Spectators at Defender Burghley will have the chance to celebrate with Britain’s gold medal-winning eventing team from the Paris Olympics, as Laura Collett, Tom McEwen and Ros Canter appear in Burghley’s Main Arena on Sunday, September for the first time since their superb victory a month ago.
Burghley’s Event Director Martyn Johnson said: “We’re very much looking forward to welcoming our triumphant team from Paris to Defender Burghley, where the three riders, plus their owners, grooms and the Team GBR support team, will be one of the highlights of a final day packed with entertainment, superb sport and non-stop action.”
Defender Burghley’s concluding day is the climax of the event. Activities in the Main Arena commence with the final horse inspection and then the first session of showjumping, before the hotly-contested SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse showing classes. The nail-biting afternoon programme starts with the ever-popular Defender Shetland Pony Grand National, and a very special retirement ceremony for Burghley’s most prolific winner of all time, William Fox-Pitt, before the showjumping for the top 20 horses and riders to decide the Defender Burghley champion 2024. The Fitzwilliam hounds, accompanied by the huntsmen of other local packs, will parade before the Paris Olympic gold medallists take centre stage. The event concludes with the presentation of the CCI5* prizes before we bid farewell to the world’s greatest horse trials for another year.
Defender Burghley is the established highlight of the summer social season. As well as top-class sport featuring both the most famous horses and riders in the world and up-and-coming stars, in the beautiful and historic setting of Burghley Park, the event offers superb shopping opportunities, delicious food and drink, elegant hospitality options and lots to entertain children, plus an exciting range of activities to suit the whole family.
For a full timetable and to book tickets, please visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk
Image of Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2021 Olympic gold medallist Tom McEwen courtesy of DBHT/Peter Nixon.
