Last years Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt
The top trio of British riders are among over 120 international riders, representing 15 nations, aspiring to compete at the famous three-day event acknowledged as one of the world's best. London 2012 Olympians from other countries are also included in this year's entry list. New Zealanders Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson, Jonathan Paget and Caroline Powell, Australian Christopher Burton, Germany's Dirk Schrade and Ireland's Mark Kyle will all be in contention for the Land Rover Perpetual Challenge Trophy - the next best thing to a gold, silver or bronze medal.
Wiliam Fox-Pitt, who won Burghley for a record sixth time last year, will undoubtedly be one of the favourites. He has a choice of four horses - for two places - including last year's winning horse Parklane Hawk. Not only would a win for Fox-Pitt be an unprecedented seventh at Land Rover Burghley but it would be a landmark 50th international three-day-event victory for the Dorset-based rider.
Also at stake is this year's HSBC FEI Classics series, which for the first time will be finalised at this year's event. After four events, William is the current leader although he will have to fight off a challenge from second-placed New Zealander Andrew Nicholson.
Andrew Nicholson, who now leads the HSBC rankings, will be hoping for a good Burghley performance
Megan Jones (above) and Tim Boland (below) are aiming for Burghley, along with several other Australians
The Celebrity Talk Area will be staging another exciting programme of events and activities throughout the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials 2012. Located in the Exhibition Village, next to the Horse Village, the Burghley Lifestyle Pavilion and the new Green Lifestyle Pavilion, the hugely popular Celebrity Talk Area gives spectators and shoppers a chance to see their favourite riders interviewed by Irish event rider Jonty Evans throughout the event.
Regulars to the stage are team GB members Mary King, William Fox-Pitt and Zara Phillips as well as international heroes such as Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson. In addition, the stage will feature those with a pivotal, but more behind the scenes involvement in the sport such as physio’s, trainers, feed manufacturers and editors of magazines (What about editors of websites?).
The competition starts with dressage on Thursday 30 August and Friday 31 August before the challenge of Captain Mark Phillips' cross-country course on Saturday 1 September. On Sunday 2 September the afternoon's final show jumping phase will determine who becomes this year's Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials champion.
Top two photos: Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials/Kit Houghton
