Defender Burghley Horse Trials

LAST YEAR’S WINNERS

Defender Burghley Horse Trials - 31 August-3 September is undoubtedly the autumn highlight of both the British equestrian scene and the rural social calendar.

of Burghley Park to provide the ultimate test of horse and rider - the willingness of the organising team to go to any lengths to put on the best event possible, and its professional yet relaxed vibe.

“Hallelujah!” exclaimed an emotional Piggy after her final showjumping round. “I’ve been through a rollercoaster of emotions today, but the main one I’m feeling now is relief. Vanir Kamira so deserves this –to win at Burghley is so special and I’m delighted that she will have her name on Winners’ Avenue; she absolutely deserves it and this is what dreams are made of.”

The CCI5* event - one of only seven horse trials worldwide at the very highest level of international competition - is a heady mix of top-class horse sport, superb shopping and great entertainment. It is loved by the world’s elite equestrian athletes for its famously challenging and exciting cross-country coursedesigner Derek di Grazia uses the undulating and varied terrain

“I think it’s the best event in the world,” says last year’s Burghley heroine Piggy March, who won the event for the first time in 2022 aboard Vanir Kamira. “I grew up wanting to ride at Burghley, and it is always the event I look forward to the most all year.”

Burghley Horse Trials takes place in the glorious setting of the Capability

Brown-designed Burghley Park, just outside Stamford in Lincolnshire. Burghley House, built in the 16th century for Sir William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Elizabeth I, provides the magnificent backdrop to this most-cherished event. The carefully curated tradestands provide an exceptional shopping experience for Burghley’s many visitors, many of whom do their Christmas shopping at the event every year. High-quality clothing, jewellery, art, sculpture, furniture, accessories and equestrian equipment of every variety range alongside the famously delicious offerings of the Foodwalk.

The CCI5* competition takes centre stage, but other entertainment ranges from Masterclasses with the great Carl Hester and Yogi Breisner, the irrepressibly brilliant Shetland Pony Grand National, a side-saddle demonstration, sporting stars up close and personal in the Celebrity Talk Area and the fun of off-roading in Defender vehicles at the Land Rover Experience.

Buy your tickets for Defender Burghley Horse Trials now and find out more information about the event by visiting www.burghley-horse. co.uk.

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

NOT ‘JUST’ A CCI5*

While the main CCI5* competition takes centre stage at Burghley, there are multiple ancillary classes running throughout the four days of the event.

Chief among them, perhaps, are the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Finals for four- and five-year-olds. These are the UK’s most prestigious classes for the future stars of eventing. The 2022 winners were Piggy March (March Cupid, four-year-old champion) and Robyn Gray (Jack Of Clubs, five-year-old champion).

While the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Finals are held in the House Arena on the Friday of the event - 1 September in 2023Thursday is LeMieux Pony Club showjumping day. Forty Pony Club teams compete in two rounds of showjumping - and places on branch teams at Burghley are hotly contested. Many top event riders had their first experience of riding on Burghley’s hallowed turf in the LeMieux Pony Club Team Jumping competition - let’s hope the experience inspires future generations of international riders, too.

On the Sunday of Burghley, there are Racehorse to Riding Horse qualifiers for HOYS in the Main Arena, and BSPS Gold Cup Sports Pony showing classes all day in the House Arena.