Burghley week: the times that matter, and the £25 that renews itself

The facts

First horse inspection

Wednesday 2 September, 4pm British time

Dressage

Thursday 3 and Friday 4 September, morning and afternoon sessions from 10am and 2pm

Cross-country

Saturday 5 September, from 11am

Sunday

Final horse inspection 8.45am; showjumping from 10.30am, with the top 20 at 2.30pm

Burghley TV

£25, the exclusive live and on-demand provider; renews yearly unless cancelled

The 2026 Defender Burghley CCI5* runs from the first trot-up on Wednesday afternoon through to the top-20 showjumping on Sunday afternoon. If you only get one sit-down in front of a screen this week, Saturday from 11am is the one: that is cross-country, over a course designed by Derek di Grazia with a team of assistant designers. All published times are subject to change, so treat them as a plan rather than a promise.

The money question is the stream. Burghley TV is the only place to watch live and on demand, and it costs £25. The important detail is that it is an annual subscription that keeps going unless you cancel. Burghley TV say they email a reminder a few weeks ahead each year, but reminder emails get filtered and yards are busy. If you subscribed in a previous year, look for the charge on your statement before you sign up again — you may already be paying.

Entries opened with 58 combinations, and the field has thinned since. Withdrawals include Felix Cogg with Cartania and Sophia Hill with Tulara Baltango. Harry Meade is drawn to go first. If you are buying tickets or driving over specifically to watch one horse, check the live entry list on the event website the day before rather than relying on a list published weeks ago.

The officials are worth a glance if you follow how five-star is judged: Xavier le Sauce presides over the ground jury with Joanne Jarden and Sandy Phillips, Gary Parsonage is technical delegate, and Paul Conner has built the showjumping track.

What this means for you

Anyone watching from home

One £25 subscription covers the week, but it will bill you again next year unless you cancel it.

Owners who subscribed in a previous year

You may already have an active account. Check before paying a second time.

Families planning the weekend

Saturday morning is cross-country; Sunday splits into a morning showjumping session and the top 20 in the afternoon.

Anyone travelling to support a particular combination

The entry list is still moving. Confirm your horse is still in before you commit to the journey.

Burghley TV is a great way to see all the action across all the days and all three phases of the event.

What to do

1. Search your inbox and bank statement for an existing Burghley TV charge before subscribing

   Before you pay

2. Put Saturday 5 September, 11am in the diary and arrange yard cover around it

   This week

3. Check the official entry list the day before you travel, not the version published earlier

   Day before

4. Set a phone reminder for eleven months' time to decide whether you want the subscription again

   When you sign up

5. Treat all published times as provisional and check the timetable each morning

   Daily during the event