5-8 September 2024

Emily King Valmy Biats DBHT PN23 58973

Visitor Information

All the ‘need to know’ information before you get here.

Facilities at Burghley

Baby Changing Facilities

Baby changing facilities are available; for the Public behind the Main Arena South Stand and for Members behind the Members’ Enclosure marquee. No Creche facility is available.

Cash Points

ATMs are available around the shopping village, and are marked on the showground maps.

Dog Crèche

Dog Crèche - We strongly recommend that visitors with dogs use the dog crèche sited adjacent to the Exhibition Village. Open daily 9.00 am – 5.00 pm. Dogs can be left for two hours at a time Thursday and Friday, two hours at a time Saturday am and four hours at a time Saturday pm and Sunday am/pm. All proceeds will go to Samsalin Dog Rescue.

Booking is advisable (essential for Sunday afternoon). For further information, call Steve Penistone at Samsalin Dog Rescue on 07764 489 919 or email samsalindr@yahoo.com.

Food and Drink

There is an excellent selection of bar and catering facilities to suit all tastes, from a more formal luncheon in the Members' Enclosure to worldly delicacies in the Burghley Food Walk and catering stalls on the showground and Cross Country course.

To download a copy of the Food & Drink locations map please click below:

Food & Drink Map

Radio

Our very own Radio station, BHT Radio, keeps our visitors updated with expert commentary and analysis throughout the event and also includes a range of guests live on air each day, giving the inside track on activities around the showground.

Earpieces are available to purchase in advance from the Box Office and from Programme Booths on the showground.

BHT Radio is also available via 87.7 FM within a 10 mile radius of Burghley Park so that visitors can tune in on the drive to the event to hear the latest news and information.

For those Defender Burghley fans not able to attend the event itself, BHT Radio is streamed live via this website and round-up podcasts are also available all year round.

Screens

To watch the Dressage and Show Jumping phases in the Main Arena you will need grandstand tickets and these sell out quickly, particularly for Sunday. However, you can follow the competition on our giant screens around the showground at the following locations:

  • Next to the Scoreboard (Thursday-Sunday)
  • Exhibition Village (Thursday -Sunday)
  • Defender Trout Hatchery (Saturday only)
  • Main Arena (Saturday only)
  • Picnic Area by Rural Crafts (Sunday only)
Shop & Drop

Open from 9am-5.30pm on all four days of the event. Make use of our Shop & Drop facility, manned by our Charity of the Year, Horatio's Garden - for a suggested donation of £5 – which goes directly to the charity – shoppers don’t need to lug around their purchases, but may leave them in a safe place and pick them up before they go home.

Toilets

Toilets are situated around the showground and cross country course. These are marked on the map in the programme and on You Are Here maps around the showground.

Local Information

Accommodation

Accommodation in and around Stamford gets booked up early in the year. General information about hotels, bed and breakfast and other accommodation can be obtained from:

Burghley House

Burghley House and Gardens will be closed during the Horse Trials. For Burghley House enquiries, please telephone 01780 752451 or visit www.burghley.co.uk

Glamping - Burghley Boutique

Luxury glamping was available for the first time on Burghley Estate in 2019 during the Defender Burghley Horse Trials.

Set within the beautiful Walled Garden on Burghley Estate, Burghley Boutique provided guests with spacious, well lit Bell and Lotus Belle tents from renowned and experienced Portobello Tents. Every tent comes fully equipped with memory foam mattresses, 13.5 tog duvets and Egyptian cotton bed sheets. Secure parking, luxury toilets, food and a bar were also supplied to ensure that every need is catered for.

The Walled Garden is approximately a 15 minute walk to Defender Burghley Horse Trials and tickets to the Event were not included in the Glamping package. Glamping customers are strongly recommended to purchase their Defender Burghley tickets in advance in order to benefit from the advance prices.

Further details regarding glamping can be found at www.burghleyboutique.co.uk

Stay a While

Look outside the glorious parkland hosting Burghley’s horse trials and you will find another five star attraction; South Kesteven. Fabulous countryside, stately homes and castles, sumptuous gardens and intriguing heritage along with the charming market towns of Stamford, Oakham and of course, Rutland Water all waiting to be explored.

Taxi Companies
  • Ace Cabs: 01780 767676
  • Harrier Cabs: 01780 765175
  • 3 Star Taxis: 01780 753300
  • Clapham Taxis: 01780 764161
  • First Choice Taxis: 01780 752748
  • Premier Cabs Of Stamford: 01780 766155
  • Star Taxis: 01780 763245
  • Ag Silver Taxis: 01780 482800
  • 1st Class Cars: 01780 767733
  • Carlton Cabs: 01780 755755

Tickets

Box Office
Merchandise

‘The Burghley Collection by Joules ’ merchandise is available to purchase from mid-August by clicking here.

