We’re all set to kick off the action at the 2026 Defender Burghley CCI5* this week! Things will get underway tomorrow (Wednesday) with the first trot-up, and then it’s off to the races. Tilly Berendt will be our on-site reporter this week, with help from Gemma Redrup as well as Hannah Cole on photos and Incanto Sports on video. Stay tuned for much more coming your way all week long, but for now you can get your week started and primed with our Ultimate Guide. Keep this page bookmarked for all of the latest from EN’s coverage!
Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Entries] [Timetable] [Burghley TV] [EN’s Coverage]
The Schedule
Wednesday September 2
4:00 p.m. BEST / 10:00 a.m. EST: First Horse Inspection
Thursday, September 3
10:00 a.m. BEST / 4:00 a.m. EST: Morning Dressage Session
2:00 p.m. BEST / 8:00 a.m. EST: Afternoon Dressage Session
Friday, September 4
10:00 a.m. BEST / 4:00 a.m. EST: Morning Dressage Session
2:00 p.m. BEST / 8:00 a.m. EST: Afternoon Dressage Session
Saturday, September 5
11:00 a.m. BEST / 5:00 a.m. EST: Cross Country
Sunday, September 6
8:45 a.m. BEST / 2:45 a.m. EST: Final Horse Inspection
10:30 a.m. BEST / 4:30 a.m. EST: Show Jumping – Morning Session
2:30 p.m. BEST / 8:30 a.m. EST: Show Jumping – Top 20
All times are, of course, subject to change. You can view the full timetable, including all official events happening on-site, here. We also know there are many other time zones around the world, so if you need help figuring out when to tune in locally, we recommend using this handy app.
How to Watch and Follow
Defender Burghley carries its own livestream, and it’s a great option for those of you wanting to follow along virtually. Burghley TV is the exclusive provider of live stream and on-demand content, and it costs just £25 (about $34 USD) to sign up. The subscription will renew annually unless you cancel it (Burghley TV will email you a few weeks out each year to remind you), and in our opinion it’s well worth the investment.
You can sign up for Burghley TV here.
The Players
We’ll have our official Form Guide coming your way soon, but in the meantime we’ll link to our lead-up content about the field below. We have had a few withdrawals over the last few weeks, including title contenders Felix Cogg (SUI) and his Maryland 5 Star winner Cartania, Sophia Hill (AUS) and Tulara Baltango, and others. The up-to-date entry list can be found here. We’ll update this Ultimate Guide once our Form Guide is published.
Defender Burghley Draw Order: Harry Meade to Lead Off
2026 Defender Burghley Entries Go Live with 58 Combinations
The Officials
Here’s a look at your officiating crew this week:
- Technical Delegate: Gary Parsonage (GBR)
- Cross Country Designer: Derek di Grazia (USA), assisted by Adrian Ditcham (GBR), Andy Heffernan (NED), Clayton Fredericks (AUS)
- Jumping Course Designer: Paul Conner (GBR)
Ground Jury: Xavier le Sauce (FRA) – President, Joanne Jarden (IRL), Sandy Phillips (GBR)
Other resources:
EN’s Coverage
PRE-COMPETITION
Your First Look at the 2026 Defender Burghley Cross Country Course
