A field packed full of exciting up-and-coming equine and human athletes is set to contest Defender Burghley Horse Trials (3-6 September).
Fifty-eight horses will represent seven nations at the Lincolnshire CCI5*, including particularly strong contingents from the USA, New Zealand, Australia and continental Europe alongside the best of British talent.
Top contenders include world number one and Burghley Ambassador Tim Price, who has entered CCI5* winner Falco and Global Quest while Tim’s wife, Badminton heroine Jonelle, has entered Chilli’s Midnight Star.
British stars include European champion Laura Collett, who has entered the brilliant cross-country mare Bling, and Harry Meade again has three entries: Cavalier Crystal, third at Burghley in 2025, Et Hop Du Matz and Superstition. Gemma Stevens will ride her 2021 Bicton CCI5* champion Chilli Knight.
There are three exceptionally promising 10-year-old horses ready to make their Burghley debuts under top British riders: Sarah Bullimore brings the homebred Corimiro, fifth at Pau CCI5* last year; Tom Jackson has entered United 36, fourth at Badminton this spring, as well as the older Hawk Eye, and 2022 world champion Yasmin Ingham will tackle her first Burghley aboard Goliath Du Loir.
Yasmin is one of nine Defender Burghley debutants for 2026, and others include US championship team member Caroline Pamukcu (HSH Tolan King), top Swiss rider Robin Godel (Dealer De La Bride) – one of three entries from his country - and young Brits Jack Pinkney (Claragh Olala) and Mary Edmundson (Lionel II).
Other entrants already to have stood on top of a CCI5* podium include Ireland’s Austin O’Connor (Sixmilewater), 2010 Burghley winner Caroline Powell (NZL, High Time), and the USA’s Will Coleman, who took Defender Kentucky this year and who will ride Very Dignified at Burghley.
Combinations from near and far
There are five entries from Australia with Sophia Hill having entered both Humble Glory (likely to be withdrawn as this pair are set to compete at the World Championships Aachen this week) and Tulara Baltango, Sam Jeffree riding Santoro, US-based Ema Klugman riding Chiraz and Kevin McNab riding Faro Imp.
Athletes local to Burghley include Leicestershire’s Simon Grieve, who brings back Autograf, on whom he jumped double clear in 2025, Lincolnshire’s Tom Strawson (riding the former point-to-pointer Public Address) and Oakham’s Matthew Heath (Benedict Radau).
Equestrian sports statistics company EquiRatings have crunched the numbers and declare Sarah Bullimore and Corimiro to be favourites, with a win chance of 21%, a 37% chance of finishing in the top three and a 63% chance of making it into the top 10. If she justifies that favouritism, Defender Burghley would be a first CCI5* victory for Sarah, who first rode at Burghley in 1996.
Tim Price – who won Burghley in 2018 – is second-favourite with Falco and David Doel (GBR, Galileo Nieuwmoed) is third-favourite with EquiRatings. David and 15-year-old Galileo Nieuwmoed were runners-up at Burghley in 2023, and the pair feature as just two partnerships to have already joined the very exclusive club of horses and riders to have finished on their dressage score at Burghley, along with Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal.
Event Director Martyn Johnson said: “I’m delighted to see so many exciting horses in the early part of their five-star careers, and lots of ambitious and talented riders from all over the world. Several of those, including the 2022 world champion Yasmin Ingham, are making their Burghley debuts, and we are really looking to welcoming them to tackle Derek di Grazia’s superb cross-country course, along with many thousands of equestrian fans eager to see them in action, in three weeks’ time.”
Defender Burghley entries close finally on Monday, 17 August after the conclusion of the FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany. The draw will take place on Tuesday, 18 August.
