Among them are: Four past Defender Burghley winners Eight CCI5*-winning combinations 11 CCI5*-winning riders Two former world champions 11 Paris Olympians 25 Burghley first-timers The star-studded entries are headed by two members of Britain’s gold medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics, Ros Canter and Tom McEwen. Lincolnshire-based Ros will bring her Paris ride – and 2023 Badminton winner and European champion – Lordships Graffalo, as well as Pau CCI5* hero Izilot DHI. Tom, the current world number one in the FEI rankings, will ride CHF Cooliser.
Ros is one of two former world champions in the field – the other is Zara Tindall, entered with Class Affair. Among the immensely strong British squad heading to Burghley is last year’s winner Oliver Townend, who is bringing his Defender Kentucky champion Cooley Rosalent in a bid to earn a fourth Burghley trophy. He is joined by Pippa Funnell (MCS Maverick), who took Burghley in 2003 and 2019.
There are also two past winners representing New Zealand in the field: Tim Price, victorious at Defender Burghley in 2018, will be pathfinder in the competition – and will also be the final rider. Tim, like Britain’s Harry Meade, is planning to ride three horses at Burghley. Harry, third last year, has actually entered five horses but will run only three of them.
And Caroline Powell, a Burghley winner in 2010, will ride her 2024 Badminton champion Greenacres Special Cavalier. Other entries with a chance of taking the Defender B.