Latest from Horse & Hound in Burghley-young-event-horse

Burghley Horse Trials tickets in final pricing window to grab a discount

georgia.guerin@futurenet.com (Georgia Guerin) — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:37:51 +0000

Burghley Horse Trials tickets are currently on sale for 2026 (3–6 September) and there are some new upgrades to the event to look forward to. I’ve rounded up everything you need to know before you book, including what’s on when, ticket options and pricing windows, as well as information on membership and booking onto course-walks.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials and, as one of the major events of the year, it promises five-star eventing action of the highest level.

What’s on when at Burghley Horse Trials?

Date	What’s on?
Thursday 3 September	CCI5* Dressage Day 1 and LeMieux Pony Club Team Jumping
Friday 4 September	CCI5* Dressage Day 2 and Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Finals
Saturday 5 September	CCI5* Cross-country
Sunday 6 September	CCI5* Showjumping, BSPS TopSpec Gold Cup Sports Pony Final and official ceremony for Ballaghmor Class’ retirement

Burghley Horse Trials tickets

The cheapest way to buy all types of tickets is in advance online at burghley-horse.co.uk. There are three pricing windows and tickets are currently priced at the advanced rate window until 30 August.

~~Super-advance rate:~~ ~~23 April – 19 July~~
Advanced rate: 20 July – 30 August
Standard price: 31 August – 6 September, or on the gate (subject to availability)

All orders are subject to a £2.50 booking fee (per booking, not per ticket).

Car passes

Passes are £18 for each day (when purchased on or before 30 August) or £21 thereafter or on the gate. A four-day car park pass is £60 in advance, rising to £63 on 1 September.

General admission

Thursday, Friday and Sunday pricing
Ticket	Super-advance rate (until 19 July)	Advance rate (20 July – 30 August)	Standard (from 31 August)
Adult	£30	£35	£37
Young person (12–16 years)	£20	£25	£27
Child (5–11 years)	£5	£5	£5
Under 5	Free	Free	Free

You’ll need to purchase grandstand tickets in addition to entry on these days for a reserved seat in the dressage and showjumping.

Saturday pricing
Ticket	Super-advance rate (until 19 July)	Advance rate (20 July – 30 August)	Standard (from 31 August)
Adult	£52	£55	£59
Young person (12–16 years)	£37	£40	£43
Child (5–11 years)	£5	£5	£5
Under 5	Free	Free	Free

Season ticket pricing

Season tickets give you admission to all four days of the event, but must be purchased by 30 August.

Season ticket prices
Ticket	Super-advance rate (until 19 July)	Advance rate (20 July – 30 August)
Adult	£115	£126
Young person (12–16 years)	£95	£105
Child (5–11 years)	£20	£20
Under 5	Free	Free

Grandstand tickets

To be sure of a seat, we recommend buying a grandstand ticket in advance (in addition to your admission ticket). Grandstand tickets are required for children aged four and over.

Members and those with guest badges will get free entry to the North Stand on Thursday and Friday.

Granstand ticket prices
Session	Advance rate (until 30 August)	Standard rate (31 August – 6 September)
Dressage (Thurs/Fri)	From £25	From £8
Cross-country (Sat)	From £37	From £39
Showjumping (Sun)	£15	£20

Cross-country course walk tickets

Two course walk options are available to book in addition to your general admission tickets and are limited to 30 people per group.

Choose between and long course walk (2.5 hours, £45) or a short course walk (1.5 hours, £30), which will cover at least five key fences.

This is the perfect way to gain an insight into Derek di Grazia’s course for 2026 and will also offer plenty of opportunity to ask questions.

Long course walks: Thursday and Friday at 10am, 11am, 2pm and 3pm

Short course walks: Thursday and Friday at 10.15am, 11.15am, 2.15pm and 3.15pm

For more information or to book Burghley Horse Trials tickets, visit burghley-horse.co.uk

Burghley Membership

Membership tickets can be purchased in advance and include:

admission to the event for two people on all four days
priority parking on all four days
exclusive access to the members’ enclosure
exclusive access to the North Grandstand on Thursday and Friday to watch the dressage
the option to purchase two additional guest badges per membership

Membership prices
Membership type	Super-advance rate (until 19 July)	Advance rate (20 July – 30 August)	Standard (from 31 August)
Membership for two people	£385	£425	N/A
Guest badge	£85	£95	£115

Camping membership

This starts at £620 and must be purchased in advance. It includes all the benefits of a regular membership, plus a reserved caravan or horsebox parking space.

Find out more about camping at Burghley Horse Trials.

To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news in the run up to Burghley Horse Trials, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Olympic medallist joins judging line-up for Burghley Young Event Horse finals

Lucy Elder — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 18:01:14 +0000

Olympic medallist Clayton Fredericks (pictured, bel0w) will be among the judges for the 2026 Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse finals (4 September).

The final, which is held during the week of the CCI5* Defender Burghley Horse Trials in Lincolnshire, has an £8,000 prize pot in 2026 and this is Dubarry’s 18th year as sponsor.

Clayton, who has won Olympic and World Championship medals for Australia and is now a cross-country course-designer, will assess “potential to gallop” for the top 10 finalists in both the four- and five-year-old sections.

Clayton Fredericks and Ben Along Time at the 2008 Olympics. (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Christina Klingspor and Angela Tucker, frequent faces on championship and CCI5* ground juries, will judge the dressage. Dutch Olympic rider and national team coach Andrew Heffernan and five-star rider and young horse producer Nicky Roncoroni will judge the jumping. Vet John Killingbeck will assess “suitability and type”.

Clayton, Angela, Andrew and Nicky have all competed in the CCI5* at Burghley, and produced horses to the highest level. Christina has officiated at Burghley as a ground jury member three times, most recently in 2025, and she was president of the ground jury at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We are delighted that such a knowledgeable and experienced panel of international judges are able to join us at Burghley this autumn,” said Burghley event director Martyn Johnson.

“The Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse classes have enjoyed a real renaissance in recent years; we modernised the format, have greatly increased prize-money and the recognition that the winners receive and have looked further afield for judges for the finals.

“There is no doubt that these finals are showcases and training grounds for the future superstars of the sport of eventing and are very important for breeders, owners and riders.”

A total of 19 qualifiers will run in the UK and Ireland through the 2026 season, starting at Mars Badminton Horse Trials on 6 May.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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‘Fantastic’ five-year-old secures back-to-back Burghley Young Event Horse victories for Piggy March

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‘I wasn’t leaving without buying him’: four-year-old impresses to take Burghley Young Event Horse title

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‘I wasn’t leaving without buying him’: four-year-old impresses to take Burghley Young Event Horse title

Gemma Redrup — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 09:33:21 +0000

Max Warburton topped the four-year-old Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse results with Patron Of Keros, in a final held at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials yesterday (5 September). This class features a dressage, showjumping and small cross-country competition, before horses are judged on conformation.

The top 10 at that stage are pulled forward for a go-round in all paces and a final gallop, judged this year by William Fox-Pitt.

And this is where Patron Of Keros – owned by Max and his girlfriend, British-based Irish rider Susie Berry – sealed the deal, scoring the top mark of 10.

The Zangersheide-bred gelding, who is by Cornado II, out of a For Pleasure mare, really filled the eye and coped expertly with the big atmosphere at Burghley.

Max revealed that although Patron Of Keros won this class, he is still very green.

“We’ve only had him two months and he was just broken and hadn’t done anything when we bought him. He has been so green in everything he has done so far, but today he actually really stepped up and was very professional,” he said.

Max acquired Patron Of Keros as part of a deal.

“We bought him privately from Brian Flynn at MBF Sport Horses in Ireland,” said Max. “I had to buy him in a deal – he wouldn’t sell him to me unless we bought two and Susie said to me, ‘We’re not getting two’, but I said I’m not leaving without Patron Of Keros, so we brought the two home. I saw him over the door and he is just so beautiful.”

Max said that he and Susie were “absolutely delighted” with the victory.

He commented: “I’ve got a horse here in the five-star, so Susie has been preparing him for the past few days and he’s a big horse and I think she’s found him quite big!”

In terms of what the future holds, Max hopes he can keep the ride.

“Hopefully if we can get a group of owners together, we can keep him, but if not we’ll sell him,” he said.

Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse results: four-year-old class

1. Patron Of Keros (Max Warburton) 90.752. Parc All The Hype (Kitty King) 87.453. Waffle (Amelia White) 84.754. Milchem Giovanni (Jason Doerflinger) 84.455. Billy Whitby (Pippa Funnell) 82.706. Temeraire (Storm Straker) 82.657. Tomgar Valour (Patrick Whelan) 81.058. Caunton Cosmic Diamond (Tom McEwen) 79.609. Tullibards Benny’s Night Star (Cathal Daniels) 79.4510.HHE Cool Touch (Harry Horgan) 78.35

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Burghley and other major shows this year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website, from £1 a week. Horse & Hound’s 20-page magazine report on Burghley is published in 11 September issue, including full analysis and exclusive comment from six-time Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt.

‘Fantastic’ five-year-old secures back-to-back Burghley Young Event Horse victories for Piggy March

Gemma Redrup — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 19:05:21 +0000

Piggy March was victorious in the five-year-old Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse results aboard the horse with whom she won the four-year-old final last year, Quantum Leap. The class – held at Defender Burghley Horse Trials – features a dressage, showjumping and shortened cross-country round, before horses are judged on conformation.

The top 10 at that stage are pulled forward for a go-round in all paces and a final gallop, judged this year by William Fox-Pitt.

Quantum Leap – owned by Ann Tolhurst, the March Stud and long-term supporter of Piggy, Lady Aldous – led after the first three elements of this class and was then given the third best gallop score to finish on 86.85 points. British-based Irish rider Susie Berry was third prior to the final gallop with Purple Rain, but William awarded her the top mark of 10 for this, meaning she finished on an equal score to Piggy. As Quantum Leap’s jump score was two marks higher, he won the class.

Quantum Leap, who was named Quantum March when winning last year’s four-year-old final, is a German-bred bay by Verdi, out of a mare by Connor. He was bought by Piggy’s husband Tom as a two-year-old on a trip to a stallion auction in Germany. “He failed the stallion grading and so we had him castrated and he came over to us in the UK,” Piggy explained.

“It’s really exciting that he’s done the double,” she added. “He’s always been a really lovely horse to work with and makes my life very easy. He’s very straightforward with beautiful paces, and a really nice limb. Because he’s so straightforward, he always lifts with the atmosphere here and felt fantastic today. He’s an exciting horse for the future.”

Quantum Leap has won two BE100s this season and finished second in two others, plus second in a BE105 last time out.

“He’s a horse we think highly of and he’s done everything we’ve asked of him this year, so he’ll now have a well-deserved holiday,” said Piggy.

Susie Berry and Purple Rain, a gelding by Poker De Mariposa TN, out of a Casall mare and owned by Ron and Catherine Pearson, looks to be a smart one for the future.

Cornet March, bred by Tom March and with a future that could equally be as bright as a showjumper being by Cornet Oblensky and out of a Casado mare, finished third for owners Jayne McGivern and March Stud Limited.

Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse results: five-year-old class

1. Quantum Leap (Piggy March) 86.852. Purple Rain (Susie Berry) 86.853. Cornet March (Piggy March) 84.604. WLS Ravencourt (Caroline Powell) 84.055. Crackington (Caroline Harris) 82.056. Fuerty ROC (Kate Derwin) 80.957. Cornascriebe Lockdown (Caroline Powell) 80.108. Bellavalent (Rachael Thompson) 79.909. Vinerado’s Affair (Max Warburton) 79.3010. Kravitz Z (John Paul Sheffield) 77.75

‘I suddenly realised, I could win this!’: top rider seals Burghley young horse title with rousing gallop

Martha Terry — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 18:25:07 +0000

Piggy March topped the four-year-old Burghley Young Event Horse results for the second time in three years, riding Quantum March. The class – held at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials – features a dressage, showjumping and small cross-country competition, before horses are judged on conformation. The top 10 at that stage are pulled forward for a go-round in all paces and a final gallop judged by Yogi Breisner. And this is where Quantum March – owned by Lady Aldous, Ann Tolhurst and the March Stud – sealed the deal.

Second before the gallop, Piggy let this German-bred bay by Verdi, out of a mare by Connor, stretch out along the arena in front of Burghley House and was duly moved up to the top spot.

“He’s a lovely horse – he’s been super easy; he has a lovely way of going and is the kindest person,” said Piggy. “Thomas [Piggy’s husband] bought him as two-year-old – we’ve bred so many of our own, but it’s like a drug, it’s addictive buying horses!

“It’s so brilliant for the owners. Lady Aldous was one of my first owners and is such a lover of the whole sport and has been such a supporter of mine – and she loves this class, loves a young event horse and loves a bay gelding so this means a lot. I feel so pleased to be able to do it for her.”

Several four-year-old winners of this class – such as Cekatinka and Jurassic Rising – have gone on to compete at top level, so it’s exciting to dream of the potential.

“He’s four, he’s only done one qualifier and I haven’t done much else,” said Piggy. “But he jumps nicely and he pops round, and I revved him up for the gallop. I suddenly realised, ‘I could win this!’ He’s a cool horse – who knows how far he’ll go, but we’ll enjoy today.”

The four-year-old BYEH champion Quantum March in front of Burghley House. (Image credit: Defender Burghley Horse Trials / Peter Nixon)

Rosette winners in the Burghley Young Event Horse results

The final phase proved pivotal, as the leader Max Warburton – who qualified two horses into the top 10 – dropped down to eighth on MCG Cornet with a more conservative gallop. Instead Michael Jackson’s second ride The Chosen One moved up from equal fourth to second – ridden by Muzi Pottinger for the gallop as Michael also had Crackington qualified. The Chosen One (Calibre Royale x Jaguar Mail) was deemed to have galloped best of all, and Muzi certainly had a job pulling him up afterwards.

Emma Hyslop-Webb and another great galloper, She’s-A’Lot, finished third. This mare by Fire And Ice, out of a mare by Collin L, was only seventh beforehand but her scopey canter elevated her onto the podium.

Max Warburton’s other ride Purple Rain finished fourth, partnered for the gallop by Roberto Scalisi as Max was aboard MCG Cornet, while Michael Jackson – who earlier won the five-year-old class – was fifth on Crackington.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, the Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘I hope he can come back for the real thing’: Burghley Young Event Horse winner is tipped to go all the way

Martha Terry — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:52:21 +0000

Oscar became the fourth horse in the 34-year history of the event to complete the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse double, held at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials. Now five, Oscar topped the final Burghley Young Event Horse results for the second year in a row to back up his four-year-old win last year.

This Dutch-bred gelding by Kitt SB, out of mare by Quasimodo VD Molendreef, ridden by Michael Jackson, excelled in the cross-country and gallop phases to take the win on 87.5, just 0.75 marks ahead of Abydos and Storm Straker. The runners-up led going into the final stage, thanks to their leading dressage and showjumping marks. Austin O’Connor and Oldrock Amy were third, two marks adrift on 84.75.

The format of the competition is that the horses are judged in dressage, jumping and over a small cross-country course, plus conformation. The top 10 at this point are brought into the main arena for a final go-round in each pace, and then a gallop, which was judged by Yogi Breisner.

Oscar – owned by Gwen Meacham and Heather Bell – lay in second at this point, but his super gallop drew him ahead of Abydos (Askari x Diarano) in the final reckoning.

“I was hopeful as I know he’s an eyeful and gallops really well, so he’d be in the top couple in most people’s eyes,” said Michael. “He’s very consistent at a show, he’s almost more trainable and rideable – he can have episodes at home, but he knuckles down at a show and likes an atmosphere. At home he’s laid-back, but goes out with his friends and has a good scrap; he’s a real lad.”

Burghley Young Event Horse results pave the way to grander aims

Former winners of this class include the likes of Primmore’s Pride and Cavalier Crystal, who have progressed to the podium here as five-star horses. Michael Jackson has high hopes for Oscar to follow in their footsteps.

“I do think he can go to the very top and hopefully come back for the real thing in a few years’ time,” he said. “He does this level so easily, he’s done a couple of novices, and I’ve had to put the handbrake on. I will put him in the field because he will fly up the grades, so you need to wait for their bodies to fit into place before going to the next level.”

Oscar demonstrating how easy he finds the jumping under Michael Jackson during the five-year-old Dubarry Young Event Horse final at Defender Burghley. (Image credit: Stephen Bartholomew)

Oscar, a gleaming bay with three white socks, is an upstanding model who really fills the eye, but Michael must have a shrewd eye to foresee how quickly he would become successful.

“When I bought him as a three-year-old I was worried he wasn’t going to be big enough as he was only 15.1hh, but he’s shot up and grown in stature,” he said. “He was a bit of a feral pony but you could see he was classy, really easy across the ground, so I could see the potential.”

Another riser at the final gallop stage was Austin O’Connor’s ride Oldrock Amy, a mare by Sligo Candy Boy x Master Imp. This bay Irish Sport Horse has an outstanding walk to match her ground-covering gallop, which moved her up from fourth to third.

But the biggest improvement of all came from Piggy March’s ride Brookfield Royale Love, who was lying 10th. Piggy really asked this Irish Sport Horse by Fruits Of Love to stretch, earning a big cheer from the crowd and leapfrogging many others to eventual fourth.

To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘One of the nicest four-year-olds I’ve had’: five-star rider secures first Burghley Young Event Horse final victory

Gemma Redrup — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:58:27 +0000

Mike Jackson was the clear winner of the four-year-old Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse final riding his own Oscar. It was a first victory in the Burghley Young Event Horse final for Mike, who events professionally to five-star level.

Oscar, who is by Kitty SB out of Flair (Quasimodo), was awarded 23 for the dressage (judged by Sue Baxter and Les Smith), 37.5 marks for the jumping (judged by Nicola Wilson and Jane Holderness-Roddam) and 17 points for suitability and type (judged by Jenny Hall). Andrew Nicholson, who was responsible for judging the ability to gallop, then put the gelding in third for this section, but it was still enough for Mike to secure victory by 3.25 marks.

Mike sourced Oscar early in his three-year-old year from Mark Bosanko.

“He was then and still is now very immature physically, but he definitely had that presence and he was just light on his feet in all of his paces,” explains Mike of when he first spotted the impressive bay gelding.

“Then I sent him to Victoria Richards, who broke him in and did a brilliant job, and he’s been such so straightforward. He jumped clear at his first showjumping show and then took him to a Burghley Young Event Horse qualifier. I knew he was nice, but you never know how they’re going to react, and he just took it all in his stride.”

Mike pinpoints Oscar’s “consistent outline, contact and paces” as helping towards his victory today.

“He is definitely one of the nicest four-year-olds I’ve had. I’ve had quite experienced horses go in there before and go green, and I knew he was green, but I knew he’s quite brave, so it was just a matter of riding forwards enough while also giving him the time to see and assess everything,” explained Mike. “Everything fitted together today.”

Second went to an emotional North Yorkshire-based Elspeth Williams, 26, aboard her own KWPN mare Milena, who rose up one place after their final gallop, for which Andrew Nicholson awarded nine out of a possible 10 marks.

Malawi Lancer, who is by Duke Of Hearts XX, out of Fame VI (Canturano), was third in the four-year-old Burghley Young Event Horse final under Catherine Robinson, for owners Nicky Coates and Penny Cabourne. Andrew Nicholson rewarded their outstanding gallop with full marks, which propelled them up the ranks from sixth after the initial phases.

Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the Burghley action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

Redemption in five-year-old Burghley Young Event Horse final as Ros Canter takes victory

Gemma Redrup — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 12:58:05 +0000

There was redemption in the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse final when Cooley Cloverland, who finished second in the four-year-old final last year, won the five-year-old title at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials today (1 September).

Cooley Cloverland, who is by Cavalier Land, out of Clover Light Girl (Clover Hill) and owned by Kate and Joe Walls and Rob and Tricia Sargent, led the competition from start to finish under a masterful ride from Ros Canter. This horse, who is a full brother to Cooley Lands, who Kate also owns and who was third at Badminton under Chris Burton in 2019, finished an impressive 6.75 marks ahead of their nearest rival.

“He was so laidback today and took it all in his stride,” said Ros, who was awarded 24.75 for the dressage (judged by Sue Baxter and Les Smith), 39 out of a possible 40 marks for the jumping (judged by Nicola Wilson and Jane Holderness-Roddam) and 14 points for suitability and type (judged by Jenny Hall). Andrew Nicholson, who was responsible for judging the ability to gallop cemented Cooley Cloverland’s victory by awarding him with top marks.

“He’s got a bit of a fresh and spooky streak, which is a good thing for a horse that is hopefully going to be a top one one day – they’ve got to have a bit about them – but when it comes down to it, he’s actually very rideable,” explained Ros. “He’s brave and he’s straight but has still got a huge amount to learn – his jumping technique needs to be tightened up a bit, for example.”

Ros says that Cooley Cloverland has all the ingredients to be a five-star horse.

“He can gallop and when I sat up on him running downhill after our gallop today, he came straight back to me – he’s very light and uphill in that respect. Those are the things as well as the fact he’s got plenty blood, that they need naturally – you can teach everything else.”

Kate Walls said she had her eye on Cooley Cloverland before he was born.

