Reigning World Champions Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir compete at Burgham in 2022. Photo by Rupert Gibson Photography.
With the largest number of entries in the event’s history and perfect conditions underfoot, Burgham International Horse Trials 2023 (July 26-30) looks set to be the best yet.
Riders from every continent with the exception of Antarctica will be competing at Burgham, and they encompass 20 different countries as far-flung as Norway, Namibia, Morocco, China, India and Argentina alongside the most customary USA, Australia, New Zealand and mainland Europe.
Once again, Burgham – Northern England’s premier equestrian event – has a star-studded cast. British Tokyo Olympics gold medallists Laura Collett and Oliver Townend will face serious opposition from the 2023 Badminton CCI5* winner Ros Canter, 2022 Burghley CCI5* heroine Piggy March and reigning World Champion Yasmin Ingham, among many others. There is also a large contingent of Irish competitors targeting Burgham this year, headed by World Championship team silver medallists Padraig McCarthy and Sarah Ennis.
Burgham commences on Wednesday, July 26 with international dressage and the popular Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse qualifiers for four- and five-year-old horses. There is cross-country to watch every day from Thursday to Sunday; the feature CCI4*-S sections, sponsored by Holme Dodsworth Metals, take centre stage on Saturday, July 29.
Grassroots competitors have plenty of opportunities to compete alongside the most famous riders in the sport of eventing with British Riding Clubs senior and junior team jumping on Saturday, and showing and dressage classes for thoroughbreds and ex-racehorses on Sunday, July 30.
Visitors can enjoy a great variety of tradestands and locally produced food and drink while they are watching the sporting action – and there’s even a fun dog show on Saturday and Sunday to raise money for Burgham’s supported charity, the British Eventing Support Trust (BEST).
Burgham is thrilled to welcome Project Pony as its supporting partner for 2023. This new initiative aims to identify and support up-and-coming young riders by giving them the opportunity to compete on elite event ponies.
Burgham is the final leg of the Northumberland Challenge. Sponsored by AW Jenkinson Forest Products, Encon Technical Solutions and NIS Group Ltd, the 2023 Northumberland Challenge offers horse and rider combinations entering the CCI2*-S and CCI3*-S classes at Belsay, Alnwick Ford and Burgham the opportunity to win cash bonuses of up to £20,000 for the CCI2*-S and £25,000 for the CCI3*-S, totalling £45,000. Who will take home the cheques at the end of this weekend…? Oliver Townend has high hopes of CCI2*-S bonus money, while Oliver, Mark Davidson and Yasmin Ingham also have chances of collecting CCI3*-S cash.
Event Director Craig Anderson said: “Burgham is an incredibly special event, and our huge number of very high-quality entries prove how much riders and owners love to come to it. This is top-class eventing in an intimate, relaxed and friendly atmosphere in the heart of Northumberland – who wouldn’t love it?! We look forward to welcoming lots of spectators – there’s so much for them to see and enjoy.”
You’ll be able to follow Burgham International live using your Horse & Country viewing pass or subscription. Click here to bookmark the live stream page for this event.
Burgham International: [Website] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [Live Stream]
