Burghley Horse Trials 2026 including all the news as it happens
Burghley Horse Trials 2026
The 2026 running of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials promises five-star eventing action of the highest level. Burghley’s box office opens on 22 April for membership and caravan membership purchase, while general admission tickets will be available from 23 April.
Among the exciting news that’s been released is the brilliant Ballaghmor Class will have an official retirement ceremony at the event, so that’s sure to be a highly emotional moment to look forward to.
A Horse & Hound website subscription gives you instant access, wherever you are, to all of our coverage in the run up to and during the event with no limit on how much you can read, from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now to enjoy all the news as it happens.
The autumn five-star is directed by Martyn Johnson, and the course-designer is Derek di Grazia.
Latest Burghley Horse Trials news
‘I had no control’ and ‘I watched videos of you growing up’ – Ginny Elliot and Ros Canter meet and share Burghley memories
Dan and Harry Skelton to show how they train racehorses using techniques from other sports at Burghley
‘Numbers will drop more if we don’t act’: top eventer’s suggestion to boost Badminton and Burghley entries
Burghley box office is now open – get your tickets at the super-advance rate
More Burghley stories >>
If you’re planning to visit the event this week, here’s what you need to know…
14 things you absolutely must do if you’re going to Burghley Horse Trials
Burghley box office is now open – get your tickets at the super-advance rate
How to achieve the country chic look and be prepared for Burghley
How to watch Burghley Horse Trials 2025 live streams and on TV wherever you are
Burghley Horse Trials dates
The Defender Burghley Horse Trials will be held on 3 to 6 September 2026.
How much prize money will the Burghley winner receive?
The 2025 Burghley winner took home £115,000, which was an increase of £5,000 on 2024. The total prize fund of the event was £375,250. The prize money for 2026 is yet to be released.
Does Burghley help any charities?
The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance was the event’s official charity in 2025. The official charity for 2026 is to be announced.
Where is Burghley Horse Trials held?
Burghley Horse Trials is held in the grounds of the Burghley Estate, which is located in Stamford, Peterborough.
Burghley Horse Trials history
The first Burghley event was held in 1961 and the horse trials had never been cancelled or abandoned until Covid-19 took out the 2020 and 2021 renewals.
Anneli Drummond-Hay was the event’s first winner, riding Merely-A-Monarch, who also became the first horse to win both Badminton Horse Trials and Burghley when he took the Gloucestershire event the following spring.
Andrew Nicholson’s ride Avebury, who won the event in 2012, 2013 and 2014, is the only horse who has won Burghley three times. The only other horse to be listed among the Burghley Horse Trials winners more than once is Ginny Elliot’s ride Priceless, who won in 1983 and 1985, when he was also crowned European champion.
Burghley has also hosted the European Championships on five other occasions, the most famous of these being in 1971 when Princess Anne took the title on Doublet.
What is Burghley Horse Trials?
Burghley Horse Trials is one of just seven five-star events in the world. Five-star is the highest level of eventing competition, where the very best horses and riders in the sport compete against each other in three phases: dressage, cross-country and show jumping. The same horse and rider combinations take part in all three phases and their penalty scores are added up. The horse and rider with the lowest penalties is the winner.
What is eventing?