Latest from Horse & Hound in Oliver-townend

‘Great disappointment’ as top contender withdrawn from this week’s Badminton Horse Trials

Pippa Roome — Mon, 04 May 2026 12:00:55 +0000

Oliver Townend has withdrawn Cooley Rosalent from this week’s Mars Badminton Horse Trials (6-10 May).

The pair would have started as second favourites behind Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, to whom they finished second at last year’s event.

“It is with great disappointment that we announce that we have had to withdraw Cooley Rosalent from Badminton,” said a statement from Oliver.

“We were hugely looking forward to being back at one of our favourite events and one where she has had great success.

Badminton final scores

“Thank you to Disy Ridgeon [Diana Ridgeon, the mare’s owner] for her support in this decision and to our team and sponsors for always standing by us, we are all gutted, but she has a bright future ahead of her.

“We wish everyone the best of luck and hope to be back for Burghley Horse Trials.”

Last year’s Badminton Horse Trials runner-up Cooley Rosalent has already had seven five-star starts, at 12 years old, and has finished in all the podium places. She was third at Maryland 5 Star in 2023 and won Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2024.

Oliver was seeking a second Badminton title – he won in 2009 on another grey, Flint Curtis, owned by Robert and Edward Nicholson.

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Ballaghmor Class – celebrating the career of this outstanding five-star eventing hero

Catherine Austen — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:05:18 +0000

Exceptionally athletic and a supreme trier, this sensitive character met his ideal match in Oliver Townend and they went on to become one of the greatest partnerships in eventing history, as Catherine Austen explains in this exclusive article for H&H subscribers

Diamonds are forever – except in the case of horses, they are not. Ballaghmor Class is a diamond. He has dazzled at the very top of eventing for the best part of a decade, illuminating CCI5* level at a time when it has threatened to drop into shade. But he is not immortal, and, at the age of 19, it is time for him to retire.

Oliver Townend, Ballaghmor Class’s partner and jockey for 15 years, says: “Of course I will miss [competing] him – although he’s not going anywhere – he’s my best mate. That’s probably pretty sad, but it’s true. All the things we’ve done together, for so many years… But, touch wood, all my top horses’ careers have finished in the right way, with them well and happy; I’ve always called ‘time’ before they did.”

In a career that started in September 2012 and concluded in October 2025, the standout statistics are these: four CCI5* wins, two at Defender Burghley Horse Trials, one at Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event and one at Mars Maryland 5 Star. Ten consecutive top-five placings at CCI5*. An Olympic team gold medal. Numerous other victories merely as warm-ups for those five-stars. A total of 2,845 British Eventing points. He is a hero of the sport, a cross-country deity whose spiritual homes were the world’s biggest, most challenging courses.

Behind the headlines is a shy, brave, wilful, affectionate and needy character whose relationship with Oliver runs extremely deep. His stable is directly opposite Oliver’s bedroom window and everything about Ballaghmor Class’s life has been meticulously organised to suit the vagaries of his character for 15 years.

This relationship between horse and rider runs deep – “He’s my best mate” says Oliver. (Image credit: Cal Sport Media)

How this special relationship began

Katherine Charlton bought the unbroken son of Courage II as a three-year-old from an elite event horse sale at Tattersalls in Co Meath in 2010.

“He was just a lovely young horse – very athletic-looking with correct movement and presence,” she says.

When he was four, she rang Oliver and said that she had a horse she thought he ought to come and see. Oliver remembers the then steel grey youngster putting his back up when Katherine got on him.

“She quietly said to him, ‘Please don’t buck me off in front of Oliver Townend.’ I liked him straightaway – he was big, sexy, rangey. I had a sit on him, not for many minutes, but he felt like he had a lot of power.”

Thomas pictured in his early days with Katherine Charlton, who bought him unbroken: “He was athletic, with presence,” she says. (Image credit: Mary Davidson)

Oliver sent Karyn Shuter videos of him, she bought him, and Thomas – his stable name is that of Katherine’s son – arrived in Shropshire.

“He’s always been very sharp, and difficult to get on,” Oliver says. “I remember the first time I saw him run off with someone. Thomas got something up his tail and ran and ran and ran, and there was very little to stop him.

“But he became professional very quickly at an event, because if you give him something to concentrate on when he’s somewhere he doesn’t know, suddenly he needs you.”

Karyn sold four-year-old Ballaghmor Class to a fellow New Zealander, Garth Davies and his family, who wanted to invest in horses. She bought him back when the horse was six, then shares were sold to Angela Hislop and Val Ryan so that Oliver could keep the ride.

Karyn says: “He is not what you would call an easy horse; he loves attention on his terms, loves work but is insecure, very sharp and brave but also sensitive and careful. He falls in love a lot, which is a nightmare when travelling. At events he doesn’t like other horses going out when he isn’t – so often we had to take extra staff to put all his boots on and take him out for a walk while the other horses were getting ridden or washed. He just doesn’t like missing out.

“He tries to load himself on the lorry but doesn’t want to be there if everyone’s getting off, so he can’t be the first or last.”

“The basics have been so true as Oliver worked him in a correct, classical way,” says co-owner Karyn Shuter, who praises the rider’s regime for keeping Thomas fit and healthy while at the top of the sport. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Karyn is certain that the consistency of one rider, one home and a long-term plan has had much to do with his success.

“To be in control right from the start with a big, rangey horse was ideal, as we never put pressure on him to do age classes or work him in frames that his body wasn’t ready for. That is one of the reasons he stayed fit and healthy at the top of the sport for so long; the basics have been so true as Oliver worked him in a correct, classical way,” she says.

Ballaghmor Class: the early years

Thomas’s early years as an event horse were quietly successful; he ticked all the boxes of progression neatly and quickly.

“He was a good, scopey horse, but he was very stiff in himself,” Oliver says. “If you arrived at a fence a bit close, he couldn’t get himself out of the way of it for love nor money. But the potential was always, always there. As he became stronger, he became sharper in his reactions and learnt how to use his body more.

“To me, he was always going to be a five-star horse – and a top one – but you had to work round the quirks all the time. I used to have my tailcoat pinned to the saddlecloth or to my breeches, because a tap on the backside and you’d have been gone.”

Karyn interjects: “It has been lucky that Oliver has an extremely good lower leg position, otherwise it would have never worked.”

Oliver continues: “It was about managing everything. And he just quietly went through the motions as a good horse who was making mistakes and learning.”

Oliver had other, more eye-catchingly competitive, horses and Thomas stayed just below most people’s radar. That changed, dramatically and ultimately, at Burghley in 2017.

“I remember coming out of the dressage at Burnham Market in the spring and saying to Karyn, ‘I’m going to Burghley on this one this year.’ She said, ‘Well, one step at a time…’”

Ballagmor Class burst onto everyone’s radar when soaring around Land Rover Burghley in 2017. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Oliver had already won two five-stars – Badminton and Burghley – but in 2009, which seemed half a lifetime ago to him at that point. His entries for Burghley in 2017 wouldn’t have given commentators cause to think that was about to change: 10-year-old Ballaghmor Class, a five-star debutant, and 13-year-old Samuel Thomas II, a good, reliable horse but not a megastar.

“I was still teaching Thomas flying changes in the warm-up at Burghley and I remember saying to myself, if he gets four clean changes, we’re going to win. It felt like a secret. I was absolutely convinced that we could win,” Oliver says.

Many of us can remember the ride Oliver gave Ballaghmor Class across country on that day. For the first half of the course, he held the strikingly talented but green horse’s hand.

“I was just trying to be open, but as quiet as possible,” Oliver remembers.

Two-thirds of the way round, Oliver crouched lower in the saddle and pressed “go”. The response was immediate and by the finishing line, the education was complete. This was a fully fledged five-star horse – and 24 hours later that was franked with the Burghley winner’s trophy.

Consistent five-star performances

There isn’t sufficient space to detail the subsequent years; the clockwork chimes of Badminton and Burghley, spring and autumn, fifth, second, second, third. Not a beat missed.

Ballagmor Class produced the goods at the biggest five-stars year after year. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The sadness about Ballaghmor Class’s career, however, is those missed Covid years and two Badminton and two Burghley chances at his absolute peak.

A daring raid on Kentucky in 2021 delivered a brilliant triumph – a second CCI5* win – but Oliver will always regret opportunities missed.

“He was 13 and that’s often when these horses are at their best. What could he have achieved?” asks Oliver rhetorically.

That strange, postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 was Ballaghmor Class’s first team appearance. Sent out first for Britain, they were perfect round a cross-country course a world away from the demands of Burghley, Badminton and Kentucky.

Individual gold wasn’t to be – the pair had a single showjump down in each of the two rounds and they finished fifth. But Oliver, Tom McEwen and Laura Collett had secured team gold, and humans and horses flew home national heroes.

“I’ve never been happier on a team than I was with Laura and Tom,” says Oliver. (Image credit: dpa picture alliance / Alamy Stock Photo)

“The nicest thing for me was that when we won the team medal [after the first round of showjumping], Thomas was the best scorer in the team. I’ve never been happier on a team than I was with Laura and Tom; we respected each other and it worked very well,” says Oliver. “All three of us were there on horses of a lifetime.

“It was very special for us and for eventing, but also for people outside the sport, such as the local community. Not everyone in the village here knows what eventing is, but they do know who Ballaghmor Class is.”

Third and fourth five-star wins

After another second place at Badminton, they came back to Burghley in 2023 for the first time since 2019. The weight of expectation they carried was immense, but the nature of diamonds is that they are formed under great pressure. To triumph at what is acknowledged as the world’s most challenging CCI5* for a second time, with six years and thousands of miles galloped and flown in-between, placed Ballaghmor Class in the pantheon of all-time eventing gods.

“I was incredibly proud – of Thomas and also of the team at home. It made me very emotional and I cried my eyes out on the podium,” Oliver says with an embarrassed grin.

“I was incredibly proud of him – and also the team at home” – Oliver Townend on his way to winning Defender Burghley Horse Trials 2023 with Ballaghmor Class. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

A minor foot problem lingered for too long in the spring of 2024, and Thomas missed Badminton. He had a holiday, got fat and came back delighted with himself and as arrogant as a multiple five-star winner has the right to be.

“I couldn’t quite get him ready for Burghley, but we agreed that if we could find a way to finance a trip to Maryland in October, we would,” Oliver says. “For me, that was one of his greatest performances. He was 17 and he had the time of his life. I could barely hold him across country – he tore round – and then, showjumping-wise, I jumped four warm-up fences and that was it. In we went and I’ve never felt him like that. To win a fourth five-star there was very special.”

There was one more Badminton, in 2025, where they were outstanding across country but a small injury – “like a paper cut” – meant they didn’t showjump, and a final, almost surprise CCI5* at Pau that October, as the horse felt so fit and well that Oliver thought he deserved one last party.

“It wasn’t the dream ending, but I didn’t want this greatest of all five-star horses to end his career by not finishing one. I always want my horses to bow out on a good note.”

Oliver says Thomas winning a fourth five-star at Maryland, aged 17, was “very special”. (Image credit: Stacy Lynne Wendkos)

“Do I think he could come out and win a four-star next season? I could sit on him backwards and win a four-star next season,” Oliver says. “But does he need to do that? Of course not. He’s Ballaghmor Class.”

A full retirement ceremony is planned at Burghley this autumn and he and Oliver may go “on tour” together, to let Thomas see his fans – and they him.

“I think he’d love that,” says Oliver. “Like me, he needs to be active, or we’ll end up in trouble.”

Enjoy more exclusive insight from Ballaghmor Class’s travelling groom Jess McKie, his part owner Karyn Shuter and Equiratings’ Sam Watson in Horse & Hound magazine, in shops from Thursday 29 January

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‘He’s my Milton’: Olympic gold medallist bows out at the top after stellar career

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 07:31:09 +0000

Oliver Townend has paid tribute to Ballaghmor Class, the horse who excelled at the top of his sport for almost a decade, helped him achieve his childhood dreams – and is “my Milton”.

“Thomas”, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan, has retired aged 19, after a stellar career in which he and Oliver won four times at five-star, took Olympic team gold and showed huge consistency at the top level.

The Irish-bred gelding will spend the rest of his life with Oliver, enjoying scaled-down work to keep him happy, and in the same routine from which he has always benefited.

“I’ve been lucky enough to ride some very good horses, and have a good career before him but with him I’ve had the pinnacle of my career,” Oliver told H&H.

“He’s enabled me to achieve a lot of my childhood dreams, he took me places I never really believed I’d get to or aimed for. I never really thought I’d get to an Olympics; it was all about five-stars and making a living. But to perform from start to finish the way he did, at the top level, made him a celebrity within the sport, and the Olympics made him a celebrity outside the sport.”

In 13 years of eventing, Oliver and Thomas won Burghley twice, and the Kentucky and Maryland five-stars once each, and secured 10 top-five CCI5* places as well as countless other international wins – and Olympic team gold in 2021. Ballaghmor Class finished his last competition, Pau CCI5*, sound and happy last year, bowing out at the top of his game.

“He’ll keep doing things, to keep him happy, and he’ll spend the rest of his life here,” Oliver said. “He’s very much got his own routine and everybody has to work round him.

“I grew up watching John Whitaker and Milton and for me, he’s the equivalent, my Milton.”

Thomas will be officially retired at Burghley this year (3-6 September).

Do you have a favourite memory of Ballaghmor Class that you’d like to share? Please write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

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Update on fallers and disappointments from Pau Horse Trials, including Bubby Upton and Oliver Townend

Martha Terry — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 18:13:45 +0000

Although 60% of the Pau Horse Trials cross-country field went clear, there were a few falls and plenty of hard-luck stories, without any major injuries reported on Saturday evening (25 October). While six horses did go inside the time, there were a number of well-placed individuals who could have slotted into a podium position ahead of showjumping, but dropped out of contention.

The first significant upset was Bubby Upton’s first ride Cola, a five-star stalwart who was lying close-up in 12th after dressage on 30.3. He was storming round when he misjudged the final element of a three-part combination, four fences from home. This complex featured a house on top of a mound, curving round to the right over two more houses on forward distances, with the camber pulling horses away to the left.

Cola, owned by Rachel Upton, was a bit long at the final element and dived over it, tipping Bubby on to the turf.

“He was giving me a classic Cola ride, making it feel pretty easy on a not-easy course,” said Bubby. “He was well up on the time, so for him to fall, when he was just trying to help me, felt really tough to take as he did not deserve that. When I jumped clear on Cannavaro, I felt it was all thanks to Cola because he gave me so much belief and information.

“Cola was flying round, so it was really unfair, but he’s absolutely fine, which is a relief. It’s frustrating that he had to do a whole round on 15-year-old legs not to have a score on the board, but hopefully we can come back next year and put it right.”

Bubby’s spirits were briefly lifted by Cannavaro’s superlative clear, which would secure second place, but fell off again at the same fence on her third ride Its Cooley Time, owned by the Five Time Syndicate, who had been lying sixth on 28.5. She was unbalanced over the middle element and thrown out of the saddle, and although the grey tried to scrabble over the final part, Bubby had no chance of staying on.

“I’m not sure how I could have ridden Cola any differently at the fence he fell at, whereas my last horse I let him down,” Bubby said. “I made a mistake and rode him too much like he was Cannavaro and didn’t trust the engine that I still had underneath me. He made up too much ground and got underneath the b/c element and still tried to jump the d element even though I was around his neck. I’m gutted for him because he should be jumping for the win tomorrow but I have no doubt he will have his day.”

Emily King was the only other rider to fault at this combination, when her first horse – five-star debutant Jackpot – stopped at the second house in an otherwise decent round.

However, Emily later had a freak fall at fence two from Valmy Biats – who had been in a very competitive position in eighth after dressage on 29 – when the horse seemed to catch a leg on the table. Both horse and rider were back on their feet, with Valmy galloping off as though he was expecting to have to do the course on his own.

Emily’s was one of five rider falls, but all walked away. Alex Bragg’s Ardeo Premier was the only horse fall, at fence 24. This was an angled brush a stride after coming up a step out of the final water. Happily, both horse and rider are fine.

