Burghley Horse Trials

The Defender Burghley Horse Trials is an annual three-day event held at Burghley House near Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, currently in early September. Defender Burghley Horse Trials is classified by the FEI as one of the seven leading three-day events in the world (the others being the Badminton Horse Trials, the Kentucky Three-Day Event, the Australian International Three Day Event, the Luhmühlen Horse Trials, the Maryland 5* and the Étoiles de Pau). It has competition at CCI5*-L (five star) level. The prize for first place is currently £110,000. Prize money is given down to 20th place.

Burghley is also one of the three events in the Grand Slam of Eventing.

Run in conjunction with the event since 1990 is the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse final, which judges four- and five-year-old horses on their potential as future Olympic mounts.

History
Horse trials have been held at Burghley House since 1961 when its owner the 6th Marquess of Exeter, an Olympic gold medalist in athletics and IOC member, heard that a three-day event at Harewood House could no longer be held due to suspected foot and mouth disease. Since then no other international horse trials site has staged as many championships, a record ten in all including the first World Championship in 1966.

It is the longest continuous running international event. Up to 2023 there have been seven course designers: Bill Thomson, M.R.C.V.S. 1961 – 1983, Lt-Col. Henry Nicoll, D.S.O., O.B.E., 1975, Philip Herbert 1984 – 1988, Captain Mark Phillips, C.V.O., 1989 – 1996 and 1998 – 2000, Mike Tucker 1997 and 2001, Wolfgang Feld 2002 – 2004, Capt. Mark Phillips, C.V.O., 2005 – 2019 and Derek di Grazia, 2022–present.

Casualties and incidents

 * 1988: Mark Davies (GBR) was killed when he fell at fence 26 during cross country at Burghley.
 * 1990: Ian Stark (GBR) was disqualified for excessive pressing of his exhausted horse, Alfresco during the event.
 * 1999: Simon Long (GBR) was killed when his horse Springleaze Macaroo flipped over a fence and crushed him during the cross country event.
 * 2004: Caroline Pratt (GBR) was killed during a rotational fall from her mount Primitive Streak on cross country.
 * 2009: Harry Meade (GBR) was disqualified and handed a red card for riding an exhausted horse. His mount, Dunauger No. 14 fell at fence 19.
 * 2009: Paul Donovan (IRL) received a FEI yellow warning card for failing to stop after incurring 3 refusals on Sportsfield Sandyman. The citation was given for "Dangerous riding - Continuing after three clear refusals, a fall, or any form of elimination (Eventing Rules Art. 525)" during the CCI4* event.
 * 2009: A runaway tractor rolled down a hill into a car parking area causing thousands of pounds in damage and "panicking spectators".
 * 2010: Nicola Malcom (GBR) was airlifted to hospital after she and her horse McFly fell at a fence during the cross country competition.
 * 2011: Michael Pollard (USA) received a Yellow Warning card for Abuse of Horse - Riding an exhausted Horse (Eventing Rules Art. 526) during the CCI4*.
 * 2012: Heartbreak Hill ridden by Paul Hart (SA) was euthanized on the cross country course after breaking his leg while competing.
 * 2012: Sam Watson (IRL) received a Yellow Warning card for Abuse of Horse - Excessive pressing of a tired Horse (Eventing Rules Art. 526), Dangerous riding - Too fast or too slow (Eventing Rules Art. 525) during the CCI4*.
 * 2013: Clifton Promise, ridden by Jonathan Paget (NZL) was found to have reserpine, a banned substance in his system while competing. Clifton Promise was disqualified.
 * 2013: Clifton Pinot, ridden by Kevin McNab (AUS) was found to have reserpine, a banned substance in his system while competing. Clifton Pinot was disqualified from the competition.
 * 2014: Orto, ridden by Sara Squires (UK) was euthanized after experiening a fatal injury from hitting a fence during cross country.
 * 2014: Three riders were hospitalized after falls on cross country, Natalie Blundell (AUS), Gina Ruck (GBR) and Neil Spratt (NZL).
 * 2014: Megan Heath (NZL) received a Yellow Warning card for Abuse of Horse - Excessive use of whip, bit and/or spurs (Eventing Rules Art. 526) during the CCI4* event.
 * 2016: Paul Tapner (AUS) was hospitalized after a fall from Up In th Air during the cross-country portion of the event.
 * 2019: David Britnell (GBR) received an Eventing Recorded Warning for Dangerous riding - Series of dangerous jumps (Eventing Rules Art. 525) at the CCI5* event.
 * 2022: HD Bronze and Harry Mutch (GBR) fell at Cottesmore Leap, during the cross-country portion of the event.
 * 2022: Rosie Thomas (GBR) received several Recorded Warnings from the FEI for their conduct while riding Balladeer Humbel Guy. They were warned for Dangerous riding - Pressing a tired Horse (Eventing Rules Art. 525), Dangerous riding - Series of dangerous jumps (Eventing Rules Art. 525), Dangerous riding - Severe lack of responsiveness from the Horse or the Athlete (Eventing Rules Art. 525) during the CCI5* event.
 * 2023: Julia Norman (GBR) was cited with a Eventing Recorded Warning by the FEI for "Abuse of Horse - Minor case of blood on the Horse (Eventing Rules Art. 526.1)" during the CCI5* at Burghley.