What do Ros Canter, Oliver Townend and Harry Meade have to jump this week? Full Burghley cross-country course photos

The Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course for this week’s event (4-7 September) is designed again by Derek di Grazia.

The track is 6500m long, with an optimum time of 11min 24sec. There are 31 numbered fences. Read on for our complete picture gallery, showing every obstacle…

Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country course 2025

Fence 1: Defender Starter

Fence 2: Parasol Table

Fence 3: Defender Log Trailer

Fence 4: Defender Lion Bridge

Fence 5: Pol Roger Table

Fence 6ab: Boodles at Anniversary Splash

Fence 6ab direct route

The alternative route involves looping round to take two separate fences.

Fence 6a alternative

Fence 6b alternative

Fence 7abc: Boodles Raindance

Fence 7a (the step up) and 7bc (angled brush off bounce distance) direct route

The step on the right in the picture above is the alternative fence 7a. On this alternative route, riders then jump two separate elements as 7b and 7c, turning back on themselves.

Fence 7b alternative

Fence 7c alternative

Fence 8: Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance Helipad

Fence 9abc: Defender Dairy Mound

Fence 9a

Fence 9b direct route

Fence 9c direct route

The alternative route for 9b and 9c involves a longer distance, turning back away from the direction of travel for fence 9c.

Fence 9b alternative

Fence 9c alternative

Fence 10ab: Fairfax and Favor at Keepers

Fence 10a

Fence 10b direct route, with the alternative fence in the background

Fence 11: Irish Horse Board Cottesmore Leap

Fence 11 direct route

Fence 11 alternative

Fence 12: Winners Avenue Plinth

Fence 13ab: LeMieux Paddock Gates

Fence 13a

Fence 13b

Fence 14: Burghley House Turrets

Fences 15 and 16: Pedigree Brushes

Fence 15

Fence 16

Fences 17ab and 18ab: Joules at the Maltings

Fence 17a direct route

Fence 17b

Fence 17a alternative

Fence 18a

Fence 18b direct route

Fence 18b alternative

Fence 19: Horseware Ireland Rug Rail

Fence 20: Pardubice

Fences 21abcd and 22: Trout Hatchery

Fence 21a

Fence 21b direct route

Fence 21cd direct route

Fence 22 direct route

On the alternative route, horses land from the roll-top (fence 21bc) on dry ground rather than in the water and riders come out of the second pond on the right rather than the left, taking a longer way round to jump the following elements. The numbering here limits options for riders wanting to change their minds part-way through a route.

Fence 21bc alternative

Fence 21d alternative

Fence 22 alternative

Fence 23: Champion Triple Rail

Fence 24abcd: Defender Valley

Fence 24a direct route

Fence 24b

Fence 24c direct route

Fence 24d direct route

The alternative involves looping around away from the direction of travel.

Fence 24a alternative

Fence 24b alternative

Fence 24c alternative

There is no alternative at fence 24d – riders on the longer route jump the same fence as those on the direct line.

Fence 25: Trakehner

Fence 26abcde: Holland Cooper Leaf Pit

Fence 26ab direct route

Fence 26c direct route

Fence 26de

The alternative to the drop down consists of two houses.

Fence 26a alternative

Fence 26b alternative

The alternative at 26cde means jumping three arrowheads rather than two on the direct route and is also a more curving line, taking up extra time.

Fence 26c alternative

Fence 26d alternative

Fence 26e alternative

Fence 27: Defender Lodge

Fences 28ab and 29: Mars Equestrian Stables

Fence 28a

Fence 28b

Fence 29

Fence 30: Quilter Cheviot Lambert’s Sofa

Fence 31: Defender Finale

• To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout Burghley and other major shows this year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website, from £1 a week. Horse & Hound’s 20-page magazine report on Burghley is published in 11 September issue, including full analysis and exclusive comment from six-time Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt.

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Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.