Two national charities have received donations totalling over £8,000 raised through activities held during this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.

The Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund (MDIRF) collected £1,700 through their ongoing 21st Anniversary Poundcatcher Campaign and received a further £6,000 sponsorship money from the Burghley Sponsored ride – an annual fun ride that takes place in Burghley Park on the Sunday during the Horse Trials. The popular event attracts over 200 riders to the park. “As last year’s ride was cancelled due to the wet conditions this year brought in more riders than ever to raise this wonderful amount,” said Rosemary Lang, the National Co-ordinator for the MDIRF which provides help, advice and financial support to riders injured who are unable to work or look after themselves.

The East Anglia Air Ambulance received a cheque for £1,000 raised by octogenarian Betty Powell through her organisation of the Concours D’Elegance (driving competition) held at Burghley on the Sunday. “The air ambulance service is run solely by donations, none of us know when we might need them – the service definitely saved the life of my granddaughter this year,” said Betty Powell, a regular visitor at the Trials for the last 49 years.

In 2010 Burghley Horse Trials will be celebrating its fiftieth consecutive running of the event. The organisers have managed to stage the trials each year since its inception in 1961, including in 2001 when foot-and-mouth disease forced the cancellation of many other show and events, and most memorably in 2008 when wet conditions threatened to force the first cancellation.