Harry Meade and 2025 Defender Burghley podium finisher Cavalier Crystal. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
We have a fresh new five-star entry list to peruse right as World Championships kick off this week! Defender Burghley has published their 2026 entry list, which features 58 combinations representing seven nations. Burghley this year will take place September 3-6 near Stamford, Lincolnshire, England.
Featuring on this list are 2025 third-place finishers Harry Meade (GBR) and Cavalier Crystal; we won’t see last year’s champions Ros Canter (GBR) and Lordships Graffalo nor runners-up Austin O’Connor (IRL) and Colorado Blue, both of whom are slated to compete this week for their respective countries at the FEI World Championships at Aachen.
Will Coleman and Very Dignified. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
We also have five entries representing the USA on the list: Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle, Will Coleman and five-star debutant Very Dignified, Tiana Coudray and D’Artagnan, Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Tolan King and Cassie Sanger with Redfield Fyre. U.S.-based Aussie Ema Klugman also will make her Burghley debut with Chiraz, and while we’re on the U.S.-based theme, Sophia Hill of Australia also gets a shout as she’s been at least part-time, temporarily based with New Zealand’s Monica Spencer leading up to World Championships with Humble Glory; both Humble Glory and Tulara Baltango are entered at Burghley.
World #1 Tim Price (NZL) has two horses entered in former Georgie Campbell ride Global Quest as well as MARS Badminton runner-up Falco.
World #2 Harry Meade returns two of his 2025 Burghley starters in Cavalier Crystal and Et Hop du Matz, who finished third and ninth respectively. This year he’s also entered Superstition, who finished 12th at Defender Kentucky earlier this year.
Tom Jackson and United 36. Photo by Sophie Robins / Girl In The Field.
Other notables on the list include (but certainly are not limited to):
- 2026 Badminton fourth-place finishers Tom Jackson (GBR) and United 36 (one of this writer’s current favorite horses, if that’s allowed to be said here, which it is)
- Badminton fifth-place finishers Katie Magee (GBR) and Treworra, as well as Tayla Mason (NZL) and Centennial, who were sixth at Badminton, and Felix Vogg (SUI) with 2025 Maryland 5 Star winner Cartania, who were also top 10 at Badminton this year. In fact, the majority of our top 10 Badminton finishers, save a handful competing at World Championships, will feature at Burghley, including also Ben Massie (FRA) and Filao de Perle and Sarah Bullimore (GBR) and Corimiro
- 2024 Badminton winner Caroline Powell brings forward High Time, who finished eighth at Burghley last year
You can view the full entry list here or below.
For those of you planning to attend in person, Burghley offers up a great spectator experience that features multiple educational opportunities throughout the weekend. Part of this schedule include the Burghley Masterclass series, which will feature heavy hitters such as Dan and Harry Skelton, Clayton Fredericks and Andrew Heffernan, Carl Hester and the Howden Way. You can learn more about the Masterclass series here.
