Silverware in dream Badminton Horse Trials debut for 43-year-old mother

She said: “It has always been the pinnacle to try and achieve getting here [Badminton] for me it has been a longer road than most.

“Just to get here and drive through those gates was incredible. I cannot believe the week I have had with Wilf.”

Magee’s main focus was to try and complete Badminton which, in itself, is a great achievement as it is the world’s toughest three-day event. “To finish so high was a brilliant bonus in this company. You are competing against people you have looked up to for years and there is also the new generation who are amazing as well,” she continued.

“I know my horse is one of the best – I have just got to keep producing him as he is only 11.

“The future looks exciting – we just have to keep the soundness box ticked.”

Magee, who is now based at Barnard Castle, added Treworra has always been an out-and-out cross-country horse, but is now becoming more competitive at the other phases – she is coached by Northallerton’s Nicola Wilson, the former Olympian.

“I have done a lot of training with Nicola over the last couple of years, and she has helped me up my game to another level,” she explained.

That was reinforced when Magee and Treworra produced a fabulous dressage test to finish joint 23rd from a field of 81 starters.

Treworra’s ability came to the fore with no jumping faults on the cross-country and 5.2 time penalties as they climbed to 14th place.

Then in the showjumping, the pair had two fences down and 1.6 time penalties to climb to 11th – Magee was annoyed to have the last fence down which would have put them in eighth position.

Looking back on the experience, Magee, who had never even been to Badminton as a spectator, said: “It was incredible.

“I had been told we were in the stables by the house, but didn’t realise how welcoming the Duke and Duchess [of Beaufort] are.

“To be part of such an amazing estate was truly incredible – that they let us in and allow us to ride around for a week was amazing.”

Treworra will have a "little holiday” with the intention to compete at another five-star event later in the year.

“Wilf is a lovely horse who sleeps in the field with his best pal Claude.

“My son, who is aged nine, helps look after him and Wilf gives him licks,” Magee said.

Treworra is owned by Harrogate-based Angela Hislop, a renowned owner, who Magee says she is indebted for long-standing support.

Magee, who has 12/14 working horses among the 20 on her yard, said: “Angela sent Wilf to me when he was aged five and Agadir Gano, another advanced horse, who I am hoping to take to Bramham.

“I have five horses from Angela who has made a huge difference. I would probably have given up but for her. I have a lot to thank her for.”

There was frustration for Huddersfield-raised Oliver Townend who came within a whisker of claiming a second Badminton title.

Townend, who won in 2009, was only one point off victory with his exciting 11-year-old mare Cooley Rosalent.

Last to jump, Townend needed a clear, but had a fence down which allowed Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo to become one of only five riders to win Badminton twice on the same horse.

“It’s not my luckiest place in the world in terms of five-star events. That’s the fifth time I have been second and I have only won it once – it takes a bit of winning,” he said.

Townend and the veteran Ballaghmor Class, which is also part owned by Hislop, were eighth after the cross-country, but withdrew after a failed inspection on Sunday morning with a scratch which left him sore.

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, the horse ridden by Nicola Wilson before he career-ending fall at Badminton in 2022, were ninth.