HISTORY

It was in 1961 that the Marquess of Exeter, on hearing that the autumn three-day event at Harewood could no longer be held, invited the British Horse Society to transfer the event to his estate. In its second year, 1962, Burghley ran the F.E.I.'s European Championship and this was the beginning of a remarkable record. No other international horse trials site has staged as many Championships, a record ten in all including the first World Championship in 1966.

In total Burghley has run two World Championships in 1966 and 1974, six European Championships in 1962, 1971,1977, 1985, 1989 and 1997. Also one Young Riders European Championship in 1978.
It is the longest continuous running international event. Up to 2004 there have been five course designers: Bill Thomson, M.R.C.V.S. 1961 - 1983 (Consultant 1984 - 1988), Lt.- Col. Henry Nicoll, D.S.O., O.B.E., 1975, Philip Herbert 1984 - 1988, Capt. Mark Phillips, C.V.O., 1989 – 1996, 1998 – 2000 and 2004 - , Mike Tucker 1997 and 2001, and Wolfgang Feld 2002 – 2004.

Individuals Records

• Virginia Elliott, (nee Holgate, also Mrs. Leng) and Mark Todd are the most successful riders to compete at Burghley, both winning 5 times. Virginia Elliott in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1989 (of which two were European Championship titles ’85 and ’89) and Mark Todd in 1987, 1990, 1991, 1997 and 1999. Lorna Clarke, (nee Sutherland) completed the Burghley event more times than any other rider, 16 times between 1967 and 1989. Finally, only one horse has won Burghley twice: Priceless in 1983 and 1985.

• Pippa Funnell won $250,000 as the Rolex Grand Slam winner by winning Lexington, Badminton and Burghley in the same 12 month period in 2003.

• Mark Todd and Blyth Tait are the only two riders to have taken first and second places in the same event in 1987 and 1998 respectively.

• Princess Anne, riding as an individual in only her second Three-Day Event, became European Champion at Burghley in 1971. Her daughter Zara Phillips is the only child of two former winners to compete at the Event, finishing second in 2003.