The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is an annual three-day event held at Burghley House near

Stamford, Lincolnshire Stamford is a town and civil parish in the South Kesteven District of Lincolnshire, England. The population at the 2011 census was 19,701 and estimated at 20,645 in 2019. The town has 17th- and 18th-century stone buildings, older timber-framed ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, currently in early September.

Land Rover Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rovers ...

Burghley Horse Trials is classified by the FEI as one of the six leading three-day events in the world (the others being the

Badminton Horse Trials The Badminton Horse Trials is a five-day event, one of only six annual Concours Complet International (CCI) Five Star events as classified by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI). It takes place in April or May each year in the p ...

, the

Kentucky Three-Day Event The Kentucky Three-Day Event, currently the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event due to sponsorship, is an eventing competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Land Rover Kentucky is a CCI5*-L eventing competition. Five s ...

, the Australian International Three Day Event, the

Luhmühlen Horse Trials The Luhmühlen Horse Trials are an annual equestrian eventing competition held in Luhmühlen, Salzhausen, Germany. Riders compete at the highest level: the CCI*****. There are only six events of this kind in the world, the others being the Bad ...

and the

Étoiles de Pau The Étoiles de Pau or Stars of Pau is an annual three-day event held in Pau, in the South of France, near the Pyrénées mountains. It is one of only seven annual Concours Complet International (CCI) five-star events in the world (the highest le ...

). It has competition at CCI5*-L (five star) level. The prize for first place is currently £95,000. Prize money is given down to 20th place. Burghley is also one of the three events in the

Grand Slam of Eventing The Grand Slam of Eventing, sponsored by Rolex, consists of three of the top CCI5*-L (previously CCI4*, due to a rating change effective January 1, 2019. Note that the nature of the competitions remains the same regardless of the change in name) eq ...

. Run in conjunction with the event since 1990 is the Burghley Young Event Horse final, which judges 4 and 5 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 Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

gold medalist in athletics and

IOC The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...

member, heard that a three-day event at

Harewood House Harewood House ( , ) is a country house in Harewood, West Yorkshire, England. Designed by architects John Carr and Robert Adam, it was built, between 1759 and 1771, for Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood, a wealthy West Indian plantation ...

could no longer be held. 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 2018 there have been six 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 Captain Mark Anthony Peter Phillips (born 22 September 1948) is an English Olympic gold medal-winning horseman for Great Britain and the first husband of Anne, Princess Royal, with whom he has two children. He remains a leading figure in Britis ...

, C.V.O., 1989 – 1996 and 1998 – 2000, Mike Tucker 1997 and 2001, Wolfgang Feld 2002 – 2004 and Capt. Mark Phillips, C.V.O., 2005 -.

Winners

{, class="wikitable" , + !Year !Rider !Horse !Notes , - , 1961 , Anneli Drummond-Hay (GBR) , Merely-A-Monarch , , - , 1962 , James Templer (GBR) , M'Lord Connolly , , - , 1963 , Harry Freeman-Jackson (IRE) , St. Finbarr , , - , 1964 ,

Richard Meade Richard John Hannay Meade (4 December 1938 – 8 January 2015) was Britain's most successful male equestrian at the Olympics. He was a triple Olympic gold medalist and the first British rider to win an individual Olympic title. He also won ...

(GBR) , Barberry , , - , 1965 , J.J. Beale (GBR) , Victoria Bridge , , - , 1966 ,

Carlos Moratorio Carlos Alberto Moratorio (10 November 1929 – 7 March 2010) was an Argentine equestrian. He was born in La Cruz, Corrientes. Carlos won a silver medal in individual eventing at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Moratorio also competed at the 19 ...

(ARG) , Chalan , , - , 1967 , Lorna Sutherland (GBR) , Popadom , , - , 1968 ,

Sheila Willcox Sheila Mary Willcox (12 March 1936 – 9 June 2017) was a British-born eventer who won several national and international three-day events, including the Badminton Horse Trials and the European Championships. She won Badminton three consecutive y ...

