Top riders tackle Burghley challenge

The world’s leading event riders are heading for this year’s Defender Burghley, the highlight of the autumn season.

Can Oliver Townend win back-to-back Defender Burghleys? The Shropshire-based rider, who just missed out on the chance to defend his Olympic team gold medal from Tokyo 2021 this summer, will undoubtedly be among the favourites to follow up his 2023 Burghley success again this year at the great Lincolnshire event (5th-8th September).

He is sure to enter both his 2023 hero, 17-year-old Ballaghmor Class – on whom he also won the CCI5* in 2017 – and his very exciting younger ride, Cooley Rosalent. The latter is a 10-year-old mare with whom he won the US CCI5*, Defender Kentucky, this spring.

“I think Burghley is the best event in the world,” says Oliver. “I grew up wanting to ride there, and it is always the event I look forward to the most all year. It’s absolutely top competition, but it also has a very special atmosphere and the team at Burghley do their very best to make sure everyone there has a great time.”

Oliver will be joined by the most famous riders from all across the world – and the entries are bound to include medallists from this summer’s Paris Olympics.

Top talent
Defender Burghley Horse Trials is undoubtedly the autumn highlight of both the British equestrian scene and the rural social calendar.

The central focus is the CCI5* – the ultimate test of the relationship between horse and rider – and Defender Burghley is cherished by the world’s elite equestrian athletes for its legendary cross-country course round the varied terrain of Burghley’s beautiful park, the willingness of the organising team to go to any lengths to put on the best event possible, and its professional yet relaxed vibe.

Burghley is also the proving ground for future champions. The prestigious Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Finals on Friday 6th September feature Britain’s best four- and five-year-old horses and always draw a huge crowd to the House Arena. On the Thursday, the LeMieux Pony Club Team Showjumping competition is equally popular with young fans of the sport.

The Main Arena Masterclasses on Thursday and Friday are extremely popular, and this year feature not only Britain’s dressage supremo Carl Hester, fresh from representing his country once again at the Paris Olympics, but also showjumping and eventing’s favourite couple, William and Pippa Funnell, Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Henrietta Knight – and six-time Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt and his ITV Racing presenter wife Alice. And everyone loves the Shetland Pony Grand National, which takes place in the Main Arena on both the Saturday and Sunday of the event.

What’s new?
New for 2024 are bookable cross-country course-walks with top riders, and returning after a very successful debut last year is Tea and the Trot-Up, where guests enjoy a delicious tea while listening to former Burghley course-designer Mark Phillips’ thoughts on this year’s event before watching the first horse inspection and then taking a short guided walk of the track.

Also new for this year’s Burghley is the Avebury Restaurant, named for the great grey event horse who won Burghley three times with New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson. For the first time, spectators who don’t have Membership to Burghley may book a table for breakfast and/or a superb à la carte lunch on each day of the event.

The relaunched Insights Stage will feature interviews with top riders and other well-known personalities from the wider equestrian and rural communities, and talks, demos and discussions on a diverse range of subjects.

Super shopping
Of course, while Defender Burghley is a feast of horse sport, it’s probably equally famous for its superb shopping. There are around 500 carefully chosen retailers from which visitors can purchase everything from clothing, jewellery and accessories to garden (and house) furniture, art and sculpture, kitchenware, lovely Christmas presents you can’t find on the high street, everything equestrian, books and impossible-to-resist food and drink.

You don’t have to be horsey to love a day out at Burghley. The Defender Experience, where you can be driven over dynamic display equipment, is always a hit with every member of the family, and the title sponsors may also be bringing mini Defenders this year!

Burghley’s supported charity for 2024 is My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which is dedicated to funding the search for effective treatments and ultimately a cure for Motor Neurone Disease. There will be a special tug-of-war competition featuring stars from the eventing and rugby worlds in the Main Arena on Saturday, which should be very entertaining viewing.

There’s plenty to entertain children – for example, the Buddy Activity Booklet includes quizzes and colouring, and sets younger spectators in pursuit of Buddy’s friends hidden among five cross-country fences.

Why not make a holiday of it and camp at Burghley for the week? This year for the first time campers may bring their horseboxes as well as caravans to Burghley’s very well set-out camp site – and Burghley Boutique also offers “glamping” in the lovely setting of the Walled Garden.

Defender Burghley really is a very special event and offers something for everyone, from the more peaceful glamour of the dressage days on Thursday and Friday to the bustle and thrill of Saturday’s cross-country day and the nail-biting tension of Sunday’s final showjumping phase. Visit www.burghley-horse to find out more and to buy tickets.

Don’t miss…
If you can’t attend every day of Burghley in person, watch all the action, great interviews and behind-the-scenes features on Burghley TV, presented by racing’s Nick Luck and Rosie Tapner and with expert commentary from John Kyle, Nicole Brown and celebrity guests.

A year-round subscription to Burghley TV costs £20, and gives you access to hours of footage from past events. https://burghley-horse.co.uk/burghley-tv

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