Olympic silver medallist William Fox-Pitt admitted he will savour every minute of his second Badminton Horse Trials win after he and Chilli Morning went clear in the final show jumping round.
It was eleven years ago that Fox-Pitt first tasted victory at the four star event on board Tamarillo.
But despite finishing as runner up the next year in 2005 Fox-Pitt had, until today, failed to take the title again.
That all changed on Sunday as the British rider rode clear to finish on 39 penalty points, as New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson – leader after the dressage and cross country stages – picked up four faults to finish sixth.
Second went to Germany’s Ingrid Klimke on Horseware Hale Bob, while New Zealand’s Jonathan Paget was third on Clifton Rush.
Nicola Wilson, on One Too Many, was the highest-placed Briton after Fox-Pitt in seventh, with the latter becoming the first home rider in six years to finish in top spot.
And the 46-year-old conceded the wait had been worth it for his second victory.
"It's amazing to win here. It's been a long wait," said Fox-Pitt.
"I'm old now and it might never happen again. I've got no excuse because the horse is great and I didn't want to waste it."
© Sportsbeat 2015