“He had a moment of hesitation and the timing of the jump was wrong,” said Alex. “Such a shame but we live to fight another day.”

Disappointment for Townend and McEwen

The two pairs tying for second after dressage, on 26.1, Oliver Townend (Ballaghmor Class) and Tom McEwen (Brookfield Quality), both faltered at exactly the same fence, having been clear up to that point. Brookfield Quality broke the frangible pin at the corner in the third water at 21, then ran out at the final triple brush. After jumping the alternative, Tom put his hand up to retire the 16-year-old (owned by John and Chloe Perry, and Alison Swinburn).

Tom put on his Facebook page: “Knowing how competitive and genuine he is and with him being that bit older, I decided to just pop through quietly and then save him for another day. Of course, it’s a real shame when things don’t go quite to plan, but he is happy and well which is the most important thing. He’s had a great season and will now enjoy a very well-deserved holiday.”

Towards the end of the afternoon, it was Oliver’s turn to shake up the leaderboard. By that stage, Brookfield Quality was out of the running and the dressage leader Cannavaro had added 4.8 time-faults, so a decent time would be sufficient to take over top spot.

However, Ballaghmor Class also clattered the frangible corner, and although he continued to complete with just 1.2 time-faults, the 11 penalties of damage was done.

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class jump into the water at fence 21. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Oliver was philosophical afterwards, despite his grand old campaigner losing his 100% clear record at five-star stretching back to 2017.

“He doesn’t know he’s had a pin,” said Oliver of the 18-year-old, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan. “He’s gone through all the flags at every five-star I’ve ever asked him. It’s just sad for him to have this pin on his record, but he is a legend, one of the best cross-country horses there will ever be. I am so proud of him.

“He was so honest and made it all feel so easy,” Oliver continued. “He was keen and making all the distances so easily and so when I said ‘whoa’ for the three strides in that water [before the corner], he was actually polite, finally, and came back to me, so I ended up miles off the corner.”

This combination was particularly influential, although errors came all over the track. French rider Sebastian Cavaillon produced one of the five rider falls over the Pau Horse Trials cross-country when Black Pearl Z scrambled over the corner, while Lithuanian Aistis Vitkauskas broke the frangible in what was otherwise an impressive round for just 2.4 time-faults.

Kylie Roddy (SRS Kan Do), Grace Cooper (Cedarmount Cavalier), Mary Edmondson (Lionel II), Tiana Coudray (D’Artagnan) and Kevin McNab (Faro Imp) also incurred penalties here, at the final triple brush element.

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‘He feels as good as he’s ever felt’: Oliver Townend’s veteran legend puts himself in contention after dressage at Pau five-star

Martha Terry — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:42:28 +0000

Ballaghmor Class has already written himself into annals of eventing history, but at 18 years old, there could yet be one last hurrah. Oliver Townend declared the four-time five-star winner – owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan – to be “as good as ever” after taking joint second at the conclusion of the Pau Horse Trials dressage phase.

It was a remarkably consistent and high-quality test, with only two of the 78 marks available dipping below a seven – and the mid-test halt scoring two nines. The French judge, Eric Lieby, at B, put them in first spot, above Bubby Upton and Cannavaro.

“He went in like an old pro, he was pretty push-button,” said Oliver. “Never mind what score he got, he felt as good as he’s ever felt. I think that’s probably as good as any test he’d done at five-star level.”

They sit 0.5 of a penalty – just over a second of cross-country time – behind the leaders.

Ballaghmor Class – known at home as Thomas – has only had a handful of runs this year, winning two and finishing third twice more. He was withdrawn from the final horse inspection at Badminton in the spring after defending his 100% cross-country clear rate over 13 five-star runs. He has only had one run since, a four-star at Little Downham less than a month ago, and many assumed – perhaps including Oliver – that this grand old campaigner’s career had come to an end.

But Thomas wasn’t having it.

“We didn’t really plan to be here [at five-star again], to tell you the truth,” said Oliver. “But he convinced us that he’d not done enough yet, which is amazing – and hard to believe.

“I’ve never come to a five-star thinking ‘no, no, no’ – but he’s gone ‘yes’ all the way. So we took him to Little Downham to give him a preparation run, and he was fairly wild and didn’t give me an easy time. He ran off round the cross-country! He was pretty wild in the dressage too, and I said to Karyn, ‘We’ll give him half a proper run to see how he comes out.’ And the next day he towed everyone round the yard.

“That’s what he’s like when he’s on form. Pretty horrible to deal with for the girls, but a pleasure for me to ride when we get the management right. Today I couldn’t be happier with his performance.”

As the Courage-sired gelding has contested either Burghley, Maryland or championships in the autumns since he’s been competing at this level, this is his first visit to the flat racecourse track of Pau. But Oliver hopes this may play in his favour, even if there aren’t any hills to help slow this brilliant cross-country horse down.

“I’m just hoping that as he doesn’t know his way he might actually ask me a couple of questions for once,” said Oliver.

“He’s done an Olympics and that looked like it wasn’t his type of course but there isn’t really a course that doesn’t suit him. But he knows his way around Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky and now Maryland, so I’m hoping he looks at the crowd and the trees and doesn’t run off with me like he did last time out!”

Enjoy watching him while you can. It’s a treat for eventing fans to have another sighting of this all-time great doing what he loves best.

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Tom McEwen, Oliver Townend and Zara Tindall among strong Pau five-star entries

Becky Murray — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:32:56 +0000

Tom McEwen with JL Dublin, Yasmin Ingham riding Rehy DJ and Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class are among the strong list of Pau Horse Trials entries for the French five-star (23–26 October).

