But with more than 700 stalls is also a great place to shop tuck into some delicious food and sip plenty of Pimm's. Jemma Walton paid a visit.

Going to the Burghley Horse Trials on Thursday (4 September) was a little bit like getting a plateful of egg without the bacon.

Because although the shopping stalls and the horse trials are all very nice, this year's Burghley has hit the headlines for one reason: Jordan is launching her new range of ladies' horseriding clothes there.

It doesn't matter whether you think Katie Price is a post-modern feminist icon or a two-bit trollop made good, everyone has an opinion on her, and most of us would quite like to see what she actually looks like in the flesh.

But the delectable Miss Price confessed to ET feature writer Hannah Gray earlier that she was skipping the opening day and will be there on Friday and Saturday instead, leaving Thurs- day's punters with only the shops and the horses – and Zara Phillips, of course.



Zara's dad Captain Mark Phillips designed the trials' cross country course, and she will be doing her best to make him proud at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, to give the event its proper name.


Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials:

• William Fox-Pitt, a member of the Great Britain Olympic bronze medal-winning eventing team in Hong Kong last month, is attempting a record a fifth win in the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, at Burghley House, near Stamford.


• Daily admission prices start at £10.


• Tickets are available by calling the box office on 01933 304744.


• Visit: www.burghley-horse.co.uk.

The trials involve dressage on Thursday and Friday, cross country on Saturday and show jumping on Sunday. It is a comprehensive test of all-round horsemanship, and involves almost every activity of which the horse is capable.

Zara, whose world champion horse, Toytown, missed the Olympics because of injury, competes on Glenbuck and Ardfield Magic Star, on which she was 16th and 19th respectively at Badminton in May.

On Thursday morning Glenfield made a couple of mistakes and gained 61.30 points for his efforts in dressage. But these points could be made up in later stages.

"Zara has as much chance as winning as anybody," said Rose Bridgwood. Rose (19) comes from Leicestershire and is a keen horserider herself. "I'm a three day eventer myself, and I'd love to be taking part here next year," she said.

I spied Rose buying one of Jordan's hot pink tops. Is she a fan? "Yes! I think everyone should support Jordan," she laughed.

"I really like the fact that she is famous for something else but is interested in riding and wants to get involved in it and promote it.

"And I really like her top. Usually riding tops cut off just before your hips, but these are nice and long, which gives a flattering shape, and they are also fitted, unlike a lot of riding gear.

"She has designed her range from a fashion point of view, and that's a rare thing as far as riding clothes are concerned. And this top was £34, which is about right. I thought it'd be more expensive."

Thursday's sky was as dingy as a three-month-old dishcloth and the heavens constantly threatened to open, but that didn't put off the thousands of visitors from making the most of the shops.

Whether you're looking for handmade Angel Soap for delicate skin, a bespoke kitchen or a new dog basket, Burghley is shopaholic heaven.

And although there are plenty of posh people around (at times you could be forgiven for thinking you're at a corduroy trouser convention), most of the stuff on sale is very reasonably priced.

Justine Jones and Laura Harley work for Country Life magazine, and said that what they love about the event is that there are so many stalls which offer something for everyone.

"You get things here that you just don't see on the high street," said Justine.

"It is ideal for Christmas presents, and there is just so much variety. Burghley is a very special, unique event because of the shopping, plus the fantastic setting.

"The horses are the icing on the cake, really!"

Even though the weather was miserable, and the food stalls were serving the most delicious-smelling bacon butties known to man, there were plenty of people indulging in a good old-fashioned Burghley picnic next to their cars.

"Burghley is the most marvellous event," said Mi Palmer, from Whittlesey, who was tucking into a feast with her husband John and their friend Bill Bishop, from Deeping St Nicholas.

"We have been coming since 1961 and it's lovely because everyone respects each other. It gives you a chance to meet up with old friends, and of course, it is beautifully organised.

"It's just a shame the weather can't be so beauti- fully organised!"

And Burghley really is beautifully organised.

As anyone who tried to leave the car park after the recent Girls Aloud concert at Elton Hall will know, getting a lot of cars in and out of one place is no easy job, but the organisers of Burghley seems to manage it with very few problems.

And even if the weather is horrible, the stewards are always smiling, always happy to help and seem very happy to be working there, which contributes to the great atmosphere.

And that atmosphere is bound to get even greater, and just that little bit more interesting once Miss Price comes to town on Saturday (6 September).