Sarah Bullimore is aiming for a fairytale victory at the Defender Burghley Horse Trials, riding the horse she helped bring into the world. The 53-year-old, based in Keysoe, Bedfordshire, will compete with 10-year-old gelding Corimiro, whom she has bred from birth and describes as the best horse she has ever sat on.
A Horse She Knows Better Than Anyone
Corimiro has quickly built a reputation as one of the most exciting talents in three-day eventing, particularly impressing on cross-country courses. Bullimore, who first competed at Burghley 30 years ago, believes his enthusiasm for the sport will serve him well.
“He definitely is the best I've sat on,” she said. “I've had some lovely horses, but he just wants to get it right. He's like an old soul, he's kind of been there and done it, he's picking up the flags almost before I am. Rather than me turning him to a fence, he seems invested in it too.”
Chasing a First Podium Finish
Bullimore finished fourth at Burghley in both 2018 and 2019 but has yet to reach the podium. She hopes to change that in 2026, with three decades of experience at the Elizabethan venue.
“It's such an amazing venue, an amazing course, and it's the one that all the riders want to come to and take that trophy away,” she added. “I don't know what it is about this place. It gives you such a lovely feel when you drive in. It's always a really welcoming event, but you have the nerves — good nerves.”
Experience Counts
Despite being one of the most experienced riders in the field, Bullimore acknowledges that each new course presents its own challenges. She said: “You have a feel for riding more of the courses but actually, every time you come to an event, you still feel inexperienced, there's still a little element of that. There's no substitute for getting out there and having been and done it. There's an awful lot you wouldn't even realise, but subconsciously, you've been there, and when it happens, you feel it and you're able to react to it quicker. It's just knowing that age gives you that.”
Defender Burghley Horse Trials (3-6 September 2025) has been a major international sporting and social event for over 50 years, attracting the world's top equestrians and vast, enthusiastic crowds.