(GBR) , Fair and Square , , - , 1969 , Gillian Watson (GBR) , Shaitan , , - , 1970 , Judy Bradwell (GBR) , Don Camillo , , - , 1971 , H.R.H. Princess Anne (GBR) , Doublet , , - , 1972 , Janet Hodgson (GBR) , Larkspur , , - , 1973 ,

Mark Phillips Captain Mark Anthony Peter Phillips (born 22 September 1948) is an English Olympic gold medal-winning horseman for Great Britain and the first husband of Anne, Princess Royal, with whom he has two children. He remains a leading figure in Briti ...

(GBR) , Maid Marion , , - , 1974 , Bruce Davidson (USA) , Irish Cap , , - , 1975 , Aly Pattinson (GBR) , Carawich , , - , 1976 , Jane Holderness-Roddam (GBR) , Warrior , , - , 1977 ,

Lucinda Prior-Palmer Lucinda Jane Green (née Prior-Palmer, born 7 November 1953) is a British equestrian and journalist who competed in eventing. She is the 1982 World Champion and twice European Champion (1975–77). She also won World tea ...

(GBR) , George , , - , 1978 , Lorna Clarke (GBR) , Greco , , - , 1979 ,

Andrew Hoy Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derived ...

(AUS) , Davey , , - , 1980 ,

Richard Walker Richard Walker, Rick, Ricky, or Dick Walker may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Richard Walker (baritone) (1897–1989), English singer and actor Law and politics * Richard Walker (MP) (1784–1855), British Member of Parliament for Bury, 1832 ...

(GBR) , John of Gaunt , , - , 1981 ,

(GBR) , Beagle Bay , , - , 1982 , Richard Walker (GBR) , Ryan's Cross , , - , 1983 , Virginia Holgate (GBR) , Priceless , , - , 1984 , Virginia Holgate (GBR) , Night Cap II , , - , 1985 , Virginia Holgate (GBR) , Priceless , , - , 1986 ,

Virginia Leng Virginia Helen Antoinette Elliott MBE (née Holgate, formerly Leng; born 1 February 1955), sometimes known as Ginny Leng, is a British equestrian competitor who competed in eventing. She is the 1986 World Champion ...

(GBR) ,

Murphy Himself {{MedalBottom Murphy Himself was a horse that excelled in the sport of eventing, under rider Ian Stark. Born in 1978, Murphy Himself was first ridden by Ginny Leng. She bought him in Northern Ireland as a supposed four-year-old (although ...

, , - , 1987 , Mark Todd (NZL) , Wilton Fair , , - , 1988 , Jane Thelwall (GBR) , King's Jester , , - , 1989 ,

(GBR) , Master Craftsman , , - , 1990 , Mark Todd (NZL) , Face the Music , , - , 1991 , Mark Todd (NZL) , Welton Greylag , , - , 1992 , Charlotte Hollingsworth (GBR) , The Cool Customer , , - , 1993 , Stephen Bradley (USA) , Sassy Reason , , - , 1994 ,

William Fox-Pitt William Speed Lane Fox-Pitt (born 2 January 1969) is an English equestrian who competes in eventing. His career highlights include winning three Olympic medals in the team event, with silver in 2004 and 2012, and bronze in 2008. At the W ...

(GBR) , Chaka , , - , 1995 , Andrew Nicholson (NZL) , Buckley Province , , - , 1996 , Mary King (GBR) , Star Appeal , , - , 1997 , Mark Todd (NZL) , Broadcast News , , - , 1998 ,

Blyth Tait Robert Blyth Tait (born 10 May 1961) is a New Zealand equestrian. Tait has competed at four Olympics and has won four medals, one of only four New Zealanders to do so. Tait's first success at international level was at the 1990 World Equestri ...

