World number one Tom McEwen declared the Defender Burghley Horse Trials the ‘best event in the world’ before setting his sights on a maiden victory in the event.

Lincolnshire is the next destination in a memorable year for Tetbury’s McEwen as he seeks to add just a second 5* title to the team eventing gold medal he won at Paris 2024.

The 33-year-old's best finish in the event to date was a run to fourth aboard Toledo de Kerser in 2017 and despite this year’s field being rated as Burghley’s strongest ever, McEwen has form behind him in his quest to fulfil his dreams.

“It’s one of the three legs to the Rolex Grand Slam, so that puts it up there as one of the best three events in the world but for me it’s the best eventing event in the world,” said McEwen, discussing Burghley’s significance on the eventing calendar.

“Its friendly, the atmosphere is amazing, the course is incredible and there’s no better test for horse and rider than going round Burghley.

“It’s one that I’d love to have more rides around in the future and it’s definitely an aim of mine to win at some point.

“You have people turning up to watch the trot up on Wednesday to the show-jumping final on Sunday. We have horses of all shapes and sizes, it’s really exciting and the truest test of horsemanship.”

McEwen returns to Burghley for a sixth attempt with CHF Cooliser, two years on from a 12th place finish.

The stunning Stamford venue is notorious for its fiendish cross-country course and McEwen believes it’s what differentiates Burghley from its 5* siblings.

“Here you have the terrain and how they put the fences,” he said.

“There’s a maximum dimension you can build up to but when you put them on ridges or not they look even bigger again.

“What’s different is that with experience you really gain an understanding of how to ride the course better and you can be a bit down on time on the way up and gain it on the way home.”

Along with Ros Canter and Laura Collett, McEwen won Team GB’s first gold medal of the Olympic Games in Paris and one which rubbed-stamped the nation’s status as the best nation in eventing Olympic history.

Asked if he has come back down to earth yet, McEwen said: “Yes and no, it was quite hard getting back to normality for all of us on the team. It was such a great team environment and amazing to win gold.

“There is a bit of a crash afterwards but we straight back out the next weekend and nearly been until now.

“Tetbury’s a small place, there are always some people around and there were some balloons and flags out so it was really nice to come back to.”

Defender Burghley Horse Trials (5-8 September 2024) 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