A new cross-country course designer has been named for a major horse trials event.
Dutch Olympian Andrew Heffernan will take over as CCI4*-S course designer at Burgham International Horse Trials from this year, succeeding long-serving designer David Evans.
Mr Heffernan said: "I am incredibly excited to be joining Burgham as the new designer for the CCI4*-S track in 2026.
"My thanks go to David Evans for the opportunity to take this on, and to the organising committee for their confidence in me and for the chance to work closely with their team.
"Burgham is such an important and well-supported event with a reputation for being truly top-class.
"I’m really looking forward to the future; to making plenty of changes and developing new ideas while respecting everything that makes this event so special.
"I really can’t wait to get started."
An experienced competitor and coach, Mr Heffernan represented the Netherlands at the 2012 Olympics and helped secure a team bronze at the 2014 World Equestrian Games.
He also designs courses at Bramham Horse Trials in Yorkshire and works as an assistant designer at Burghley.
As Mr Heffernan steps into the CCI4*-S role, Mr Evans will continue to design the CCI3*-S, CCI2*-S, and national level courses at Burgham.
Craig Anderson, event director at Burgham, said: "We are delighted to have Andrew, who is clearly on his way to becoming one of the world’s top cross-country course-designers, involved at Burgham.
"I have no doubt that he will bring an innovative and fresh feel to Burgham while maintaining the characteristics of the courses that have helped make the event such a popular and established part of the calendar for owners and riders.
"I know that Andrew and David Evans have great respect for each other and will be a terrific team together here at Burgham."
Burgham International Horse Trials, held in Northumberland, features classes from CCI4*-S to BE90, and also includes Dubarry Burghley Young Event Horse qualifiers, unaffiliated showjumping, and an ex-racehorse and thoroughbred show.
The 2026 event is set to run from July 29 to August 2 with tickets to go on sale via the event website.
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