(NZL) , Chesterfield , , - , 1999 , Mark Todd (NZL) , Diamond Hall Red , , - , 2000 , Andrew Nicholson (NZL) , Mr. Smiffy , , - , 2001 ,

(NZL) ,

Ready Teddy "Ready Teddy" is a song written by John Marascalco and Robert Blackwell, and first made popular by Little Richard in 1956. Little Richard sang and played piano on the recording, backed by a band consisting of Lee Allen (tenor saxophone), Alvin ...

, , - , 2002 ,

(GBR) , Highland Lad , , - , 2003 ,

Pippa Funnell Philippa Rachel "Pippa" Funnell MBE (née Nolan, 7 October 1968) is an equestrian sportswoman who competes in eventing. In 2003, she became the first person to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing (consecutive wins at Rolex Kentucky, Badmint ...

(GBR) ,

Primmore's Pride Primmore's Pride was a 7/8 Thoroughbred gelding. He was foaled in 1993, the offspring of Mayhill (sire) and Primmore Hill (dam). He was owned by Denise & Roger Lincoln and ridden by Pippa Funnell, who achieved the Grand Slam of eventing in ...

, Won as the final leg on the way to winning the Eventing Grand Slam , - , 2004 ,

(AUS) , Moon Fleet , , - , 2005 ,

(GBR) , Ballincoola , , - , 2006 , Lucinda Fredericks (AUS) ,

Headley Britannia Headley Britannia, (January 24, 1993 - April 1, 2014) stable name ''Brit'', was a mare who competed at the highest levels of the equestrian sport of eventing. Relatively small for the sport, her jumping ability, manoeuvrability and willingness pro ...

, , - , 2007 ,

(GBR) , Parkmore Ed , , - , 2008 ,

(GBR) ,

Tamarillo The tamarillo (''Solanum betaceum'') is a small tree or shrub in the flowering plant family Solanaceae (the nightshade family). It is best known as the species that bears the tamarillo, an egg-shaped edible fruit. It is also known as the tree ...

, , - , 2009 , Oliver Townend (GBR) , Carousel Quest , , - , 2010 ,

Caroline Powell Caroline Powell may refer to: * Caroline Powell (equestrian), New Zealand equestrian * Caroline Powell (athlete), British masters athlete * Caroline Powell (skier), British skier * Caroline Amelia Powell, Irish-born American engraver and il ...

(NZL) , Lenamore , , - , 2011 ,

(GBR) , Parklane Hawk , , - , 2012 , Andrew Nicholson (NZL) , Avebury , , - , 2013 , Andrew Nicholson (NZL) , Avebury , , - , 2014 , Andrew Nicholson (NZL) , Avebury , , - , 2015 , Michael Jung (GER) , La Biosthetique-Sam FBW , Won as the first leg on the way to winning the Eventing Grand Slam , - , 2016 , Chris Burton (AUS) , Nobilis 18 , , - , 2017 , Oliver Townend (GBR) , Ballaghmor Class , , - , 2018 ,

Tim Price Tim Price (born 3 April 1979) is a New Zealand equestrian, competing in eventing. He is married to Jonelle Price (née Richards), also a New Zealand eventing rider. They are both competing at top international level. Price was born in 1979 in ...

(NZL) , Ringwood Sky Boy , , - , 2019 ,

(GBR) , MGH Grafton Street , , - , 2020 , No event , , Cancelled due to COVID-19 , - , 2021 , No event , , Cancelled due to COVID-19, replaced by

Bicton Arena International 5* The Bicton Arena International 5*, known for sponsorship reasons as the Chedington Bicton Park 5* Horse Trials was a CCI 5* eventing competition held as a one-off replacement for the Burghley Horse Trials in 2021, following the cancellation of ...

, - , 2022 , {{flagicon, GBR Piggy March (GBR) , Vanir Kamira ,

External links

Burghley Horse Trials official site
Equestrian sports in England Equestrian sports in the United Kingdom Eventing Sport in Stamford, Lincolnshire