This year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (31 August-3 September) cross-country course, designed by Captain Mark Phillips and built by Philip Herbert and his team, looks like it will be as challenging as ever for competitors.
We take a look at what the course has in store for the horses and riders who will tackle it on Saturday 3 September.
Fence 1: Olympic Legacy
Fence 2: Lambert’s Sofa
Fence 3: Fairfax Saddles Table
Fence 4ab: Lion Bridge
View over 4a
Fence 4b (jumped coming towards the camera)
Fence 5ab: Anniversary Splash
Fence 5b
Fence 6abc: Lakeside Corners — riders have the option of a step up bounce (first picture below) to a corner on the right, or just the corner on the left. There is a third alternative 6c (the longest route), which is a brush hedge
Fence 7: Collyweston Slate Mine
Fence 7 side view
Fence 8: Capability’s Cutting
Fence 9, 10, 11ab: Storm Doris — the fastest route is to jump the right-hand arm of the log to the corner on the right. The slightly longer route is to jump the left-hand corner of the first log, to the left-handed arm and then over a narrow fence at part c
Fence 10 and 11ab side view
Fence 12: Winners’ Avenue
Fence 13: Cottesmore Leap
Fence 14: Arched Roll Top
Fence 15ab: Keeper’s Brushes — riders have the option to jump either two brush boxes on the left, or two triple brushes on the right
Fence 16ab, 17: Land Rover Dairy Farm
Alternatives to fast route above:
Fence 18abc, 19: Rolex Combination
Alternative routes:
Fence 20abc: Joules At The Maltings — there isn’t much difference in time wastage at either of the fence 20a options
Alternative 20b
Fence 20c:
Alternative 20c:
Fence 21: Captain’s Log
Fence 22, 23abcd: Land Rover Trout Hatchery:
Long route for fence 22, 23abcd
Fence 24ab: Herberts’ Hollow
Alternative 24ab, which can be ridden on a line to avoid the undulations of the hollow
Fence 25: Irish Horse Gateway
Fence 26abc, 27: Discovery Valley
View from 26abc to 27
Alternative 26a and b
Alternative 26c
Alternative 27
Fence 28: Rolex Grand Slam Rails
Fence 29ab, 30: FEI Classics Leaf Pit
View from 29a
Alternative 29a
Alternative 29b
Alternative 30
Fence 31ab: Discovery Valley
Fence 32abc: Arena Homecoming
Fence 33: Picnic Table
Fence 34: Land Rover Finale
Don’t miss H&H’s Burghley preview, including a full form guide and a scorecard to fill in for every rider, on sale now (Thursday 25 August), and you can read the full report in next week’s magazine (Thursday 8 September).