Tom and the Lamberts and Deirdre Johnston’s 14-year-old JL Dublin come forward fresh off the back of their individual bronze medal-winning performance at the Agria European Eventing Championships at Blenheim last month.

They are one of 34 British combinations, with Tom also entered with the Perrys and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Quality. Both horses have form at Pau; JL Dublin was third there in 2023 and Brookfield Quality was third last year.

Fellow British Europeans squad members Yasmin Ingham and Rehy DJ (owned by the Sue Davies Fund) and Bubby Upton and Its Cooley Time (owned by the rider and the Five Time Syndicate) are entered, following unfortunate falls for both riders at Blenheim. Bubby is also entered with her long-term rides Cannavaro and Cola, owned by Bubby’s mother Rachel Upton.

Oliver Townend and fan favourite Ballaghmor Class, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislp and Val Ryan, will be hoping to add a fifth five-star title to the horse’s name. The pair were third in the CCI4*-S prep run at Little Downham on Tuesday (30 September).

There are 69 combinations on the Pau five-star entries. Other Brits include European champion Laura Collett, who is entered with Dacapo (owned by Diana Chappel, Gillian Morris-Adams, Carolyn Taylor and the Smedleys) and Lucy Nelson’s Hester. Zara Tindall will ride Gleadhill Stud’s Class Affair and Emily King is entered with two rides; the Irlams’ Jackpot and Valmy Biats, owned by Emily and David and Paula Evans.

New Zealand’s Jonelle and Tim Price have four horses entered each, six riders will represent the US including Boyd Martin, and Padraig McCarthy is among the three Irish riders.

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‘She should be in a winning position’: Oliver Townend drops out of contention after Burghley cross-country

Gemma Redrup — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 14:55:11 +0000

Dressage leaders Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent have dropped out of contention after their Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country round today (Saturday 6 September).

The duo picked up 20 penalties for a run out at the final corner at fence 18b; Joules At The Maltings. Oliver and the 11-year-old mare, owned by Diana and Paul Ridgeon, went on to complete, picking up 9.2 time-faults, which currently puts them in 11th.

“I kept going with her today because people forget she’s only 11,” said Oliver. “She’s been first, second and third at this level already, and I don’t know what reason there was to run out, probably because she’s a horse, and horses make mistakes sometimes.

“But I decided to continue on, because she needs the experience, she needs not to learn that you can just run past and walk home. So she gave me a beautiful ride before and a beautiful ride after, and she should be in a winning position.

“I’ve been lucky enough to win it three times, but ‘Rosie’ seems to find it very within her scope and stride and it was just one of those things today.

On his current situation in terms of horsepower, Oliver said: “I’m very short of horses at the minute and I feel like a 19-year-old kid again setting up. I’m short of horses, short of owners, short of sponsors. So hopefully Rosie will continue to fly the flag for us until the next bunch comes through and new owners come on board.”

Laura Collett and Bling fly around Burghley cross-country

Laura Collett and the 12-year-old mare, Bling, who was bred and is owned by Yvonne Ferguson, enjoyed a superb clear round to finish with 8.8 time-faults. They currently sit in sixth.

“I’m absolutely delighted – what a mare,” said Laura. “She’s unbelievable – so tough and gritty. I thought she had it in her, but you just never know.

“I wondered whether we were here a year too early, but she took it all on and was so honest.”

Laura said that Bling has “grown up a lot in the past 12 months”.

“This time last year she was coming off the back of a year off so to jump around Badminton like she did this spring [where they finished 43rd], and then come here and take on a course like that, it’s just pretty amazing. As soon as she jumped the Dairy Mound, she just sort of went, ‘Okay, let’s go’.”

Laura explained that she was “vocal” on the way round the cross-country today.

“I kept telling her she was such a good girl, and patting her every stride – I’ll probably get told off for taking too much time telling she was a good girl! But she needs that at this stage. She’s a bit of a quirky, funny horse, and we’ve learned to come to a compromise on a lot of things.”

Laura also said that the style in which she has to ride Bling has actually improved her riding.

“I have to not ride in the way that I would normally on her, because she just wants to be left alone and I’m a bit of a control freak. I think, if anything, she’s been really good for my riding, because it’s taught me to just let them get on and do their job and trust them, and she rewarded me for trusting her. She was insane around there.”

Matt Heath and Askari, who were 22nd after the dressage were eliminated after three refusals, while Jesse Campbell opted to retire Cooley Lafitte after picking up 20 penalties at the Boodles Raindance at fence 7abc. Australia’s Sammi Birch and Finduss FPB fell at the fence dropping into the Trout Hatchery, but both walked away.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Burghley and other major shows this year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website, from £1 a week. Horse & Hound’s 20-page magazine report on Burghley is published in 11 September issue, including full analysis and exclusive comment from six-time Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt.

Oliver Townend takes Burghley dressage lead: ‘We’re in it to win it and we’re in a good starting position’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 14:08:37 +0000

Oliver Townend has taken the Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage lead, scoring 22 as one of the first tests after lunch today (5 September).

Oliver and Cooley Rosalent, owned by Paul and Diana Ridgeon, were given one six for a slightly unsettled mid-test halt, but otherwise their marks did not drop below a seven, and there were six nines on their scoresheet.

The grey Cooley Rosalent had a minor spook in the first corner after her initial centre line, but then she appeared settled in the arena and showed activity and athleticism in her work.

