Katie Magee ready for 'ultimate' test at Defender Burghley Horse Trials
The County Durham eventer, who is based in Barnard Castle, will make her debut at the event which takes place between 4th – 7th September.
Katie Magee insists she is raring to go ahead of the ‘ultimate’ Defender Burghley Horse Trials test.
The County Durham eventer, who is based in Barnard Castle, will make her debut at the event which takes place between 4th – 7th September, aboard 11-year-old gelding Treworra, in what is just her third 5* event.
The paring finished 11th at Badminton, another 5* event, earlier this year and Magee, 43, is over the moon to now be performing at the Lincolnshire venue.
“It’s amazing to be going,” said Magee, who is originally from Catterick. “The excitement and nerves are about the same as they were for Badminton.
“I would say Burghley is the ultimate test. The cross-country layout is particularly known for its terrain. So, we need to be very fit, and we've got to be on our A game.
“But also, you need to be able to produce decent dressage and show jumping efforts to go with that. Both Wilf and I need to be on it 100% and we will do our best.”
Magee is currently riding the crest of a wave after securing both the British open championship and British intermediate championships in August, becoming British national champion in the process.
She won the open title with Treworra, who is owned by Angela Hislop, and is thrilled to be riding him at Burghley.
“Wilf is a fantastic horse, I'm very lucky to be on him,” she continued. “I trust him hugely, so it's only down to me to ride him well.”
Riders will compete in three disciplines, dressage, show jumping and cross country, during the event and Magee is expecting her horse to thrive the most during the latter.
“He’s a particularly excellent cross-country horse. He’s 75% thoroughbred, he really wants to do the job, and he loves the crowd. That helps at these big events where you generally get the bigger crowds, instead of worrying him, it spurs him on.
“It’s a fantastic feeling to have a horse that enjoys [eventing] as much as I do.”
Magee started riding ponies as a child before beginning her eventing career aged 14. Now she is on the cusp of performing at one of the sport’s most prestigious events and is hoping to do herself and Wilf proud.
She added: “My aims, particularly as I get older, is to drive home proud of how we've competed across the three disciplines. If I can drive home with no regrets, and not wishing I'd done something different, that would be amazing.
“I'm on a world class horse, so my job is to ride him and do my best for him.”
Defender Burghley Horse Trials (4-7 September 2025) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years. It attracts the world's top equestrians and is attended by vast and enthusiastic crowds. For more information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk