Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials is in discussions with UK Sport about accessing funding to host the FEI Eventing World Championships in 2026.
The Lincolnshire event—one of just seven five-star international horse trials in the world and one of the best-attended sporting fixtures in the UK—has held the World Championships twice before; in 1966 and 1974. It has also hosted six European Championships (1962, 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, and 1997) and one Young Riders European Championship (1978).
Land Rover Burghley is globally renowned for its stunning setting in the grounds of the historic Burghley House outside Stamford, England, and for the outstanding level of equestrian sport it delivers at its annual autumn event, this year being held Aug. 31—Sept. 3.
Event Director Martyn Johnson said: “Burghley is synonymous with the pinnacle of the sport of eventing. Hosting the FEI World Championships in 2026 would bring huge benefits to Burghley and the local community. It would also focus our longer term vision for the event as we continue to invest in upgrading the permanent infrastructures for athletes and horses to improve further a world-class venue.
“As we experienced with the London 2012 Olympics, the legacy of a British World Championships would not only help our British teams win medals for years to come but also provide inspiration, opportunities and facilities for the next generation of equestrian stars through our associations with the Pony Club and grassroots riders," he added.
The FEI Eventing World Championships is held every four years. In 2022, Britain’s Yasmin Ingham took the individual gold medal in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, riding Banzai Du Loir. In 2018, Britain won team gold in Tryon, North Carolina, and Britain's Ros Canter won individual gold riding Allstar B. Zara Tindall also won the individual title at the 2006 World Championships in Aachen, Germany, on Toytown.
The bid process for the 2026 FEI Eventing World Championships is open, and will conclude by June.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered!
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to offer the USEA Adult Team Championships (ATC) at the upcoming USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds. The AEC will take place at Galway Downs in Temecula, California, from Wednesday, Aug. 27, to Sunday, Aug. 31.
Seventeen-year-old Carolyn Rice, a high school junior from Johns Creek, Georgia, has spent the last 10 years riding at Willow South Riding School—the very place where she first sat on a horse. What started as a casual introduction quickly became a lifelong passion.
A field of top veteran riders is entered in this year’s Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, a US Equestrian Open Eventing Series Qualifier, at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, which returns to the Kentucky Horse Park, April 24-27.