It’s TIME! We’ve officially landed on site at Defender Burghley, and it’s time to get underway tomorrow beginning at 10 a.m. local time with the first session of dressage. As always, we’ve rounded up the information you need to follow along this week. Keep this post bookmarked to see all of the coverage we’re pumping out, brought to you with support from our friends at Kentucky Performance Products.
Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]
The Players
We’ve got just over 50 horses to see here, a number that whittled down just a bit more ahead of the First Horse Inspection with the withdrawal of Joseph Murphy’s Calmaro as well as the elimination of Laura Birley’s Bob Cotton Bandit, and it’s a real field of cross country machines. This is perhaps the most vital ingredient for a Burghley horse, and the challenge has been made that much stiffer this year with the reversal of the track’s direction.
You can get the down-low on each and every pair in this year’s field using our handy Form Guide here. EquiRatings also has published their Fan Guide, which is more stats-heavy, so be sure to pull that up here for more information.
The Ground Jury for this week consists of:
Andrew Bennie (NZL) – President
Valerie Pride (USA – GJ Member
Christina Klingspor (SWE) – GJ Member
Gary Parsonage (GBR) – Technical Delegate
Derek di Grazia (USA) – Cross Country Designer
Paul Connor (GBR) – Jumping Course Designer
How to Watch
Once more, you can access all of the live action exclusively on Burghley TV. You do need a subscription for this, but the cost is rather nominal, at about $33 or £25. Burghley TV also grants you access to previous years’ content, exclusive interviews and highlights and much more.
Click here to access Burghley TV or find out more information.
Social Media Channels and Hashtags
Burghley Facebook Page
EN Facebook Page
Burghley Instagram
EN’s Instagram
Hashtags to follow include: #DBHT | #Burghley
EN’s Coverage
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
The Canter Colossus: Ros and Walter Win Defender Double at Burghley
Sunny Sailing at Defender Burghley Final Horse Inspection
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
The Best Day at a ‘Backwards’ Burghley: Live Blog from Defender Burghley Cross Country
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
“Get Stuck In and Have a Good Ride”: Riders React to Defender Burghley Cross Country
Every Rose: Townend Tops Burghley Dressage Leaderboard with a Great Grey (Vol. 3)
“I’m Here to Win”: Tim Price Leads Friday Morning at Defender Burghley
The Power of Patience: Alexander Tordoff Comes Full Circle at Defender Burghley
The ‘Chimp Paradox’: Simon Grieve Silences the Inner Critic at Defender Burghley
An Official Rider: Valerie Pride’s Judging Journey to the Heights of European Eventing
ICYMI: Friday at Defender Burghley
A ‘Smart’ Family Affair for Tara Dixon at Defender Burghley
All ‘Points’ Lead to Burghley: Tom Strawson Debuts Former Racer Public Address at Defender Burghley
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
“We’ve Got a Future to Build”: Piggy March Takes Burghley Thursday Lead
ICYMI: Thursday at Defender Burghley
Good Habits: Joseph Murphy on Learning from Michael Jung
Horses for Courses (and Fact-Finding): Billy Alberto Finds a Purpose with Team Lissington
Thursday Morning at Burghley: David Doel’s Back with a Bang
Horses for Courses (and Fact-Finding): Billy Alberto Finds a Purpose with Team Lissington
Good Habits: Joseph Murphy on Learning from Michael Jung
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
The Rest is Still Unwritten: Drama at Burghley’s First Horse Inspection
Cross Country Machines and World Beaters: Meet the Field of the 2025 Defender Burghley CCI5*
Pre-Event Coverage
Harry Meade to Head Out First at Defender Burghley
A Late Newcomer to the Defender Burghley Roster
2024 Champions Return and Other Notes from the Defender Burghley Entry List