Programmes

Available to purchase from 4pm at the Wednesday Horse Inspection and around the showground from Thursday morning onwards.

Travel & Transport

Getting to Burghley

By Car

The Event is clearly sign-posted. Using satnav, the postcode PE9 3JY will direct you towards Burghley House. Once you see the temporary yellow signs, please follow these and turn off your satnav.

  • Members’ car pass: Gate 1-Pilsgate Lodge on Barnack Road (B1443).
  • Public and season car pass & disabled badge holders: Gate 4-Station Gate (B1443) & Gate 5-Bottle Lodges (B1081).

Particularly on Saturday, you are strongly advised to allow an extra hour for the last 10 miles of your journey.
NB The Police or Traffic Management company may be required to redirect you to another entrance. The Traffic Management outside of Burghley Park is within the authority of the Police.

Please note that all of the car parks are within the grounds of the event therefore car passes and admission tickets are required to enter. These can be purchased on entry. Click here to see a map of car park locations.

By Train

The train line to Stamford runs from Birmingham, Leicester, Nuneaton or Peterborough. It takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes to walk into the Event from Stamford station. National Rail Enquiries: 08457 484950, www.nationalrail.co.uk

By Coach

Please telephone the Travel Line public transport information line on 0871 200 2233.

Helicopters and Light Aircraft – it is not possible to land within Burghley Park

Please contact the following local airfields to make prior arrangements:

Nearest Main International Airports

  • East Midlands Airport – 46 miles
  • Birmingham Airport – 71 miles
  • London Stansted Airport – 72 miles
  • London Luton Airport – 74 miles
  • London City Airport – 98 miles
  • London Heathrow Airport – 104 miles
  • London Gatwick Airport – 134 miles
Overseas Visitors

Please use these pages to access translations in the following languages:

Useful Information

Children at Defender Burghley

Children are very welcome at Defender Burghley and there is always a range of activities to keep the smaller members of the family entertained. Details will be confirmed in the Summer; the details below from previous years are for reference only.

The Defender Experience is a very popular destination for families big and small; while the adults enjoy being driven off road in the latest Defender model.

In recent years our lovely team of face painters have proven popular providing free face painting and of course, all members of the family love to watch the hugely competitive Shetland Pony Grand National in the Main Arena on Saturday morning (9.30am) and for the first time on Sunday morning following the Final Horse Inspection.

If bringing children to Defender Burghley please make sure that you collect your free children’s ID wristband from a programme kiosk, the box office, organiser’s office, information point, face painting stand or the site office as these wristbands help us to quickly reunite lost children with their parents.

Contact Details

Burghley Horse Trials Office
Barnack Road
Stamford,
Lincs, PE9 2LH

Tel: +44 (0)1780 752 131
Email: horsetrials@burghley.co.uk

Disabled Visitors
  • Admission: each disabled visitor requires the appropriate admission ticket and one accompanying carer will be admitted free of charge.
  • Parking: Limited forward parking is available to blue badge holders on a first come first served basis. The Disabled Car Park can be accessed via Gate 4: Station Gate, Barnack Road (what3words: ///task.laws.asset) – to access this car park, you will need to clearly display your blue badge.
    There is a shuttle service in operation from the Disabled Car Park to the East Stand each day. This will be in operation between 8.30am-11am and 3pm-5.30pm on Thursday and Friday, 7.30am-10.30am and 3pm-6pm on Saturday and 8.30am-11am and 3pm-5.30pm on Sunday. (The shuttle service is able to accommodate wheelchairs).
  • There is also limited amount of forward parking available to blue badge holders at the front of each car park on a first come first served basis; blue badge holders diverted to or entering gates other than Gate 4 will be parked as close as possible to the front of the car park at that time.
  • Main Arena Viewing: there will be a limited number of spaces to purchase in the North Stand, Block E for disabled visitors with wheelchairs/scooters. These bookings can be made via our Box Office, telephone: 01780 75131.
  • Toilets: there are disabled access toilets situated around the showground and cross country course .These are clearly marked on the You Are Here maps around the showground.
  • Mobility scooters: Subject to availability, Event Mobility provides electric scooters and manual wheelchairs for the use of our disabled, elderly and mobility impaired visitors. For further enquiries, please contact Event Mobility on 01386 725391, or to book in advance (recommended), visit: www.eventmobility.org.uk. All proceeds go to Event Mobility. Please be aware that advance bookings cannot be made by phone and that this facility often becomes fully booked before the Event. Anyone collecting an Event Mobility vehicle should enter through Gate 4: Station Gate, Barnack Road (what3words: ///task.laws.asset)
Dogs

Dogs accompanying visitors at Burghley Horse Trials must be kept under control and on a short lead at all times (extending leads are not permitted). Take particular care in busy areas not to inconvenience other visitors and our exhibitors, and in the vicinity of the Cross Country fences. Try to avoid taking your dog into confined areas where food is being served or consumed. Please ensure that your dog is sufficiently mature to withstand the pressures and crowds experienced at a large outdoor Event. Please clean up after your dog – bags are available around the showground.