“She’s a good girl. I’ve been slightly caught out by the atmosphere. She was not as quiet as I’d have liked her to have been in there, but she’s ended up in the right place so far,” said Oliver Townend of his Burghley Horse Trials dressage test today, which earned the best score he’s ever had here.

“There were a couple of frustrating things that she’s brilliant at but we threw marks away around, like the halt and rein-back, but the work is becoming better and better.”

Cooley Rosalent hasn’t run since Burgham in July, where she had a “sweetener” rather than a very competitive run, but Oliver said she has done plenty of galloping at home.

“I hope she’s enthusiastic, she’s a bit girly at times and needs keeping sweet,” he said looking ahead to tomorrow’s cross-country.

Oliver added that the course running in this direction has been lucky for him before on an inexperienced horse – he won in 2017, the last time the track was went this way, on Ballaghmor Class’s five-star debut.

“We don’t bring horses not to be competitive at this level, said Oliver. “So far so good. We know we’ve got one of the best horses in the world coming [Lordships Graffalo with Ros Canter], and she takes some beating on that one, but at the same time, we’re in it to win it and we’re in a good starting position.”

To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout Burghley and other major shows this year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website, from £1 a week. Horse & Hound’s 20-page magazine report on Burghley is published in 11 September issue, including full analysis and exclusive comment from six-time Burghley winner William Fox-Pitt.

‘It’s played a massive part in my career and life’: three-time Burghley winner Oliver Townend reflects on past wins and memories ahead of 2025 event

Lucy Elder — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 11:15:57 +0000

Olympic gold medallist Oliver Townend is reflecting on his hat-trick of Defender Burghley Horse Trials victories as he prepares to return to the Lincolnshire five-star this year.

Oliver will ride 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event champion Cooley Rosalent at Burghley (4 to 7 September). Paul and Diana Ridgeon’s 11-year-old mare by Valent was runner-up to Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo at Mars Badminton Horse Trials this spring.

Oliver spoke to H&H at Burghley’s media morning (11 August), before plans for the mare’s autumn campaign were finalised. Burghley announced on 18 August that Oliver entered the mare before entries closed on 15 August.

“I think Burghley is probably one of the most, if not the most iconic events in our sport, and has played a massive part in my career and my life,” Oliver told H&H.

“We’ve got a lot of history with Burghley. My dad rode here in 1984 and apparently the first sentence I said was ‘going to Burghley’, so it’s been a huge part of my life from the word go.”

Oliver’s first Burghley win was with Carousel Quest in 2009, the year he landed the Badminton title with Flint Curtis.

“I was 26 and on a wing and a prayer – it was a very fun time in my life. I’d not long set up on my own; I won Express Eventing, won Badminton, won Burghley, and bought a farm in between, so it was very exciting,” he said.

“The day after I won my first Burghley I was on Ready, Steady Cook – I went on wearing the clothes as I was wearing the night before at the party. I think I made stuffed steak with brie…

“Ballaghmor Class’s first win in 2017 was very good. We felt like we were coming here with a secret. It was his first attempt at the level. No riders had really even noticed him somehow, and I really thought that he had a good chance of winning.

“He was sixth after dressage, I kind of nursed him around the first half of the course, and then got to the top of the hill and said, ‘Go’ and very few times in my career have I felt a response like it. That was a very special and memorable cross-country round.

“For him to come back six years later and win it again was also pretty special and an incredible achievement for him and the team at home that manage him.”

He added that Ballaghmor Class is “feeling incredibly well” and that Cooley Rosalent “is just coming into her prime”.

“She had a brilliant start to the year with second place at Badminton and has been beautiful to ride in her preparation runs. She feels to be enjoying herself, and feels very healthy and stronger than ever,” he said.

On 18 August, Oliver said he is “incredibly excited to be heading to Burghley in a few weeks time with Cooley Rosalent” (Rosie).

“Together with Rosie’s owners Paul and Diana Ridgeon and the Team GB management, we decided to withdraw her from selection for the Europeans at Blenheim,” he said.

“We wholeheartedly believe in her as a team horse and recognise the privilege of being included in selection, but equally support her owners dream of having a horse delivering top results at our British CCI5* competitions.

“After Rosie’s brilliant win at Kentucky and second place at Badminton this spring, combined with her owner’s ill health, they felt Burghley is the next exciting step for her.

“We will no doubt be fully supporting and cheering on the Brits who were selected for the Europeans and look forward to watching them defend the title on home soil!”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Check out photos of Badminton’s special prize winners, from the closest to the optimum time to the best mare and debutante

Pippa Roome — Thu, 15 May 2025 15:30:35 +0000

There are plenty of Mars Badminton Horse Trials special prizes awarded each year, from those for the breeders of the top horses to the rider with the best judge of time, debutants and more.

Read on to find out who picked up special prizes at the 2025 event last week…

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo were the winners of Badminton and they and their connections picked up a raft of Badminton Horse Trials special prizes, as well as £117,600 in prize money.

“‘Walter’ enjoys his life. He knows what he wants, he tells us what he wants, and in between, he’s pretty chilled and happy,” said Ros after their win. “He’s like a puppy in the stable and he licks you to death. He knows he’s the best and he’s full of self-importance, but at the same time, he’s just completely lovable. I love him to bits.”