“I knew his breeder was going to have one more foal out of the mare and I was obviously keen to get a full sibling to Cooley Lands,” explains Kate. “Cooley Cloverland arrived with me when he was five months old, he then spent time in the field with another foal at Julie Tew’s yard before going to be backed by Giovanni Ugolotti.”

Kate says that there are real similarities between Cooley Cloverland and his five-star brother.

“Their characters and temperaments are the same; amazing, but also they are both very spooky unless they are in proper work.”

Second went to Alex Postolowsky and Sandro Couture, who was ridden by Max Warburton in the final gallop as Alex opted to ride her other horse My Friend Bill, who ultimately finished sixth in the Burghley Young Event Horse final for five-year-olds. Sandro Couture, who is by Eros Rt, out of Supreme Couture (Dolphin Supreme) and owned by Couture Sport Horses, rose one place after the initial judging when Andrew Nicholson awarded him the third highest gallop mark, which elevated them into the runner-up spot. Sandro Couture also took home the prize for being the highest placed British-bred horse.

Third place went to Holly Woodhead and Jagerbomb PH. This striking grey, who is owned by Linda Penfold and is by Womanizer, out of Desir De L’Espirit (Desir Du Chateau), was eighth after the dressage, jumping and confirmation judging before being awarded with the second highest gallop mark, which moved them up the leaderboard.

Andrew Nicholson and Nicola Wilson join young event horse judging panel

Becky Murray — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 17:28:48 +0000

Six-time Olympian Andrew Nicholson and European eventing champion Nicola Wilson are among the top names to join the 2023 Dubarry Burghley young event horse (BYEH) final judging panel.

Les Smith and Sue Baxter, who have both officiated on CCI5* ground juries, will judge the dressage phase. Nicola will join former Olympic eventer Jane Holderness-Roddam in judging the jumping phase. Former British eventing team vet Jenny Hall will judge the suitability and type phase, and five-time Burghley winner Andrew will mark the gallop.

The series aims to showcase four- and five-year-olds who have the attributes to develop into top event horses. Qualifiers take place throughout the summer, ahead of the final on 1 September at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, where the horses will perform a dressage test and showjumping round, and have their conformation examined.

The top 10 from each class come forward for a final assessment, where they are judged on their suitability and type for reaching the top levels of the sport, and their potential to take on a five-star track in the future.

The series underwent a “refresh” in 2022 under new Burghley event director Martyn Johnson, with an increase in prize money and adjustments to the way the horses are assessed to keep the classes “as relevant as possible to the fast-moving modern sport”.

“I am delighted to welcome to Burghley all six of our judges, who between them have countless years of expertise in the sport of eventing from every possible angle,” he said.

“The BYEH final is where we hope to see the horses who, in years to come, will return here for the five-star competition, and is always very hotly contested.”

The winner of the 2022 five-year-old final was Jack of Clubs, owned by Nicola Wilson’s mother Mary Tweddle, and ridden by Robyn Gray. The gelding is now competing at novice level with Ros Canter. The four-year-old final winner was the March Stud’s stallion Cupid March, who was ridden to victory by Piggy March, but died from colic this year.

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‘A devastating blow’: heartbreak as Piggy March announces death of young stallion

Becky Murray — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 13:22:13 +0000

Cupid March, the March Stud’s promising home-bred stallion and Burghley young event horse (BYEH) winner has died from colic, aged five.

Cupid March, known at home as Brash, was by the jumping-bred sire Clarksville and out of five-star event mare Valentina II. Last year Brash won the four-year-old BYEH final with Piggy March in the saddle; he scored 24 out of 30 for his dressage, 37.3 out of 40 for his jumping and 17 out of 20 for his suitability. He had been due to stand at stud this year for the first time.

“I can’t believe I’m writing this but we very sadly lost our gorgeous Cupid March to colic on Tuesday (7 March) night,” said Piggy.

“It’s a devastating blow for Thomas and I, all the team here at Maidwell, and his owners Jane March, Susannah Paybody and Susie Wood. We’d all placed so much hope on his shoulders for the future and it’s incredibly hard for all those dreams to be snatched away so quickly.”

Tom March, Piggy’s husband, told H&H Brash was one that always had “a bit of X factor” and was a “special” character.

“It’s not something you can particularly put your finger on, but his character was always very self-confident, in a nice way. With the character and the ability together, he was always one people noticed or commented on and people were really starting to take an interest,” he said.

“There’s certainly not many that we’ve had that had the same aura about them. He was a real proper stallion, and clearly thought he was above everyone.”

Piggy said Brash was “an absolutely beautiful horse inside and out”.

“Everyone who was lucky enough to meet him will know his extraordinary ability and character. Being a home-bred, we’d seen him grow up from day one and have so many special memories with him already,” she said.

“We will treasure them even more than before now, in particular his win at Burghley, but his journey was still only just beginning. It’s absolutely heartbreaking to think of all the amazing days that were still to come for him. I’m sure in time we will be able to look back and appreciate what we had but right now it’s hard to get past what we’ve all lost.”

Piggy thanked Oakham Vets for all their efforts in trying to save Brash, and Stallion AI for performing an emergency epididymal semen extraction, a semen recovery procedure.

“When things were starting to look pretty bleak we knew that the extraction was the only option we had to try and save something from the situation. That is all we have left,” said Tom.

“We haven’t really decided what the plan is yet with the frozen semen, but we will definitely offer something, and will be in touch with everyone.”

Tom said the loss was “hard to take”.

“When you place your hopes with them and that’s all snatched away, everything happens so fast and it’s so unexpected. It’s hard to process when it’s all ripped from beneath your feet in a blink of an eye,” he said.

“He was only young, but when you think about how much work and stuff goes into them. To get one like him, we know sadly how difficult that is. To have all that gone in a flash takes a bit of getting over. Sadly horses are good at breaking your heart.”

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BYEH 4 year old winner during the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, in the park land surrounding Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the UK between 31st August - 4th September 2022 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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The Horse & Hound Burghley Daily Podcast day three: dressage review | BYEH | cross-country preview

Carol Phillips — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 19:03:20 +0000

Welcome to the third episode of our daily podcast updates from Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, brought to you in association with Baileys Performance Balancer. H&H’s regular podcast host Pippa Roome is joined by her fellow H&H Burghley reporters Gemma Redrup, Lucy Elder and Martha Terry to talk about the second day of dressage action, Friday’s Burghley Young Event Horse classes, and what’s in store tomorrow, including predictions for the leaderboard after cross-country
In our third episode of The Horse & Hound Burghley Daily Podcast, supported by Baileys Performance Balancer, H&H’s magazine editor Pippa Roome is joined by her H&H colleagues Gemma Redrup, Lucy Elder and Martha Terry to discuss all of Friday’s action at Burghley Horse Trials.
To make sure you don’t miss any podcast episodes, search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe.
View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast
The H&H team at Burghley kick off their chat with a run-down of the key tests on Friday 1 September, before going on to highlight other noteworthy performances on day two of dressage.
“The judge at C gave her a 10 for harmony – the test was a joy to watch” – Lucy Elder on Kitty King’s dressage leading performance
“Swallow Springs started very well; he just had one costly flying change, otherwise I think he would have been in the top three” – Martha Terry on Oliver Townend’s performance as the final rider in the arena
Pippa Roome chats about the popular Burghley Young Event Horse classes, then the team move on to preview Saturday’s cross-country action with a discussion about some of the key fences on the Derek di Grazia’s course.
“The thing that’s particularly clever at Defender Valley is the way Derek has used the terrain as the riders have to hold their line along that ridge line to avoid a glance off at the corner” – Pippa Roome
“The fences on the Dairy Mound aren’t that big, but it’s a massive accuracy test” – Gemma Redrup
Finally the team share their predictions on how the leaderboard might shape up at the end of the day. With only seven penalties covering the top 10 going into cross-country, it promises to be a fantastic day of action.
We would love to hear your feedback on all our podcasts, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com
Horse & Hound Burghley Daily Podcast: day three
Listen now to other recent episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast…
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
The Horse & Hound Burghley Daily Podcast day one: First horse inspection | Cross-country course initial thoughts | Predictions
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
The Horse & Hound Burghley Daily Podcast day two: first day of dressage review and Friday’s dressage preview
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
How to listen to the Horse & Hound Podcast: a beginner’s guide to podcasts
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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in this week’s magazine (8 September).
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Piggy March pilots home-bred stallion to Burghley young event horse four-year-old honours

Pippa Roome — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 17:48:21 +0000

The March Stud scored in the Dubarry Burghley young event horse final for four-year-olds this afternoon (2 September) at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials when home-bred Cupid March took the top spot.
The stallion is by Clarksville – a Holsteiner grandson of the great Olympic showjumper Casall ASK – out of a mare called Valentina II (by Corofino I), who Richard Jones evented at five-star level.
Piloted by Piggy March and owned by Jane March, Susannah Paybody, Susie Wood and March Stud Limited, the 16.2hh bay was second – by one penalty – coming into the final showdown in front of Mark Phillips. He scored 24 out of 30 for his dressage (judged by Angela Tucker and Judy Harvey), 37.3 out of 40 for his jumping (judged by Yogi Breisner and Helen West) and 17 out of 20 for suitability and potential (judged by Andrew Spalding).
Cupid March was pulled in third by Mark Phillips, gaining one place higher and one more point than Ros Canter’s ride Cooley Cloverland, who had led coming into the final. This meant the top pair were tied on equal scores, but Cupid March took the laurels by virtue of his higher jumping score, which is used as a tie-breaker.
“The stud is my husband Tom’s idea and his investment and I just nod and sometimes get on at the right time,” said Piggy. “I did say I wasn’t doing this one because I have no experience with stallions, but he’s been such a sweet horse to do and he’s a beautiful horse to ride.”
Piggy evented Cupid March’s half-brother, Highdown March, and when Tom was starting breeding, Richard was giving it up so he offered Valentina to Tom. Cupid March is her first offspring for the March Stud, with a three-year-old mare by the Dutch warmblood Van Gogh to follow.
“He’s a bit different to most of what we breed in that his mother obviously evented herself, although she was jumping bred, and most of our breeding is targeted to jumping rather than eventing,” said Tom.
“You look at his pedigree and you’d probably think he’s a jumper more than he is an event horse, but he’s a beautiful mover, very elastic, a lovely jumper with a lovely temperament and character to work with.
“It’s nice to have a horse you think can transfer between the disciplines and do a bit of everything. You see it more and more at the higher levels of eventing, horses coming through with jumping breeding – such as London 52 or JL Dublin – who were planned to be jumpers, but it’s having a horse that has the ride-ability and all the rest of it so they can be event horses as well.”
Tom said that Cupid March is “definitely a boy but has been no hassle to handle”, so they have never felt he should be castrated.
The runner-up in the Burghley young event horse final for four-year-olds, Cooley Cloverland, is owned by Kate Walls and is by Cavalier Land, who also sired Kate’s five-star horse Cooley Lands, who was third at Badminton Horse Trials under Chris Burton.
Maximum marks in the final section propelled Susie Wood’s Zingi, ridden by Ireland’s Susie Berry, up the leaderboard into third. He is by Take It 2 The Limit, who evented up to current four-star level himself.
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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September).
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Home-bred gives Nicola Wilson’s yard huge boost with Burghley young event horse final win

Pippa Roome — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 12:45:12 +0000

A horse bred by Nicola Wilson’s mother Mary Tweddle provided the injured rider’s whole team with a huge boost when he won the Dubarry Burghley young event horse final five-year-old section this morning (2 September) at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.
Robyn Gray, 31, was in the saddle of winner Jack Of Clubs, who is by the thoroughbred Duke Of Hearts and out of the five-star mare Annie Clover.
Robyn joined Nicola’s yard in January, with the aim of gaining experience with her own four-star horse Gelukkig and is now riding the young horses while Nicola continues her rehabilitation following her serious injury at Badminton Horse Trials in May.
“Nicola loves watching the young horses – she always gets videos sent and she’s so supportive and really encouraging. She really sets a bit of fire in my belly to go out and do it,” said Robyn.
“She’s so positive in everything she’s going through and yet so positive about the yard and horses – her positivity is still rubbing off although she needs it herself.”
Robyn also piloted Quintus, by Quibery, into fifth, with Tom Rowland taking the reins for the top 10 final. He is owned by Deirdre Johnston and Jane Knight.
“The horses are a credit to her – she produced them as four-year-olds and she’s got a great eye for them all and they’re all lovely horses. I’m very lucky and privileged to be sat on them,” said Robyn.
Winner Jack Of Clubs led going into the final. He scored 24.3 out of 30 for his dressage (judged by Angela Tucker and Judy Harvey), 34.5 out of 40 for his jumping (judged by Yogi Breisner and Helen West) and 19 out of 20 for suitability and potential (judged by Andrew Spalding). He was then placed fourth by Mark Phillips in the final section, which includes a gallop, with his seven points from that phase leaving him the winner by 0.3 of a penalty.
“When the crowd were clapping at end he had his ears pricked – he’s got quite a big ego and we don’t want to give him a bigger head than he’s got!” said Robyn.
“He’s quite cheeky – he’s a know it all but in a really nice way. He had a little buck in his gallop. We’re finding the more you challenge him the better he is and he rises to the occasion. But I couldn’t have faulted him today.”
Max Warburton’s ride Morningstar Van Altrido, by the Dutch warmblood stallion Fibonacci and owned by Conor Bruen, took the top mark of 10 in the final phase and moved up to overall second in the Burghley young event horse final for five-year-olds.
Deborah Langstaff’s mare Silvesters Finesse stood third, piloted by Ros Canter, with Emma Hobday standing in for the final phase. She is by the Dutch warmblood Silvester.
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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout Burghley Horse Trials with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report on Burghley, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from Nick Burton and Mark Phillips, in next week’s magazine (8 September).
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Virtual Burghley Young Event Horse final goes global

Becky Murray — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 10:01:02 +0000

The Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse 2020 will take place virtually, allowing riders from around the world to take part for the first time.
A spokesman for the event said as in the traditional competition, judges are looking are looking for an athletic, loose-moving horse with a promising jumping technique and attitude who, with correct training and production, is likely to develop physically and mentally into a strong three-day event horse .
The event is open to four- and five-year-olds, and riders are required to submit a combination of videos and photographs to cover three phases; dressage, jumping and conformation.
“We are delighted to provide owners and riders with a competition in this unusual year and excited to be able to extend the class to overseas participants for the first time,” said Elizabeth Inman, event director.
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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
The winner of each section will receive a £1,000 Dubarry voucher and feature on the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials website on 4-6 September, the weekend the horse trials was due to take place before it was cancelled – for the first time in its history – owing to the pandemic. The online event plans to celebrate the horse trials’ past, present and future with a packed schedule of online and social activities, including a feature programme on the Sunday for fans to enjoy at home.
Entries are now open, and close on 21 August.
We continue to publish Horse & Hound magazine weekly during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as keeping horseandhound.co.uk up to date with all the breaking news, features and more. Click here for info about magazine subscriptions (six issues for £6) and access to our premium H&H Plus content online.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Judge to ride Burghley Young Event Horse finalists

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 16:04:10 +0000

The Burghley young event horse (BYEH) final will feature a ride judge for the first time at this year’s event.
Former Olympic eventer Ian Stark will ride the top four horses after the suitability and potential section has been marked.
The introduction of such a judge was described as an “interesting new development” by Liz Inman, event director of the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (1-4 September).
“When we discussed how exactly anyone would go about trying to select a young championship horse of the future, we all agreed you’d want to ride it,” she said.
“So for the first time this year, we’ve introduced a ride judge for this final.”
The BYEH finalists will perform a dressage test, scoring up to 30 marks, and tackle showjumping and cross-country fences, for which 40 marks is on offer.
They are then assessed for conformation and quality, for which a total of 20 marks is on offer, and the top 10 horses go through to the suitability and performance section.
The top four horses’ scores will not be revealed before Ian’s rides, after which he will award each a mark out of eight.
These scores will be added to the totals after suitability and performance to give the final top four places.
Ian said: “I think some good riders are probably very good at producing horses on the day.
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“By riding them I’ll get a much better idea of the horses’ ability, attitude and scope.
“I will be looking for the raw talent in a horse that puts a smile on my face!”
The horses in fifth to 10th place will remain in the placings they held at the end of the suitability and performance judging.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Visiting Burghley Horse Trials? 10 top tips

Gemma Redrup — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 08:55:24 +0000

The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (1-4 September 2016) is a highlight of the equestrian calendar. Whether you are horse-mad or not, Burghley is an event like no other (especially when the weather behaves!). You need look no further than the attendance figures — approximately 160,000 people grace the hallowed Lincolnshire turf during the four days of competition each year.
However, with so much on offer at this year’s horse trials, it can be hard to decide what to do and how to please everyone in your party at the prestigious four-star event. So here is our top 10 tips to help you make the most of the 2016 event.
1. Indulge yourself with breakfast in the Members’ area
From a full English breakfast to all-butter pastries, fuel yourself for the busy day ahead in the comfortable Members’ area (which happens to have great loos too!). A four-day Members’ pass costs £185; this includes two four-day admission tickets, one four-day car pass, two Members’ enclosure passes and admission to the members area of the north grandstand on Thursday and Friday. For more information, visit burghley-horse.co.uk/Tickets/Membership
2. Watch future stars in the Burghley Young Event Horse final
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Friday sees the final of the Dubarry Burghely Young Event Horse (BYEH) class. Head over to ring two and settle down for the day, if you so wish, with a picnic to watch the culmination of the four- and five-year-old classes. The stars of tomorrow will be going head-to-head and it really does make for fascinating viewing. Previous winners include double Olympian Miners Frolic and winner of three different four-stars Primmore’s Pride.
3. Join a celebrity cross-country course walk
Every year, the number of cross-country course walks at Burghley seems to increase. Booking yourself onto one will give you the opportunity to see the impressive jumps before the throngs of crowds descend on the course on Saturday, and you will also get the inside scoop on how the riders are planning to tackle the 30+ solid fences. Keep an eye on the internet as course walks are announced in the run-up to the event.
4. Get the full Land Rover experience
Often a hit with husbands and boyfriends, petrol heads and rugby fans can get their fix at Burghley too. The Land Rover Experience features a purpose-built off-road course in its most extreme form, providing a taste of legendary Land Rover off-road performance with passenger rides in brand new vehicles. There is also a mini version for children where they can “drive” a remote controlled Defender around a miniature course. Don’t forget that if you are a Land Rover owner, all you need to do is show your keys to enjoy complimentary food and refreshments in a special hospitality area.
5. Book dressage tickets with headsets
Oliver Townend and Armada (Image credit: Trevor Meeks)
With a great view of the dressage action and the live scoreboard, grandstand tickets complete with headsets really round off your viewing experience. Expert commentary will guide you through every test which appeals to both novice and advanced dressage fans. For more information on grandstand tickets, visit burghley-horse.co.uk/Tickets/Grandstands
6. Wander down to the Celebrity Talk Area
Located in the Exhibition Village, you are almost certain to see one of your equestrian heroes being interviewed in the Celebrity Talk Area. Don’t miss your chance to get some background knowledge from behind the scenes and perhaps ask them a question too. For updates on who will be talking when, keep an eye on the Celebrity Talk area Facebook page in the run-up to and during the event.
7. Cast your eye over the trot-ups
On both the Wednesday afternoon and first thing on Sunday (if you’re a morning person), watch the riders present their Burghley mounts to the ground jury in the main arena. Some riders use this as a fashion show and to prove that they really can look good in an outfit that doesn’t include jodphurs! Super-fit horses and sky-high heels are not always a match made in heaven, which can provide some light entertainment.
8. Shop!
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Of course, Burghley wouldn’t be Burghley without the vast number and variety of shops available for you to spend far too much money in! With more than 500 traders, from all-things horsey to bespoke tailors and furniture, there is something for everyone — if you’re really organised you could even get all of your Christmas shopping done! Don’t forget there is also a large Food Walk, which caters for all tastes from fruit juice to cocktails and baklava to scotch eggs. We’re getting hungry just thinking about it…
9. Find the collecting ring
If you want to get away from the crowds, but still be in on the action of the competition, wander down to the collecting ring. On Thursday and Friday competitors tend to do the majority of their dressage warm-up by the Lion Bridge. Arena two is where the cross-country start and finish line is located on Saturday — the buzz is palpable and I defy you not to shed a tear or two as competitors cross the finish line. If you can’t find a spot to watch the showjumping in the main arena on Sunday, walk behind the open stand, where you can sit and watch the final phase of competition unfold.
10. Watch the action again and again
When everyone has packed up and gone home and you’re left with that empty post-Burghley feeling, an extended TV highlights programme of the competition will be availble for you to download to your PC, Mac or Android. The programme will also include an exclusive winner’s analysis and full results, so is not to be missed. Visit burghley.tv for more information. And of course don’t miss 8 September issue of Horse & Hound for our exclusive analysis of the all the highs and lows of the competition.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Should four-year-olds event? [H&H VIP]

Catherine Austen — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 07:55:24 +0000

