The Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course for the 2024 event (5-8 September) has been designed again by the USA’s Derek di Grazia.
The track has 30 numbered fences and is 6420m long (almost four miles), with an optimum time of 11min 16sec.
Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course: fence by fence
Fence 1: Defender Starter
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Fence 2: Lambert’s Sofa
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Fence 3: Quilter Cheviot Picnic Table
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Fence 4ab: Mars Equestrian Arena Brushes
Fence 4a
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Fence 4b direct route
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Fence 4b long route
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Fence 5abc: Defender Valley
Fence 5a
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Fence 5b
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Fence 5c direct route
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Fence 5c long route – riders have to loop back round against the direction of travel to jump this
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Fence 6: Trakehner
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Fence 6 side view
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Fence 7abcde: Holland Cooper Leaf Pit
Fence 7ab direct route
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Fence 7c direct route
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Fence de direct route
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Fence 7a long route
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Fence 7b long route
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Fence 7c long route
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Fence 7d long route
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Fence 7e long route
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Fence 8ab: Defender Valley
Fence 8a
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Fence 8b direct route
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Fence 8b long route
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Fence 9: Pedigree Rails
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Fences 10ab and 11babc: Trout Hatchery
Fence 10a
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Horses then have the opportunity to wet their feet through this unnumbered pond
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Fence 10b
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Fence 11a direct route
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Fence 11bc direct route
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Fence 11ab long route – this alternative route is quite circuitous
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Fence 11c long route
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Fence 12: Log Stack
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Fence 13: Horseware Ireland Triple Bar
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Fences 14 and 15abc: Joules at the Maltings
Fence 14
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Fence 15a
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Fence 15b direct route
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Fence 15c direct route
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Fence 15b long route
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Fence 15c long route
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Fence 16ab: Rolex Corners
Fence 16a direct route
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Fence 16b direct route
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Fence 16a long route – this alternative involves looping back round away from the direction of the course
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Fence 16b long route
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Fence 17: Pol Roger Table
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Fence 18ab: LeMieux Stable Yard
Fence 18a
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Fence 18b
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Fence 19: Pardubice
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Fence 20: Irish Horse Board Cottesmore Leap
Fence 20 direct route
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Fence 20 alternative
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Fence 21ab: Fairfax & Favor at Keepers
Fence 21a direct route
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Fence 21b direct route
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Fence 21a long route
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Fence 21b long route
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Fence 22 and 23abc: Defender Dairy Mound
Fence 22 direct route
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Fence 23ab direct route
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Fence 23c direct route
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Fence 23a long route – the alternative here is time-consuming
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Fence 23b long route
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As well as the full long route above, there is this fence 23c alternative, which can be used after taking the direct route 23ab or following a run-out at the direct 23c.
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Fence 24: Rolex Grand Slam at Capability’s Cutting
There isn’t a huge difference between the two fence options here. This one is closer to the slope up out of the cutting
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This is probably a touch slower and is further from the slope
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Fence 25: Agria Lifetime Equine Slate Mine
Fence 25 direct route
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Fence 25 long route
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Fence 26abc: Boodles Raindance
Fence 26a
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Fence 26b
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Fence 26c
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Fences 27 and 28: Defender Lion Bridge
Fence 27
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Fence 28 direct route
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Fence 28 alternative – this will not take a great deal of extra time
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Fence 29: My Name’5 Doddie
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Fence 30: Defender Finale
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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
