Dutch Olympian Andrew Heffernan has been appointed as the CCI4* course-designer for Burgham International Horse Trials and will give the Northumbrian event’s cross-country track a new layout and look for the 2026 event (29th July – 2nd August).
Andrew represented The Netherlands at the 2012 Olympics, was part of the bronze medal-winning team at the 2014 World Equestrian Games and has competed at CCI5* level. He is coach and chef d’equipe of the Dutch national eventing team and is cross-country course-designer at Bramham Horse Trials in Yorkshire, Loch Moy in the USA and at several national British events. He is also assistant course-designer to Derek di Grazia for the CCI5* at Burghley.
He will take over the CCI4*-S course in 2026 at Burgham from long-serving course-designer David Evans, whose excellent tracks have played a large part in making Burgham such an exceptionally popular event with riders at all levels. David will continue to design Burgham’s CCI3*-S, CCI2*-S-level and national Intermediate, Novice, BE100 and BE90 courses.
“I am incredibly excited to be joining Burgham as the new designer for the CCI4*-S track in 2026” says Andrew “My thanks go to David Evans for the opportunity to take this on, and to the organising committee for their confidence in me and for the chance to work closely with their team.
Burgham is such an important and well-supported event with a reputation for being truly top-class. I’m really looking forward to the future; to making plenty of changes and developing new ideas while respecting everything that makes this event so special. I really can’t wait to get started.”
Burgham’s Event Director Craig Anderson says “We are delighted to have Andrew, who is clearly on his way to becoming one of the world’s top cross-country course-designers, involved at Burgham. I have no doubt that he will bring an innovative and fresh feel to Burgham while maintaining the characteristics of the courses that have helped make the event such a popular and established part of the calendar for owners and riders. I know that Andrew and David Evans have great respect for each other and will be a terrific team together here at Burgham.”
Situated in beautiful, tranquil Northumbrian countryside not far from the A1 between Morpeth and Alnwick, Burgham hosts international classes at CCI4*-S, CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S and British Eventing national classes from open intermediate to BE90, as well as Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse qualifiers, unaffiliated showjumping and an ex-racehorse and thoroughbred show. It boasts an excellent array of tradestands and locally-produced food and drink, and is the perfect way to watch top-class eventing in an intimate, relaxed setting at affordable prices. Tickets will be available via the event website shortly.