Badminton final scores

The Challenge Badminton Horse Trials Trophy: to the winning owners: Michele and Archie Saul, pictured below with Ros Canter and the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort

Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain prize to the owner of best horse sired by a SHB(GB) graded stallion or premium stallion, provided it is in the top 12: Miichele and Archie Saul for Lordships Grafalo

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Butler Challenge Bowl, with replica for the highest-placed British rider: Ros Canter

Rosalind Canter and LORDSHIPS GRAFFALO during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 10 May 2025. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

Mars Equestrian Yeti Cool Box to the winning rider: Ros Canter

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

LeMieux rug to the winner: Ros Canter

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Mars Equestrian and Spillers prize of £1,000 to the groom of winner and Mark Holliday Memorial Trophy: Sarah Charnley

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The British Horse Foundation £1000 to the breeder of the highest-placed British-bred horse, provided it finished in the top 20: Lordships Stud and Pennie Wallace

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Replica of the trophy to the top three riders and the winning owner: Michele and Archie Saul, Ros Canter, Oliver Townend, Austin O’Connor (pictured below finishing third on Colorado Blue)

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Runners-up Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent also picked up several special prizes.

“She’s just a natural athlete. Her pedigree is second to none, with her mother being a racehorse that won the Scottish Borders National, her father a 1.50m horse. Somehow, the magic happened for once in breeding,” said Oliver.

“She can go around any course in the world, be competitive in any class in the world. She’s blood enough for Burghley, she moves and jumps well enough for a championship horse. Ability-wise, she’s got everything.”

Frank Weldon Memorial Trophy to the rider of the youngest British-owned and ridden horse in top 12: Oliver Townend, for 11-year-old Cooley Rosalent

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Stud Voucher £500 to the owner of the highest-placed British-owned mare: Paul and Diana Ridgeon for Cooley Rosalent

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Embryo Transfer or OPU (ovum pick-up) session to the highest-placed British-bred or domiciled mare, courtesy of Tomlinson Equine: Cooley Rosalent

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Worshipful Company of Saddlers saddle to the rider with the best score who is under 25 on 1 January 2026 and who has not previously won a Company saddle in the calendar year: 23-year-old Alice Casburn, who rode home-bred Topspin to 17th place

Alice Casburn and TOPSPIN during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 10 May 2025. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

Silver Jubilee Plate to the most successful rider, the horse to be owned by the rider alone, or in conjunction with immediate family: Will Rawlin, 23rd on Ballycoog Breaker Boy

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Laurence Rook Trophy to the best British rider who has not previously completed Badminton: Katie Magee, riding Treworra, who finished 11th

(Image credit: Nixonphoto / Badminton Horse Tri)

Glentrool Trophy to the horse and rider who have made greatest improvement on their dressage placing: Tayla Mason and Centennial, who moved up 52 places to finish 19th

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Cotswold Life Trophy to the best British rider who is not entitled to wear the adult Union Jack Badge and whose permanent address is in the county of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire or Somerset: Tom Rowland, 12th on Dreamliner

Tom Rowland and DREAMLINER during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 10 May 2025. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan Media)

The William Miflin Memorial Trophy to the rider of the horse with no cross-country jumping penalties and closest to optimum time: Harry Meade, who finished sixth on Superstition and was bang on the 11min 40sec optimum time

Harry Meade and SUPERSTITION during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 10 May 2025. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

Farriers Prize – plaque to the owner and farrier of the best shod horse: Robert Shave for High Time, owned by Jo West, Serena Greenwell, Ruth Armstrong, Tom and Annabel Jenks-Craig and rider Caroline Powell

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

David Beaufort Memorial Trophy to the person who has contributed to the running of the horse trials over many years: Pamela Twissell, Badminton administrator

Stable manager’s grooms award, sponsored by Treehouse Sporting Colours: Debbie Carpenter, groom to New Zealand rider Lauren Innes and Global Fision M

Armada Dishes for five Badminton completions, presented a year after the fifth completion: Sammi Birch (pictured at this year’s event on Finduss PFB), Pippa Funnell (should have been presented in 2024), Tom Jackon, Tim Price, Zara Tindall, Sam Watson

Sammi Birch and FINDUSS PFB during the Cross Country phase, Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire UK 10 May 2025. No usage, third party sales or syndication granted without prior permission. (Image credit: Nico Morgan)

Badminton Horse Trials special prizes – winners’ photos by Peter Nixon and Nico Morgan Media

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Lordships Graffalo makes Badminton history by regaining his title

Martha Terry — Sun, 11 May 2025 15:11:50 +0000

Ros Canter has claimed the Mars Badminton Horse Trials trophy with Lordships Graffalo, who at the age of 13 is already deserving of the title “all time great”, for the second time. From fourth in the Badminton Horse Trials results after dressage, to second after cross-country, the pair seized victory when the long-time leader Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent lowered one rail to finish second.

Like Kauto Star regaining the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Michele and Archie Saul’s Lordships Graffalo (Walter) has become the first horse in Badminton history to win the title twice, but not back-to-back. In 2023, Ros and Walter won their first Badminton title, and have since gone on to win European gold and Burghley.

Ros was visibly emotional afterwards.

“This was for Caroline Moore, she was by my side my whole career and passed away a couple of months ago,” she said. “I’m so pleased I managed to make her proud. It’s the first time I’ve done anything without her. Not only was she my trainer and mentor, but also the best friend.”

Just like his immaculate cross-country round, Walter’s clear in the famous arena appeared foot-perfect. Perhaps they took off on a smidgen of a long stride at fence six, but this was a class act confirming their legendary status.

