Case Study – Defender at Burghley Horse Trials
Background and Brief
Defender Burghley Horse Trials is the flagship event of Land Rover’s equestrian sponsorship properties and 2024 saw the 20th year of title sponsorship of the event.
We provided video coverage for Jaguar Land Rover’s Defender marque during Burghley Horse Trials, one of only seven world FEI 5-star equestrian events. As the single title sponsor, Defender’s presence was integral to the four-day competition, which features Dressage, Cross Country, and Jumping. This gave us an abundance of hero camera shot potential, featuring star athletes and the public enjoying an exciting day of high-quality equestrian sport at its top level, and the incredible opportunity to present this footage to its best effect.
Approach
Our team was on-site for five days with the task of capturing the prestige of the event and showcasing Defender’s activations throughout. Given the event’s dynamic nature and tight schedule, meticulous pre-production planning was crucial to ensure every shot highlighted the event’s scale, excitement, and elegance.
There were going to be numerous occasions to whittle down from, for capturing high-profile Defender ambassadors Zara Tindall and Harry Meade who were competing at Burghley (Harry with three horses and Zara one). Carl Hester was also making appearances in Defender Lodge, plus giving a masterclass in the main arena.
The opportunities to choose to film were many and we had to be strategic in our choices before stepping foot into the event. With over 160,000 people visiting Burghley, the spectators can enjoy the Defender Experience and Land Rover owners receive complimentary hospitality in the Defender Coffee box area on the members lawn. Other key moments were the annual Defender Tailgate Picnic competition, the Shetland Pony Grand National, a parade of the Olympic eventing team gold medallists, Defender Hospitality, the exclusive course drives, XC viewing area and champagne lodge. We were spoilt for choice and had to ensure we captured all the key moments of this prestigious occasion. No pressure!
Our brief was to put together sizzle reels to showcase the daily activity, a longer wrap up of the whole event, one film specific each to the Defender Experience and Miniature Defenders. The two latter films were to be overlaid with appropriate music and top and tailed with the Defender Experience logo.
Execution
Cande deployed camera crews across multiple principal locations, allowing us to strategically document pivotal moments, including the adrenaline-filled cross-country course. Balancing the unpredictability of live action with the bustling atmosphere was no mean feat and we ensured no key moment was missed.
In one example shot, we followed Harry Meade as he cantered under the famous Lion Bridge at Burghley House. Filming a water shot is when experience comes into play in order to not only capture the drama of the moment but also balance on two feet on a ridge in the middle of a water jump!
For this piece of footage, our team utilised a DJI Pro Ronin RS2 gimble, mounted with a Blackmagic Design Pocket 6K Pro, allowing us to remain agile while ensuring steady, high-quality footage. Filming at 100 frames per second enabled us to capture every stride in slow motion, amplifying the intensity and precision of the moment.
The Cande team certainly got more than their daily steps in, especially after cross country day, with four miles of course and 30 fences to navigate, however due to our meticulous planning (and handy access to the Defender fleet to help with logistics on-site) we pulled it off.
The final deliverables included a hero video for Defender, emphasising the brand’s alignment with the event’s prestige, as well as dynamic social media content for the Burghley Horse Trials team, amplifying the event’s reach and engagement.
If you’re interested in seeing how we help brands tell their stories through compelling visuals and event coverage, check out the video below.
