THE stage is set for a Burghley Horse Trials showdown between the combinations who topped the podium in impressive style at Badminton earlier this year. Paris Olympic medallists are also among the early entries.

News from the camp of Badminton 2024 winner, New Zealand’s Caroline Powell, is that Burghley is firmly in her sights - and understandably so, after she was denied the chance to make a tilt at an Olympic medal after being named as travelling reserve on the Kiwi squad at Paris.

Her Badminton-winning mount, Greenacres Special Cavalier, was bred in Ireland by Michael Callery of Greenacres Stud in Co Meath and the pair have enjoyed much success, most notably at Badminton, which was Powell’s 15th completion of the event.

Powell was a member of the New Zealand Olympic team that won team bronze in London 2012 and she was 29th individually with Lenamore, on whom she also won Burghley in 2010 when the mare was 17.

Nipping at her heels will be Ireland’s Lucy Latta, who pulled off an astonishing second place finish at Badminton on her first ever attempt at a five-star event. Riding RCA Patron Saint, Latta ended up long-listed on the Irish squad for Paris on the back of that performance.

Since then, Latta and RCA Patron Saint had a second place at Aston Le Walls in July and are training hard for Burghley.

Speaking to The Irish Field from Mullingar yesterday where she was getting in some show jumping, Latta said preparations were going well and her fingers were crossed for a good spin at Burghley.

“We had a nice break after Badminton and then I brought him back in and went to Aston Le Walls and did the four-star short there, where he did a 29-penalty dressage, double clear and inside the time again.

“And then I went to Burgham and he did a 28, was double clear and I took it nice and steady on the cross-country.

“So it’s really just training at home here in Ireland for the next three and a half weeks to get things prepped, but he’s in great form and I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve never even been there, so I’m really excited.

“Esib (Power), my cousin, has been doing a lot of training on the dressage and the jumping with me and then hopefully Caroline Moore comes back over in August, so I’ll get some cross-country training with her. It’s all hands on deck and very much full steam ahead.”

Other Irish entries at this stage include Padraig McCarthy (Lady Ophelia), Declan Cullen (Seavaghan Ash) and Mia Farley (Phelps).

Two Paris riders, who are among the early entries for Burghley (September 5th-8th) are Japanese bronze medallists Ryuzo Kitajima and Toshiyuki Tanaka, who are both based in Gloucestershire and will be making their debuts at the event.

Ryuzo will ride Feroza Nieuwmoed, while Toshi pilots Jefferson JRA, who was his ride at Paris, but only took part in the show jumping due to the Olympic substitution rules.

Another star attraction already entered is Zara Tindall, who will ride Class Affair at the event for the third time after sadly not completing on this mare on the last two attempts.

Oliver Townend is expected to be bringing the Irish Sport Horse Cooley Rosalent (bred by the Rosebotham family). They will be looking to revisit the form that secured them an outstanding win at the Kentucky CCI-5*L at the end of April.

It is expected that a flood of further entries, including Olympic team gold medallists Ros Canter, Yasmin Ingham and Tom McEwen, will be made next week, once riders know their horses are sound after Hartpury this weekend.

The closing date is August 16th.