Tickets are now on sale for Defender Burghley Horse Trials (4-7) September – and with a distinctly fresh look to the famous cross-country course, a buzz of excitement is starting to build around the Lincolnshire event.
Membership and general admission tickets are available today (Wednesday, 23 April) via Burghley’s box office: www.burghley-horse.co.uk.
Defender Burghley is the autumn highlight of the British season, where world-class sport, luxury shopping, gourmet food and vibrant socialising meld in the glorious setting of Burghley’s historic park.
As one of only seven CCI5* competitions around the globe, it always attracts the very top horses and riders, and ranks alongside Wimbledon and The Masters as a sporting “major”.
This September course-designer Derek di Grazia is reversing the direction of the cross-country course and including many new fences, which will provide competitors with a thrilling test of horsemanship and of that crucial partnership between horse and rider.
Defender Burghley always strives to provide visitors with an even more enjoyable day out than ever before, and developments this year include:
- More bookable cross-country walks on both Thursday, 4 September and Friday, 5 September with famous names from the sport of eventing
- Improved grandstand seating arrangements
- More spaces in the highly popular Burghley campsite for horse boxes
Event Director Martyn Johnson said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming visitors to Defender Burghley in September for an extravaganza of exceptional sport, entertainment, shopping and a truly great day out. Derek di Grazia’s new-look cross-country course will provide athletes and horses with a different and fascinating test, and we have many exciting additions to the Burghley programme to announce in the coming months.”
The Avebury restaurant was launched to great acclaim in 2024, and table reservations for delicious breakfasts and lunches can be booked via the event website, as can high-class “glamping” in Burghley’s beautiful walled garden with Burghley Boutique. “Tea and the Trot-Up” on Wednesday, 3 September is back again, as is the fun-packed Family Zone, offering activities such as face-painting, dog agility, story-telling and pottery painting.
Joining Defender Burghley as Lifestyle Ambassadors this year will be writer and journalist Marina Fogle, and influencer and style expert, Alex Collins. Marina is a dedicated rider and Pony Club mother, and writes regularly in the national media on a range of topics. Alex, who lives in Lincolnshire, is known to many for her impeccable style advice, but is also a rider, horse owner and competitor, and a lifelong Burghley fan.
Both Ambassadors will help Burghley to spread the word about ways to immerse yourself in the event alongside the shopping, dining and exploring — and will be interviewed on the Insights Stage.
To see a full timetable to help you plan your trip to Defender Burghley and to purchase tickets, visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk.
