A judging panel with extensive CCI5* experience has been confirmed for the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse (BYEH) Finals at Defender Burghley Horse Trials 2026.
The championships for four- and five-year-olds will take place on Friday 4 September at Burghley Park, Lincolnshire, as part of Defender Burghley Horse Trials (3–6 September 2026).
Who is judging the BYEH Finals at Burghley 2026?
The panel includes championship-level officials and riders with first-hand experience of producing horses to the top of the sport.
- Dressage judges: Christina Klingspor (Sweden) and Angela Tucker (Great Britain)
- Jumping judges: Andrew Heffernan (Netherlands) and Nicky Roncoroni (Ireland)
- Suitability and type (vet judge): John Killingbeck
- Potential to gallop (top 10 finalists): Clayton Fredericks (Australia)
Christina Klingspor has officiated at Burghley as a ground jury member three times, most recently in 2025, and was president of the ground jury at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Prize-money and sponsorship
2026 marks the 18th year of Dubarry’s sponsorship of the Burghley Young Event Horse Finals. The two classes will be worth a combined £8,000, with first prizes of £1,500 for the Dubarry five-year-old champion and £1,250 for the Dubarry four-year-old champion.
How to qualify for the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final
The Burghley BYEH Final is the culmination of a season-long series of qualifiers in Britain and Ireland. There will be 19 qualifiers in 2026, starting at Badminton Horse Trials on 6 May, with venues across the UK plus Tattersalls (Co Meath) and Millstreet (Co Cork).
A full list of qualifiers is available on the Burghley website Burghley Horse.
What Burghley’s Event Director said
Burghley Event Director Martyn Johnson said:
“We are delighted that such a knowledgeable and experienced panel of international judges are able to join us at Burghley this autumn. The Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse classes have enjoyed a real renaissance in recent years; we modernised the format, have greatly increased prize-money and the recognition that the winners receive and have looked further afield for judges for the finals. There is no doubt that these finals are showcases and training grounds for the future superstars of the sport of eventing and are very important for breeders, owners and riders.”
How to watch Defender Burghley 2026
Every phase of Defender Burghley, including the Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse Final, will be shown live on Burghley TV.
