The Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course for the 2024 event (5-8 September) has been designed again by the USA’s Derek di Grazia.
The track has 30 numbered fences and is 6420m long (almost four miles), with an optimum time of 11min 16sec.
Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course: fence by fence
Fence 1: Defender Starter
Fence 2: Lambert’s Sofa
Fence 3: Quilter Cheviot Picnic Table
Fence 4ab: Mars Equestrian Arena Brushes
Fence 4a
Fence 4b direct route
Fence 4b long route
Fence 5abc: Defender Valley
Fence 5a
Fence 5b
Fence 5c direct route
Fence 5c long route – riders have to loop back round against the direction of travel to jump this
Fence 6: Trakehner
Fence 6 side view
Fence 7abcde: Holland Cooper Leaf Pit
Fence 7ab direct route
Fence 7c direct route
Fence de direct route
Fence 7a long route
Fence 7b long route
Fence 7c long route
Fence 7d long route
Fence 7e long route
Fence 8ab: Defender Valley
Fence 8a
Fence 8b direct route
Fence 8b long route
Fence 9: Pedigree Rails
Fences 10ab and 11babc: Trout Hatchery
Fence 10a
Horses then have the opportunity to wet their feet through this unnumbered pond
Fence 10b
Fence 11a direct route
Fence 11bc direct route
Fence 11ab long route – this alternative route is quite circuitous
Fence 11c long route
Fence 12: Log Stack
Fence 13: Horseware Ireland Triple Bar
Fences 14 and 15abc: Joules at the Maltings
Fence 14
Fence 15a
Fence 15b direct route
Fence 15c direct route
Fence 15b long route
Fence 15c long route
Fence 16ab: Rolex Corners
Fence 16a direct route
Fence 16b direct route
Fence 16a long route – this alternative involves looping back round away from the direction of the course
Fence 16b long route
Fence 17: Pol Roger Table
Fence 18ab: LeMieux Stable Yard
Fence 18a
Fence 18b
Fence 19: Pardubice
Fence 20: Irish Horse Board Cottesmore Leap
Fence 20 direct route
Fence 20 alternative
Fence 21ab: Fairfax & Favor at Keepers
Fence 21a direct route
Fence 21b direct route
Fence 21a long route
Fence 21b long route
Fence 22 and 23abc: Defender Dairy Mound
Fence 22 direct route
Fence 23ab direct route
Fence 23c direct route
Fence 23a long route – the alternative here is time-consuming
Fence 23b long route
As well as the full long route above, there is this fence 23c alternative, which can be used after taking the direct route 23ab or following a run-out at the direct 23c.
Fence 24: Rolex Grand Slam at Capability’s Cutting
There isn’t a huge difference between the two fence options here. This one is closer to the slope up out of the cutting
This is probably a touch slower and is further from the slope
Fence 25: Agria Lifetime Equine Slate Mine
Fence 25 direct route
Fence 25 long route
Fence 26abc: Boodles Raindance
Fence 26a
Fence 26b
Fence 26c
Fences 27 and 28: Defender Lion Bridge
Fence 27
Fence 28 direct route
Fence 28 alternative – this will not take a great deal of extra time
Fence 29: My Name’5 Doddie
Fence 30: Defender Finale
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You might also be interested in:
Watch William Fox-Pitt walk key fences on the 2024 Burghley cross-country course: ‘Derek di Grazia is asking some terrific questions’
How to watch Burghley Horse Trials live in 2024: your complete guide
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‘I owe it to him’: five-star stalwart set to retire following Burghley
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