Assistance Dogs only are permitted in the grandstand and Members’ Enclosure.

There are no special parking concessions for vehicles containing dogs and if distressed, they will be removed from vehicles by the RSPCA/Police.

Dog Crèche - We strongly recommend that visitors with dogs use the dog crèche sited adjacent to the Exhibition Village. Open daily 9.00 am – 5.00 pm. Dogs can be left for two hours at a time Thursday and Friday, two hours at a time Saturday am and four hours at a time Saturday pm and Sunday am/pm. All proceeds will go to Samsalin Dog Rescue.

Booking is advisable (essential for Sunday afternoon). For further information, call Steve Penistone at Samsalin Dog Rescue on 07764 489 919 or email samsalindr@yahoo.com.

Drones

Drones are not permitted in any area of the event at any time.

Future Dates

Dates for the 2024 event are: 5th - 8th September 2024.

Getting Around The Showground

The terrain in the Park may not be suitable for visitors with certain medical conditions. We advise you to wear practical footwear and to be aware that it could be difficult to move around freely and easily.

Lost Property

If you have lost or found an item during the Event, please go to the Organiser’s Office (opposite the Members’ Enclosure).

After the Event, please telephone 01780 752131 to check for lost property. We retain lost property for three months, after which point any unclaimed items are donated to a local charity shop.

Opening Times
  • Gates open: 7.30 am
  • Members’ Enclosure open: 8.00 am
  • Shops open: 9.00 am – 5.30 pm Thursday to Saturday, 9 am – 5.00 pm Sunday
  • Please note that the showground closes at 5.00 pm on Sunday and there is no admittance to Burghley Park after 3.30 pm on this last day.

Particularly on Saturday, you are strongly advised to allow an extra hour for the last 10 miles of your journey.

Running Orders and Scores

These are available via the home page of this website as soon as the information becomes available

Shops

Shops are open Thursday to Saturday: 9.00 am – 5.30 pm, Sunday: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm.

Television Coverage

All the action (from the first trot up to the final presentations), including arena demonstrations, expert commentary, behind the scenes interviews, daily highlights show and archive footage back to 1990 are available on Burghley TV for a £20 annual subscription. Sign up to Burghley TV here

Broadcast Rights

Burghley Horse Trials Ltd is the sole owner of the worldwide broadcast and electronic media rights for the Defender Burghley Horse Trials: including broadcasting on any and all television, radio, and internet platforms.

Any organisation and/or individual wishing to broadcast or requiring footage of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials for any use whatsoever must apply in advance and in writing for a Licence.

Initial applications should be made to Catherine Austen at Burghley Horse Trials Ltd via media@burghley.co.uk

What to Wear

Due to the Park's terrain, it may not be suitable for spectators with certain medical conditions. Everybody is advised to wear suitable footwear and should be aware that there may be times when it could be difficult to move around freely and easily.

The seasonal weather at Burghley can range from being hot and dry to torrential rain; please ensure that you dress comfortably and come prepared.

Using The Course

Cross Country Course Walks

The number of people wishing to host course walks continues to increase – some to earn the promoter a fee, some to promote a sponsor, others on a casual basis. The ground compaction caused by so many pairs of feet causes long-term damage to the sward, reducing the effectiveness of the irrigation, which is essential to provide good going. We are happy for the ‘Leader’ to walk on the cross country track, but request that they instruct their party to remain outside the track.

Burghley has invested heavily in sophisticated irrigation equipment to ensure competitors the best possible going. The cross country track is fenced all year round and receives first class ground management from Philip Herbert – our Clerk of the Course. This policy has been rewarded and riders travel their horses from all over the world to compete at Burghley.

If you wish to organise a course walk, please contact us at horsetrials@burghley.co.uk or telephone 01780 752131, to confirm the date, approximate time, anticipated numbers etc. As in previous years, if you are charging for your course walk, we request a minimum contribution of 15% of your total takings which will be donated to charity. Cheques should be sent no later than 1 October in the year in which the course walk took place to:

Burghley Horse Trials Office
Barnack Road, Stamford
Lincolnshire, PE9 2LH