‘Different dynamic’ as Burghley cross-country course reversed for first time in years

The Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course is set to have a “different feel” for 2025 as it has been reversed for the first time since 2017.

Entries for the CCI5* (4–7 September) closed on Friday (15 August) and feature four riders who have previously won the title: reigning champion Ros Canter, Tim Price, Piggy March and Caroline Powell.

Event director Martyn Johnson said he is delighted that “once again we have great entries”.

“While there are some clear favourites, I think it is an open field featuring some superb cross-country horses,” he said.

“This time of year is always exciting – it’s a bit of a landmark in terms of where we are with prep. Everything really starts to come to life now the showground build is well under way.

“I think that the course being reversed gives it a different feel. It’s definitely a different intensity to when it’s the other direction, so I think that adds a bit of a different dynamic to how the competition will unfold.”

Course-designer Derek di Grazia told H&H it will be interesting to watch as a number of riders will not have tackled Burghley’s course this way round, and that competitors will need to be “smart” in how they approach that challenge.

“They have obviously seen it one way for the past eight years and so I think know the strategy behind riding it that direction,” he said, adding that there will be more to do in the latter stages of the course this year, and believes it will make the time harder to achieve.

“I think it’s going to be interesting for the riders to sit down and really analyse the course, because I think it will take some thinking and a case of doing what’s best for the horse they’re riding.”

Other new features for 2025 include lakeside chalets on the north side of the water, which people can book as a spot from which to watch the action.
“We’ve really been trying to focus on customer experience and customer journey,” Mr Johnson told H&H.

“We do a lot of work with the marketing teams post each event to understand what people have enjoyed about the event and what people think could be better.
“So there’s lots of changes in the background to how we do things like loos, food and parking; it’s really important to give people a good experience when they get here. We continue to develop the showground, but it will be a fairly familiar footprint for people who come – we have changes coming along the road in the next couple of years, which are a bit bigger.”

He added these will be centered on “future-proofing” the event, while retaining “what is important and successful”.

Don’t miss H&H’s full course preview in next week’s (28 August) issue, where Rolex Grand Slam winner Pippa Funnell assess all 31 fences on this year‘s track