
- Chilli Morning
- Berl- Brand
DAM
- Kings Gem
- SHBGB
SIRE OF DAM
- Rock King
- SHBGB
Recent Results
Gallery
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The first of the 2025 Big B's
Badminton Horse Trials is one of the most incredible events in the world and to get one, let alone two horses fit enough, sound and with the right level of experience and training to be competitive involves so many different people. I am incredibly lucky to be surrounded by the very best team of people and am eternally grateful to each and every one of them - without them, I absolutely would not be able to do what I do.
Having called in for a final Cross Country tune up at the amazing Rosamund Farm with Dickie Waygood (who thoroughly kicked me up the bum when my confidence started to wobble) we arrived at Badminton with Jalapeno (Jala) and Chilli Knight (Alfie).
Both horses gave the performance of their lives in the dressage with Jala sitting in 3rd and Alfie in 10th. Saturday came and it just wasn’t Jala’s day – we had a naughty glance off early in the course and given her age and experience I decided to call it a day. Alfie however was on actual fire to come home clear, and as the first inside the time. What a special, special horse he is! This made what happened on Sunday even tougher when he went into the show jumping in 3rd place. I was under no illusion that we would win it with both Oliver Townend and Ros Canter sitting above us, but I had thought we might nab a podium place given how incredible Alfie usually is on the last day of a big one. But, it just wasn’t to be. He had a seriously uncharacteristic number of poles down meaning we dropped out of the top 10. Knowing my horses inside out, and feeling how hard he was having to try in that show jumping ring, I knew something wasn’t right with him so we rushed home and got our amazing vet out to see him straight away. He’s very happily enjoying a little holiday as my suspicions that something wasn’t quite right were confirmed. He’ll be absolutely fine and ready and raring to go again super soon!
Serious weekend of competing starting at Burnham Market
I was really pleased with (most of) our dressage performances, and all 5 horses jumped the most incredible clear show jumping rounds but we only ran Chilli’s Jester around the Cross Country. Having missed out on Thoresby, he needed his 3* qualification which he got very beautifully.
My decision not to run the others was based on the fact they had all had fantastic runs at Thoresby and my feeling was they didn’t need another run when the ground was on the firm side. Not an easy choice to make as a competitor but my owners were extremely supportive and completely in agreement. It is a little soul destroying putting that much work in over a long 4 days and not coming home with results, but my horses welfare and longevity are more important, they are very precious.
It’s no one’s fault it hasn’t rained for weeks on end, that’s life and we have to deal with everything it throws at us.
Thank you to Musketeer at Burnham Market for putting on a fantastic event. I’m sad I didn’t get to blast around the course.
Straight to Pyecombe Monday for some jumping.
I think I jumped 11 rounds! From proper babies all the way up to our top horses having a spin around the 1.40m!
I was completely thrilled with everyone and we managed mostly clear rounds, a 2nd in the 1.30m and a WIN with our amazing Dime bar in the 1.40m beating some very good combinations. I was first in and last out of the ring!
What a weekend at Thoresby Park...
Some serious hard core Eventing at the Eventing Spring Carnival, Thoresby Park with 6 horses, 4 of those in the 4*
Jalapeño owned by Chris and Lisa Stone was an absolute hero and managed to separate those Olympic combinations in the 4* Grantham Cup, coming 2nd by just 0.1 behind Tom, narrowly pipping Laura and Ros!
Such a cool achievement - it feels great to be back at the top of our game!
Chilli Knight also owned by Chris and Lisa Stone was on fantastic form and a great path finder for me, as always I could completely rely on him XC, and he finished a very respectable 6th!
Chilli King ALSO owned by Chris and Lisa Stone along with Chris and Clare Mathias is just starting his 4* career was ridiculously cool to finish 2nd 🥈 in the other 4* section. He was just brilliant in all 3 phases, such an exciting horse for the future.
Flash Cooley owned by Pru Dawes, lead the dressage and show jumping in the same section as Raff ^ but sadly made a little mistake XC resulting in triggering a pin so we came home with 11 penalties.
Although I was gutted not to take the win, I think these pins and collapsing tables are a great step forward in making our sport as safe as possible, but as riders we still must take huge responsibility in riding safely and carefully and training our horses for the correct levels.
Onto the 3*…
Cooley Park Muze owned by the Rex Syndicate, was super and showed everyone just how much he’s grown up, finishing an amazing 4th in a huge class! I was most proud of his XC, so straight and he concentrated the whole way round which is what we’ve been working hard on over the winter!
Chilli’s Jester did a super dressage and showjumping but sadly wasn’t quite 100% himself as we were getting him ready for XC so we opted not to run him.
Straight up and honest for you all, I was incredibly nervous about riding 4 horses around a 4*. I haven’t done 4 at this level for a long time (if ever), and it’s a huge deal. I actually felt great afterwards and was so pleased with how they all went!
I’m not giving it up yet!
Massive thank you to my whole team, it was a VERY busy weekend and the support I receive from my amazing girls, my mad husband, my family and my owners is mainly why me and the horses still do it. The fact they’re all so special helps too - obviously, I know just how lucky I am!
Quick note on Thoresby, it’s become and really fantastic event, and how nice it was for the organisers to have some sunshine and absolutely perfect going! Normally they are battling with rain/snow/wind and a LOT of mud! Such a brilliant weekend for the sport.