Australian Sam Griffiths says he's shed tears of joy after winning the world's most prestigious equestrian three-day event.
Griffiths says his triumph at the Badminton Horse Trials in England is a dream come true.
"I've shed a few tears already," Griffiths said.
"I think will wake up tomorrow and think it's a dream. It might take a while to sink in."
Griffiths, the sixth Australian to win the event, was an unexpected winner.
The 41-year-old, who will pocket about $A146,000 in prizemoney, and his 11-year-old Irish mare Paulank Brockagh were in 25th spot after the initial dressage phase.
And he was ranked fifth after cross country competition.
"There was no way I thought I would be on the podium, let alone winning," he said.
But in the decisive showjumping phase, Griffiths knocked down just one fence as fellow Australian Paul Tapner faltered.
Tapner, winner at Badminton four years ago and the overnight leader after cross country, could afford to have two fences down aboard Kilronan and still triumph, but four rails hit the deck and he finished fourth as Griffiths emerged the surprise victor.
"I just concentrated on what my horse does well," Griffiths said.
"She is one tough nut with a massive heart. She tries and tries and tries. I cannot speak highly enough of her.
"This is the ultimate dream. When I was a little boy we used to wait for the video to come out to watch the highlights of Badminton. To win it is the completion of that dream."
Griffiths, who contested the 2012 London Olympics but didn't complete the competition due to a fall, joins Australians Bill Roycroft (1960), Laurie Morgan (1961), Andrew Hoy (2006), Lucinda Fredericks (2007) and Tapner (2010) as winners at Badminton.
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