The Defender Burghley Horse Trials 2026 began yesterday, Thursday 3rd September, with a first day of Dressage that left one standout name: that of Switzerland's Nadja Minder. Aboard the veteran Toblerone, the rider posted a score of 29.5 penalties to provisionally take the lead in the CCI5*-L standings.
The result also had a historic component. Minder became the first Swiss representative to lead Burghley in the 65-year history of the competition. She did so with Toblerone, who at 19 is the oldest horse among this edition's participants.
The pair have a wealth of experience together. Minder and Toblerone have regularly been part of the Swiss team since 2021, competed in the European Championships last year and are already familiar with Burghley, where they finished twentieth on their debut in 2024.
“It has been really great. Toblerone is already quite the professional and I simply have to make him believe that he can do a good Dressage test,” Minder explained after her test. The rider also highlighted the work done to keep the horse in the best possible condition and the help received from Piggy March, winner of Burghley in 2022.
Very close to the leader finished British rider Gemma Stevens. Aboard the 16-year-old Chilli Knight, she scored 29.6 penalties, a mere tenth more than Minder. Stevens particularly highlighted her horse's attitude in the arena after having worked over the last few months to improve certain aspects of its dressage performance.
Minder and Stevens were the only two pairs capable of scoring under 30 points during the opening day in front of the ground jury formed by Xavier Le Sauce, Joanne Jarden and Sandy Phillips.
Provisional third place went to another Briton, Max Warburton, who scored 31.2 points with Deerpairc Revelry. The combination returns to Burghley after finishing in twenty-third place in 2025 and thirteenth at Badminton this spring.
Tim Price, winner of Burghley in 2018 with Ringwood Sky Boy, ended the first day in fourth position. The New Zealander presented Global Quest, a 13-year-old horse with whom he is still building their joint experience, and received a score of 32.1 penalties.
Price also cast his eye over what awaits the participants tomorrow, Saturday, in the cross-country. After inspecting the course designed by Derek di Grazia, he considered that it presents an extra notch of intensity compared to last year's layout and highlighted precisely that level of demand as one of the features that make Burghley special.
The provisional fifth place went to British rider Yasmin Ingham, the 2022 Eventing World Champion, who is competing at Burghley for the first time. Ingham is competing this week with Goliath Du Loir, a ten-year-old Selle Français.
Dressage continues today, Friday 4 September, with the second group of competitors. Among the pairs yet to enter the arena are Jonelle Price with Chilli’s Midnight Star, Sarah Bullimore with Corimiro, the Swiss rider Robin Godel with Dealer de la Bride and the American Will Coleman with Very Dignified. Tim Price will also compete again with his second ride, Falco.
With the completion of the Dressage today, the standings will be decided with which the competitors will face one of the decisive days of the Defender Burghley Horse Trials tomorrow: the demanding cross-country of this CCI5*-L, before Sunday's conclusion with the Show Jumping phase.