Is four too young for horses to event? Leading rider Oliver Townend has called for an end to eventing four-year-old horses.
At a breeders’ seminar held last month (23 March) by Cheshire-based Harthill Stud, of which he is a co-founder with showjumper Nina Barbour, Oliver stressed that “four-year-old eventing should be banned” and that horses should be given more time to develop.
“I just don’t think it is of any benefit to what we are supposed to be doing — which is producing top-class event horses,” he told H&H.
“However, I don’t think five-year-olds are really ready to event either. Young horses would be much better spending two years showjumping before going eventing.”
However, not everyone agrees with Oliver.
Ginny Turnbull won the four-year-old final at the British Eventing Young Horse Championships at Osberton last year with Jolie Lark (pictured top). She also rode two other horses into the top 10 in the same class — Par Avion was fourth and Seapatrick Narco was ninth.
“Not all four-year-olds are ready to go eventing, mentally or physically,” she said.
“But what they are asked to do needs to be kept in perspective — they are allowed to do a maximum of three events, plus the final, over an untimed course of 90cm. You are essentially trotting round.”
Ginny had eight four-year-olds in her yard last year — four evented and four didn’t.
“The ones who did were ready to do so and definitely benefited from it, because they came on a lot,” she added. “I don’t think you can generalise about it.”
Oliver Townend riding four-star campaigner Armada (Image credit: creditUnknown)
Leading eventers more like show ponies?
Oliver has also criticised the Burghley young event horse (BYEH) series. He said that although the classes are “commercially a very good idea”, he questioned the type of horse doing well in them.
“I saw the top 10 doing their final gallop at Burghley last year and there was only one real eventer in there,” he said.
“The classes have become a completely separate world to eventing — those horses are like show ponies. They look like showjumpers but they don’t jump; they look like eventers but they’ve got no blood, so where do they go?”
He suggested that part of the judging criteria needs to be the percentage of thoroughbred blood the horse carries, or horses in the pedigree who have already been successful.
“People ride horses with good jumps in young horse classes and say they’ve got a top-class eventer — they haven’t,” he said. “They’ve got something with scope and riders get confused when they are riding a warmblood without enough blood for eventing.”
Young horse producer Judy Bradwell told H&H she didn’t agree.
“I’ve won a BYEH and done well at it with lots of horses which have gone on to be successful eventers,” she said.
“The BYEH classes have been beneficial for their education and made them more mature. Yes, occasionally you get a very warmblood-type winning a qualifier, but those get sieved out at the final. But there are more warmbloods than thoroughbreds going into eventing now, so there are more of that type around than there used to be.
“There is now a mark awarded for type at the final. And it’s about getting the right judges — the conformation judges have to be practical and use their common sense.”
Young Horse Championship winners (Image credit: creditUnknown)
However, Burghley event director Liz Inman told H&H there are “numerous reasons “ why, apart from breeding, a horse’s potential to move up the eventing ladder, at whatever level, might not be proved, such as through injury or being sold.
“Of all the four-star horses in the world, only a relatively small percentage would have competed in these classes. So, taking all of this into account, the following statistics would point to a degree of success in these classes identifying horses with the necessary talent,” she said.
“In an earlier five-year period (chosen for the horses to be now between the ages of eight and 12), 352 horses made the final, and of these, 12% are competing at three-star level and 3% at four-star level.
“Prior to this, there have been others who have gone on to achieve success at four-star and championship level, including Primmore’s Pride, Miners Frolic and more recently Billy Beware, who all featured at the finals.”
A ‘shop window’
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Breeder and showjumper William Funnell, whose wife Pippa (pictured on Billy Be Cool) has consistently been successful at the BYEH final with horses bearing the prefix of their Billy Stud, said the company uses the BYEH four- and five-year-old classes as a “promotional tool” to show what they’ve bred.
“We really only take horses by our stallions to promote what we do,” he said. “Horses winning at three-star and four-star is the aim, not winning young horse classes — although they do serve a purpose as we need some sort of shop window.
“The less blood types with flashy movement show themselves better as four-year-olds — but they haven’t got the blood for eventing.”
Ref: Horse & Hound; 16 April 2015

Watch Burghley young event horses crowned

Carol Phillips — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 11:27:35 +0000

Watch action from the class in our exclusive video and hear what the judges have to say about this year's finalists
Parkfield Quintessential and Zoe Wilkinson did the double by winning the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse 5-year-old final, following their win in the 4-year-old class last year. The last horse to achieve back-to-back victories was Billy Be Cool in 2008 and 2009.
“He has had a fab year but he has done very little as we think he is an exciting horse for the future,” said proud owner breeder Sharon Bishop from Devon, who also collected the trophy for the ‘best British-bred’.
Piggy French riding Duke of Love (Image credit: Peter Nixon)
This year’s 4-year-old title went to Duke Of Love (pictured above), ridden by former team rider Piggy French, ahead of Alex Postolowsky’s All Or Nothing. Both horses were bought at last December’s Brightwells sale.
Judge Ian Stark MBE said: “The 4-year-olds presented a higher standard than the 5-year-old class. It was a strong top 10 and every horse had its strong points.”
Burghley Young Event Horse 4-year-old results
Duke of Love (P French) 85.5
All or Nothing (A Postolowsky) 82.5
Ebolensky (L Fredericks) 81.5
Chance in a Million (E Chandler)79.0
Evolution B (B Thomas) 78.0
Elton H (A Postolowsky) 77.8
Burghley Young Event Horse 5-year-old results
Parkfield Quintessential (Z Wilkinson). 84.5
DHI Jet Set (E Chandler) 78.5
Britannia’s Mail (L Fredericks) 77.0
Tretawn (S Cohen) 76.5
Quainton Labyrinth (C Johnstone) 74.5
Morswood 74.5
Read full Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse final report in Thursday’s Horse & Hound magazine (12 September, 2013) on p44
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New Burghley Young Event Horse qualifiers for 2010

Horse & Hound — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:40:32 +0000

Three new venues have been announced for the 2010 Burghley Dubarry Young Event Horse (BYEH) series: Burgie International (18 June), Glanusk Horse Trials (2 July), and Carlton Horse Trials (30 July).
The series was started in 1987 to identify potential four-star eventers.
The first of 18 qualifiers took place at Houghton on 27 May. The final is at Burghley on 3 September.
• Visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk
This article was first published in Horse & Hound (3 June, ’10)
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Burghley celebrates eventing’s rising stars

Carol Phillips — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 11:10:26 +0000

Sons of well-known eventing sires Mill Law and Primitive Rising took the prestigious Winergy Burghley Young Event Horse titles at Burghley Horse trials last week. Cotton King was crowned the top four-year-old, while Trequite triumphed among the five-year olds.
Marguerite Boucher’s Cotton King fought off competition from 43 other horses to take the title under Angela Tucker. This big attractive bay is by Mill Law and was bred by Hazel Bramley.
Pippa Funnell was placed second with the Jane and Jonathan Clarke’s Billy Landretti. This horse was homebred by the Funnells by William’s former show jumping SHB(GB) graded stallion Vechta.
Third was Judy Bradwell’s Dutch-bred mare Varisienne, who was ridden by Hayley Rose. Judy said, “She’s very scopey, generous and genuine.” Varisienne is by the world famous jumping sire Voltaire out of a mare by Karendasj.
The Preci-Spark stable proved unbeatable in the five-year-old section with Trequite, ridden by Sarah Cohen. Trequite is by the dual purpose Thoroughbred sire Primitive Rising and is a half brother to Trebetherick, who won the title in 2004. Sarah said: “I’m bringing him on slowly, I’m very excited about him.”
Breeders Vin and Liz Jones also gained the special Winergy prize for the best British-bred horse.
Bettina Hoy was second with the upstanding dark bay Leap For Joy, who was bred in Germany with a mainly show jumping pedigree. Bettina has high hopes for this horse, not least for the London 2012 Olympics. “I think he could be something special. He’s a very big horse but so balanced,” she explained.
Pippa Funnell also added a third place to her second in the four-year-old section, this time with her own chestnut gelding Re-designed. He is another horse with show jumping parentage being by the stallion Kanute, who jumped at the Sydney Olympics. Pippa said: “He’s got the most amazing brain — I hope he’ll be ‘a proper one’.”
The South Essex Insurance Brokers Burghley Event Pony title went to Torthowald Just Barney, a seven-year-old chestnut gelding, owned by Elaine Hack and ridden by Sophie Rowbotham. Twenty-two ponies came forward for the finals after qualifying at the P(UK) Summer Championships.
For a full report on the Winergy Burghley Young Event Horse finals, including analysis and pictures, see Horse & Hound (21 September, ’06)
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Quest for future eventing stars begins

Horse & Hound — Fri, 03 Feb 2006 15:44:08 +0000

The 2006 qualifying shows for the prestigious WINERGY Burghley Young Event Horse Series have been announced. A series of 20 qualifiers will take place around the country from 19 May to 18 August 2006, culminating in a final held on Friday, 8 September at the world-famous Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (7-10 September 2006).
The Young Event Horse Series is the UK’s “Showcase for breeding for Eventing,” and qualifiers are open to four and five-year-old horses of a minimum height of 148cm, and riders over 16 years old.
Pippa Funnell, winner in 1998 with her 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Primmore’s Pride, claims that the young event horse class is “widely acknowledged as a shop window for breeders.” Tina Cooks’ British team horse General Jock is also a Young Event Horse finalist. “It is a good competition for owners and breeders to aim for,” says Cook, who also won the five-year-old championship in 2003 with Miner’s Frolic.
Tamarillo, Shear H20, Cornerman, Jurassic Rising, Midnight Dazzler, Matinee and Welton Romance are just a few of the long list of equine finalists that have proved their talent in the top echelons of eventing. Last year no less than seven former Young Event Horse finalists took part in the 2005 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.
Since the inception of the sport of eventing, British-bred event horses have been acknowledged and rewarded as the best in the world. Since the launch of the Young Event Horse competition 21 of the 32 winners with known breeding have been British-bred. This year, sponsor Effem Equine Ltd is introducing a new prize dedicated to the significant achievement of breeders.
For further details on the qualifiers and how to enter visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk (tel: 01780 752131).
Winergy Burghley Young Event Horse Series 2006
19th May Chepstow Horse Trials
21st May College Equestrian Centre Horse Trials
28th May Hambleton District Show
4th June Rutland Show
9th June Bramham Horse Trials
14th June Yorkshire Sports Horse Show
24th June Milton Keynes Horse Trials
24th June Sports Horse Breeding (North West) Show
30th June Eridge Horse Trials
9th July Richmond Equestrian Centre
15th July Chard Show
25th July Ryedale Show
27th July Field House Equestrian Centre
28th July Border Union Show
29th July Knaptoft Horse Trials
30th July Worcester Lodge Horse Show
4th August Gatcombe Horse Trials
11th August Hartpury Horse Trials
18th August Brockenhurst Park Horse Trials
18th August Thirlestane Castle Scottish Championships

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Burghley attracts best young event horses

Horse & Hound — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 14:11:17 +0000

A sparkling performance from the Irish-bred Pebbly Aga Khan clinched the Winergy Burghley Young Event Horse four-year-old final.
Ironically, in a class conceived largely to promote breeding, the horse is of unknown parentage, but his star quality left the judges in no doubt that he was a worthy winner.
Piloted by Hayley Hankey, the marks he received from the first three judges — Annabel Scrimgeour (dressage), David Merrett (jumping) and Andy Bathe (conformation) — put him in the lead moving into the final judging. Jane Holderness-Roddam then placed him at the top of the line-up to win by almost 10 marks.
“The grey said ‘I’m first, forget the rest’,” commented Jane, who did a thorough job, asking the class to walk and trot on the opposite rein after their gallop. She added: “I look for a horse with a good walk and one which has its hocks underneath him.”
Hayley’s mother, Jane Beswick, found the 15.2hh Pebbly Aga Khan at Goresbridge sales in February — “He had such a super walk and good limbs,” said Jane — and the Igoe family bought him literally as soon as he stepped off the lorry.
“We went there to collect the money for one horse we had sold and ended up buying another. It was my daughter Katrina who fell in love with him,” explained Ivy Igoe.
Kate Allen, a vet who works at the University of Bristol, took second with her own chestnut Final Encore. John Rawding bred this Selle Francais, who is by Matinée — the sire of Polly Stockton’s four-star horse Tangle Man — out of Reoccurence, the Rawding’s champion show hunter.
Dovecote Dexters Ditto stood second in Jane Holderness-Roddam’s line-up, which promoted him to third place overall. Ridden by Julie Brodie, he was bred by Bernie Lake in Buckinghamshire. His sire is Sharon Mynard’s grade A show jumper and advanced eventer Dexter IV, a son of Dallas.
Five-year-old final
Darrell Scaife rode to victory on the classy five-year-old Thoroughbred Zeus Of Rushall for Jane and Barry Wookey. This horse is to be the last of the line of Rushall horses, which stretches back more than 20 years and through almost every letter of the alphabet.
The Wookeys bought Zeus as a foal from his Worcestershire-based breeder Mrs Aldersley. He is out of a race mare called Little Fighter by Regal Embers.
Barry said: “He was a little, rather weak foal but I always choose by looking at the dam. My wife helps, too — she can tell you if it’s a nice horse or not, although she couldn’t tell you why.”
Darrell and the Wookeys made this class their aim from the beginning of the year, although they had doubts the week before.
“We weren’t sure whether to come because he can be spooky,” said Darrell. “I was nervous as we circled at the end but I was chuffed to lead the points and the line-up.”
Shirley Marler’s Primitive Rising-sired Bolebec Aztec was second under Matthew Wright.
Ruth Edge was third on her own Tokay, whom she bought from Tim and Antonia Brown in February. The Browns imported him from Holland — he is by Indoctro out of a mare called Crystal, who is by Ahorn.
“I was attracted by his character. He always wants to please,” said Ruth, who would love to keep the ride, although Tokay is now for sale.
Last year’s four-year-old winner, Trebetherick, ridden by Sarah Cutteridge for Vin Jones’s Preci Spark stable, stood sixth and was best mare. The line-up also included two stallions, Take It 2 The Limit, fourth under Leslie Law, and Up With The Lark, ninth with Michael Jackson.
The top five horses in each class automatically qualify for the PAVO BE breeding championships, while the winner and runner-up have been invited to contest the finals of the Future Event Horse League in Ireland on 24 September.
“There was a complete mixture of horses in both classes but all were of a high standard,” summed up Jane Holderness-Roddam.
This report was first published in Horse & Hound (15 September, ’05)

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