Burghley ‘ahead of the game’ on ground preparation to ensure ideal conditions for horses

The entries are in and Defender Burghley Horse Trials is “ahead of the game” in ensuring ideal conditions for the horses during one of the driest summers on record.

The site build and construction of the 2026 cross-country course are well under way at the home of the Lincolnshire CCI5*.

Burghley’s cross-country track is fenced off all year and has an underground irrigation network covering the whole course, which was installed around 26 years ago under the charge of clerk of the course Philip Herbert and then director Bill Henson. It involves 4,500m of pipes linked to one computer-operated pumping point at the lake (feature, 31 August 2023).

“Burghley for many years, before I was here as well, has been ahead of the game with the cross-country track,” said director Martyn Johnson at the event’s media day on 11 August.

“I don’t think you can go anywhere else in the world and have a dedicated track that is only used for one day of the year for 60 horses. The care and attention that goes on in December is as important as what we are doing in the build-up to the event now.

“It walks very well – yes, it’s been very dry, there is a limitation with the weather. But we’re very fortunate to have a year-round ground care plan, and that we have the ability to irrigate as well. So the ground will be as good as it can possibly be; the team here are really experienced at doing that, so we’re very hopeful and confident.”

There are a total of 56 entries from seven nations for this year’s event, and Equestrian data analytics company EquiRatings has Sarah Bullimore and the 10-year-old Corimiro as favourites.

Harry Meade has been drawn as pathfinder with Et Hop Du Matz, the first of his three rides. He will also partner Superstition and Cavalier Crystal. Other entries include 2023 Burghley runners-up David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed, Tom Jackson (Hawk Eye and United 36), Laura Collett (Bling), 2021 Bicton five-star winners Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight, plus Burghley debutant Yasmin Ingham on Goliath Du Loir.

“At the top of the sport we’re going through a bit of a transition at the moment with some of the older experienced five-star horses having retired, a couple of whom will be here in other guises this time,” said Mr Johnson.

“We have some really exciting young horses here. Tom and Sarah have probably two of the most exciting horses at the top of the sport at the moment, and I think we’ll see those horses for many years to come at five-star and championships. To have those horses here at this stage of their career is really exciting.

“We also have some really good entries from the US and continental Europe, which is good for the sport and for five-stars. We always know in a World Championships year that we’re going to lose some horses to that, but we’re very happy with the field. We have some quality entries and really nice stories.”

Event president Miranda Rock, whose grandfather David Cecil, the sixth Marquess of Exeter, founded the horse trials 65 years ago, said the fixture is “such a calendar landmark, not just here at Burghley, but across the whole sporting sector”.

“I think he’d be thrilled about that,” she said, adding that the first event had 19 competitors and that her grandfather would be “astonished” by its size and professionality today.

“He was a passionate horseman, and that’s really what he wanted to do: to support riders who were brave enough to compete.”

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