MARLBOROUGH-based Andrew Nicholson has said it is an honour to ride Avebury following the pair’s fourth consecutive Barbury Horse Trials title.

The 53-year-old came in 12 seconds under the optimum time in the cross country stage on the final day to take the crown, ahead of another of his four horses in the three star competition, Nereo.

Nicholson went into the fourth day of the competition in the lead, having remained on his dressage score of just 33.9 penalty points after a clear show jumping round.

“They are both class horses and it is an honour to be able to ride both of them,” he said.

“He’s been here five times now, and he has left the start block in the lead every time. 

"People forget that I had a run out first time.

“The first year I think I could have had 10 time faults and still won, but I run out.

“He loves the place here, it is a bit like Burghley, I don’t know why.

“It is hard work, but he could have gone a lot faster than he was going.

“When I warmed up he was pulling, and he doesn’t normally pull he was excited.”

Nicholson claimed second spot as well, as he finished on his dressage score of 38.3, with Badgerstown-based Sir Mark Todd claiming third spot on Leonidas II.

Lambourn-based Laura Collett was the best placed under 25-year-old on Grand Manoeuvre, as the pair finished sixth overall, behind Mildenhall’s Tim Price on Ringwood Sky Boy.

The New Zealand rider, who also had Teseo in the top 20, said that the going changed for the better following a heavy rain downpour at around 2pm.

“The rain made a big difference,” he added.

“When I rode Teseo, the first to go, it was quite slippery then, of course it was dry and fresh grass on the bends.

“I fell off one (Cillnabradden Evo) when it was pouring with rain, but it didn’t feel slippery, I just missed.

“Then when I rode Nereo, I couldn’t believe it in the warm up, it felt like a totally different going.

“It wasn’t slippery; it just felt like the sting had been taken out of it.

“With two 15-year-old horses, the rain came at the perfect time.”

Despite Avebury, who had an iconic fence named after him this year, being 15-years-old Nicholson has rubbished any suggestions of retiring the horse.

When asked if he had considered it he replied: “What do you think?

“You don’t retire them when they are winning. When I win I don’t retire and not come out for six months.”