PRIZE-MONEY BOOST AND STAR JUDGES FOR DUBARRY BURGHLEY YOUNG EVENT HORSE FINAL 2025
Britain’s most prestigious young horse championships, the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final, will receive an increase in prize-money as the leading manufacturers of countryside clothing and boots celebrate 15 years of sponsorship.
Britain’s most prestigious young horse championships, the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final, will receive an increase in prize-money as the leading manufacturers of countryside clothing and boots continues its sponsorship of the series for a 17th year.
The highly competitive championships for the country’s best four- and five-year-old event horses are held on the Friday of Defender Burghley - 5 September 2025 - and always attract a huge crowd. The two classes will be worth a total of £8,000 for 2025, with a first prize of £1,500 for both the Dubarry five-year-old champion and the Dubarry four-year-old champion.
And six-times Defender Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt will make his debut as a Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final judge; he will assess “potential to gallop” for the top 10 finalists in both the four- and five-year-old sections.
He will join an impressive set of judges for 2025 - dressage will be assessed by experienced top-level ground jury member Harry Payne and famed young horse producer Judy Bradwell, jumping by multiple Olympic, World and European eventing medallist Bettina Hoy and legendary former eventer, trainer and course-designer Ian Stark, and highly respected vet Fred Barrelet will judge "suitability and type”.
The Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final is the culmination of a season-long series of qualifiers in Britain and Ireland, of which there will be 18 in 2025. These will commence at Osberton on 1 May. There are two new venues for 2025 - Belsay (18 May) and Wellington (22 August - the final chance for riders to gain qualification for Burghley).
Martyn Johnson, Director of Defender Burghley, said: “We are delighted that Dubarry are continuing to support these celebrated championships. While the CCI5* at Burghley shows the world what the very best and most experienced horses and riders can do, the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Finals showcase our future champions and are very important for breeders, riders and owners.”
Charlotte Strange, brand manager of Dubarry of Ireland, said: “We are thrilled to be extending our long-standing partnership with Burghley through our continued sponsorship of the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Series. Each year we see both new and returning riders to the series, where we are proud of the dedication to the development of young event horses and Dubarry’s commitment to the equestrian community.”
A full list of Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse qualifiers for 2025 can be found here: https://burghley-horse.co.uk/burghley-young-event-horse/2025qualifiers
Defender Burghley is the established highlight of the summer social season. As well as top-class sport featuring both the most famous horses and riders in the world and up-and-coming stars, in the beautiful and historic setting of Burghley Park, the event offers superb shopping opportunities, delicious food and drink, elegant hospitality options and lots to entertain children and less-horsey members of the family.
Every minute of the action from Defender Burghley, including the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final, is shown live on Burghley TV: visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk/burghley-tv.
To find out more about Defender Burghley (4-7 September 2025), visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk.