THE EQUESTRIAN EVENT OF THE YEAR

Established in 1961 and held in the magnificent Burghley Park outside Stamford in Lincolnshire, Defender Burghley Horse Trials is an international sporting event also renowned for its extensive shopping avenues, pavilions and Burghley Food Walk.

Part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, Defender Burghley Horse Trials is consistently in the Top 10 of UK Sporting Events and in 2024 will take place from Thursday, 5 September to Sunday, 8 September.

You can purchase tickets here

What to expect?

• World-class sport – CCI5* competition (the very highest in the sport of eventing) with dressage, cross-country and showjumping from the very best horses and riders in the world, including Zara Tindall, Ros Canter and Tom McEwen, both part of Britain’s gold medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics, and last year’s Defender Burghley champion Oliver Townend. There’s also a packed programme of subsidiary classes, including the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Finals, the Pony Club Team Jumping competition and showing classes for ponies and former racehorses.

• Star-studded Main Arena Masterclasses from equestrian heroes such as Olympic medallist Carl Hester, William and Alice Fox-Pitt, William and Pippa Funnell and three-times Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer Henrietta Knight.

• Sensational shopping – Defender Burghley is famous for its shopping, with more than 500 carefully chosen exhibitors on-site, ranging from high-end British brands to independent designers and artisan makers. The Horse Village is a must for any horse-lover. And the legendary Food Walk offers sumptuous food and drink to sample, eat or take home. Street food options are positioned across the site for delicious bites on the go. And there are a plethora of perfect picnic spots within the Burghley grounds to enjoy your purchases or for those packing up their own spread.

• New for 2024 is the Avebury Restaurant, an exceptional dining experience in the heart of the showground serving breakfasts and lunch every day of the event.

• Fun for all the family: discover the Family Zone at Defender Valley, packed with activities throughout the day for younger visitors to enjoy. These include miniature Defenders, hobby-horse riding, pottery painting, face-painting and more.

• The Defender Experience offers visitors the chance to see for themselves the capabilities of the Defender vehicle when driven over dynamic display equipment on the South side of Burghley’s Lake.

Woolfox is just 6 miles from Burghley House. Our pool, gym and padel courts are for our Members only, however our 18 hole golf course, 10 bay driving range, and cafe are open to the public. If you’re looking for somewhere to sit back and enjoy the rural Rutland countryside then we have the perfect setting.

See you at Woolfox.

*Images courtesy of Burghley