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Last year’s winner Jock Paget has officially been disqualified from Burghley Horse Trials last September following a “partial decision” by the FEI tribunal.
Jock’s horse Clifton Promise tested postive for banned sedative reserpine at the event and a “B” sample confirmed the result last November.
A statement released by the FEI today (Wednesday 23 April) explained that Paget had accepted that the “banned substance had been found in the horse and requested that the FEI tribual rule separately on the automatic disqualification from Burghley”.
All the points and prize-money from Clifton Promise’s Burghley win now must be forfeited.
The full hearing of the Clifton Promise case is now scheduled for 3 June, after which a final decision will be issued by the FEI Tribunal.
As a result of Jock’s disqualification Andrew Nicholson and Avebury have now been promoted and are the Burghley 2013 winners.
Andrew, who is in America preparing to compete at Kentucky Horse Trials told H&H he was “pleased that the right decision had been made”.
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The upgrade means that Andrew is now aiming to secure the 2nd leg of eventing’s most lucrative prize — the Rolex Grand Slam, at Kentucky (24 –27 April).
“I always expected that the result would change, which is why I have Avebury here at Kentucky,” Andrew told H&H.
“Avebury has travelled very well and is going very well. I am expecting a big competition.
“I haven’t come here to pick up a minor placing. I have come here wanting to win.”
The change in result also means that Avebury is the first horse to have achieved consecutive Burghley victories.
“No one likes to win things this way,” Andrew added, “But Avebury did nothing wrong and win is a win whether that comes 7 months later [or at the time].”
“His owner Rosemary Barlow is very excited about the news and she has been very supportive of me bringing him out here to try and secure the grand slam.
“It is most tough for the owners because they missed all the celebrations on the day.”
See Burghley winners in pictures: 2000-2013
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Sophia Heath joined Horse & Hound in July 2013 having previously worked for the Daily Telegraph's Olympics website, CNN International and Omnisport. A Durham graduate with a Masters in journalism from City University, Sophia has evented, showjumped and hunted. Sophia left Horse & Hound in early 2015 to join an international boating website.