Laura Collett is eagerly anticipating her return to the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, aiming to build on her previous performances and leave a significant mark at this prestigious event. The two-time Olympic gold medallist will compete once again with her 13-year-old mare, Bling, following an impressive debut at Burghley last year where they finished tenth.
Scheduled to take place from 3 to 6 September in Lincolnshire, the upcoming event sees Collett, who recently secured team eventing gold and individual eventing bronze at the FEI World Championships, focusing on further success on home soil.
Reflecting on Bling’s development, Collett, originally from Cheltenham, commented: “I’m really excited to go back now I know I’ve got a proper Burghley horse. I always thought she was, but last year she gave me a brilliant ride, and we can build on that.”
READ MORE: Woman assaulted and verbally abused in Cheltenham city centre
READ MORE: From factory work to the Championship: Joe Tomlinson’s remarkable football journey
Bling’s initial experience at Burghley was a significant step for the mare, who handled the challenge of one of eventing’s most demanding stages admirably. Following a strong 14th place at Badminton earlier this year, Collett remains optimistic about their prospects this September.
She added: “You never quite know if you’ve got a true Burghley horse until you’ve been and done it once. She was very, very inexperienced going there last year, but obviously she went super around there and then had a brilliant ride at Badminton.”
With valuable experience now under her belt, Collett believes improving on their previous tenth-place finish is achievable, though she acknowledges the need for further progress. “We’ve got realistic ambitions,” she stated. “She’s not a dressage horse, so she’s going to be having to claw back after that. But hopefully, if it’s a tough cross-country course and the time’s tight, then hopefully she can climb up the leaderboard. A realistic aim for her at this stage would be a top five.”
Having familiarised herself extensively with the course, Collett emphasised what makes Burghley distinctive: “It’s the demands of the cross country that really set it apart, the terrain and the use of the hills there. There’s not really another event like it.”
While a top-five finish is her immediate goal, Collett harbours a longer-term ambition. “Obviously winning would be the dream,” she remarked. “It’s a tough ask, but I wouldn’t say it’s impossible. She’s still improving, she’s still not the finished article. Hopefully, maybe a few years down the line, that could be a realistic aim.”
The Defender Burghley Horse Trials, held from 3 to 6 September 2025, is a major international sporting and social occasion that has celebrated over 50 years of equestrian excellence. Drawing the world’s elite riders and large enthusiastic audiences, it continues to be a highlight of the sporting calendar. For further details, visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk.