If you’re lucky enough to be heading to the Defender Burghley Horse Trials (4–7 September 2025) and perhaps haven’t visited before or are wondering what’s on offer this year, here is our complete guide to what you won’t want to miss while you’re there.
Walk the cross-country course
Make sure that, no matter which day you’re visiting Burghley, you take a walk around the iconic five-star Burghley cross-country course – until you’ve seen those fences in the flesh, you don’t get a true appreciation of how enormous they are! Just stay behind the roped-off areas and don’t walk up to the fences to protect the incredibly hard work done by the Burghley team to ensure the best ground for the five-star horses. Alternatively, you can join a pre-organised cross-country course walk, where experts explain to you fence-by-fence how each obstacle should be ridden, and can provide fascinating insight. Keep an eye on social media channels and equestrian websites to catch a space on a pre-organised course walk, like this one with Alec Lochore.
Open to four- and five-year-old horses, the aim of this series is to encourage breeders and trainers to produce and present the type of young horse that has the potential to make a world-class three-day event horse in the future. The judges look for an athletic, loose-moving horse with a promising jumping technique and attitude which, with correct training and production, will develop physically and mentally into an elite three-day event horse. The winner is the horse with the highest overall marks from four sections: dressage, jumping, suitability and type, and potential to gallop. The final takes place throughout the day on Friday 5 September in the House Arena, which can be found between the main arena and Burghley House. See the five-year-old final from 8.15am, and the four-year-olds from 1.30pm.
Visit some (many) of the 500+ tradestands
Well, it would be rude not to, wouldn’t it? Burghley’s vast shopping village is one of the many highlights of the event, attracting a huge collection of many well-known brands. From equestrian fashion to country lifestyle brands, there is plenty to choose from. The opening hours of the shopping village are:
Thursday – Saturday: 9am–5.30pm
Sunday: 9am–5pm
Oh, and don’t forget to have a walk around the food stalls too
There will be a wide selection of food-based tradestands for you to wander around and sample their wares – from delicious smoked fish to a range of wines, there is something for everyone.
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Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Back for a second year is the Avebury Restaurant, situated just moments from the central shopping village and the buzz of the main arena atmosphere, which will offer breakfast and lunch sittings. Table reservations are for one hour and prices start at £32 per person. Advance booking has now closed, however a limited number of tables will be available for on the day reservations at the event, so it will definitely be worth popping by.
Get top tips from some of the world’s best trainers
During the dressage lunch break on Thursday, former European eventing champion and Olympic bronze medal-winner Bettina Hoy will be taking centre stage to deliver a masterclass entitled ‘Smart Test Riding’.
At the end of the dressage on Friday, combinations from The Howden Way Young Horse Academy will demonstrate their skills in a masterclass conducted by five-star eventer and top-15 Badminton 2025 finisher Kylie Roddy.
Seven-time Olympian Carl Hester will be in the main arena on Friday during the dressage lunch break to give a dressage masterclass with special guest and three-time Olympic medallist Tom McEwen, which is certainly something you won’t want to miss.
Check out the Insight Stage
Previously The Celebrity Talk Area, the newly revamped Insight Stage will offer fascinating interviews with top riders, lifestyle chats and interactive sessions – pop by for details of who will be on stage when.
The Shetland Pony Grand National
This brilliant spectacle will take place on Saturday 6 September at 9.30am in the main arena, prior to the cross-country action getting underway at 11am. There will be an additional Shetland Pony Grand National in 2025 too, which will get underway in the main arena on Sunday at 12.45pm. Make sure you give them all a good cheer!
Support Burghley’s official charity
This year, Burghley will be supporting Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance, whose team delivers life-saving care to people involved in incidents on the road, across the countryside or along the coast. The crew is on call all day, all night, 365 days a year and is made up of highly-skilled pilots, paramedics and doctors.
This independent charity receives no government funding for its day-to-day operations, which serve a population of 1.65 million people across 3,500 square miles. The charity is committed to delivering a fast, life-saving service to anyone who visits, lives and works in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
Get behind the Georgie Campbell Foundation
Grab your opportunity to support this beneficiary programme at Burghley. Events include a prize draw, auction and course-walk, as well as cross-country preview evening featuring panellists Jesse, Tom McEwen and assistant Burghley course-designer Andrew Heffernan. Tickets are available online.
British Eventing Training Foundation breakfast Q&A
Join Olympic medallists Pippa Funnell and Lucinda Green, plus British Eventing Training Foundation chairman, Sian Rodway, for an exclusive ticketed breakfast event on Thursday 4 September between 9am and 10.30am in the President’s Enclosure. Pippa and Lucinda will share personal stories, look ahead to an incredible Burghley weekend and discuss why officials are the backbone of our sport. The session will kick off the fundraising drive and offer attendees a unique opportunity to get behind the cause from day one and hear from two legends of the sport. Find out more here.
Create a painted pottery pony
Fancy taking home a hand-painted Burghley keepsake? Head to the Family Zone, where you’ll find a selection of pottery ponies to choose from. Then, get creative with your paintbrush. Find this and more entertainment that’s perfect for families both in the Family Zone, located west of the shopping village, and on the Insights Stage.
And of course, last but by no means least, keep up-to-date (and watch) all of the five-star action
Whether you are there in person or are keeping tabs on things from home, we’ve got you covered with our guides to Burghley tickets – e-tickets will be available for the first time, although cash will still be accepted on the gate – and how to watch Burghley live, plus stick with us for all the news as it happens.
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