Badminton final scores

“I’m not sure it was my best round,” said Ros. “I was really nervous. I am so used to having Caroline keeping me occupied, and I was sat by myself quite a bit this morning. It was mind over matter. But I had Nick Turner and Chris Bartle helping me and they filled me with confidence.”

The great horse played a big part on that front, too.

“He just relishes it; he absolutely loves anywhere that people are watching him,” Ros said. “Most horses as they get older, they almost get trickier, because that anticipation is there. But Walter relaxes into the environment in a nice, bubbly way and just thoroughly enjoys himself. I feel like he helped me out quite a lot, because I was quite nervous.”

Ros explained how she approached the showjumping, after Kelvin Bywater’s track yielded just two clears inside the time in the morning session.

“I re-walked the course at lunchtime and made sure I had a clear plan of where I wanted to go,” she said. “I went straight down to let Walter have a look around.

“Some in the morning session, when the bell went they hadn’t had a chance to go up the gears, so I made sure I got down quickly to give me time to get the gears going. Walter would sit pretty in a fairly average canter if I let him!”

Ros admitted she couldn’t watch Oliver’s round.

“I didn’t want to wish bad on anyone else,” she said. “I would have been quite happy with second and this win is the icing on the cake. Oliver is a fantastic performer, and his horse will definitely have her day here.

“Weeks like this are always rollercoasters, and I am quite pleased it’s finished – though maybe I could do it all again now,” she smiled.

“I am just so lucky to have Walter – he’s a cool customer, a bit of a pet who likes to lick and chew and play games. I am forever grateful to Michele and Archie for buying him, and Pennie [Wallace] for breeding him.”

How the Badminton Horse Trials results played out

Although the minor placings were very tight, there was more room for manoeuvre at the top. Oliver had only three time-faults in hand over Ros, but these two had a couple of rails to spare over third-placed Gemma Stevens. When Gemma and Chilli Knight had a very uncharacteristic five fences down, there was still Austin O’Connor in striking distance thanks to his clear round, a whisker outside the time on Colorado Blue. They finished third in a virtual copy of the 2023 podium, although with Oliver runner-up on Cooley Rosalent rather than Ballaghmor Class.

Harry Meade set the target for the top 20 going in the afternoon session. Jumping out of order because he was riding two horses, he put in a beautiful fault-free clear on his Burghley third Cavalier Crystal – to move up from seventh to eventual fourth.

He had less luck on Superstition, who was looking fantastic until a miscommunication saw them plough through fence 10, but they regrouped incredibly well to finish with two down. They slipped one place to sixth.

One of the favourites for the title at the start of the week, Tom McEwen produced a copybook clear, on JL Dublin, leaving us all to wonder quite how close he might have come had he not activated a frangible across-country to add 11 penalties to his second-placed dressage. They moved up from 14th to finish ninth on 44.2.

Badminton Horse Trials results: top 10

1. Ros Canter (Lordships Graffalo) 25.3

2. Oliver Townend (Cooley Rosalent) 26.3

3. Austin O’Connor (Colorado Blue) 31.2

4. Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal) 33.8

5. Emily King (Valmy Biats) 38.5

6. Harry Meade (Superstition) 39.8

7. Christoph Wahler (D’Accord FRH) 40.2

8. Bubby Upton (Cola) 44.2

9. Tom McEwen (JL Dublin) 44.2

10. Tim Price (Vitali) 46.2

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

If you want to watch the live action from Badminton Horse Trials from the comfort of your home, wherever you are in the world, you will need to subscribe to Badminton TV. This year, Badminton TV has teamed up with ClipMyHorse.TV, but you do not need a full ClipMyHorse.TV subscription to watch Badminton – you can just subscribe to Badminton TV for £21.99. Go to clipmyhorse.tv/en_GB/badminton to subscribe or to activate your account as an existing Badminton TV subscriber. If you are already a ClipMyHorse.TV premium member, Badminton TV is included in your subscription. As part of Badminton TV, you can enjoy the documentary programme Legends and Legacy, a fly-on-the-wall insight into the 2024 event and preview of 2025.

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 15 May.

‘She can be competitive in any class in the world’: Oliver Townend and star mare come agonisingly close to Badminton title

Lucy Elder — Sun, 11 May 2025 15:09:52 +0000

Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent came so close to adding the Mars Badminton Horse Trials title to their 2024 Kentucky win – with Oliver instead landing the runner-up spot for a fifth time after lowering a single fence in the final phase.

The pair, who led from the dressage, had a handful of time penalties in hand over eventual winners Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo’s coming into the showjumping, but could not afford a rail.

Paul and Diana Ridgeon’s Cooley Rosalent jumped beautifully, just tipping the green Spillers oxer at fence 10 in an otherwise classic round.

“She is incredible and she’s still very young,” said Oliver, who finished on a final score of 26.3 with the 11-year-old mare.

“I thought she jumped a very good round, probably a better round than when she won Kentucky, really. She touched one fence, and that’s this place a little bit for me as well. It’s the fifth second I’ve had [at Badminton], I’ve only won it once, so it takes a bit of winning this one.”

Badminton final scores

He added: “She can go around any course in the world, she can be competitive in any class in the world. She’s blood enough for Burghley. She moves good enough and jumps well enough for a championship horse. Ability wise, she’s got everything.”

Ros and “Walter” became the first combination to reclaim the Badminton title, which they previously won in 2023. Ros paid tribute to her late mentor and friend Caroline Moore in an emotional interview after her win.

Ireland’s Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue repeated their third-place finish from 2023, climbing from 20th after dressage. The only addition to their dressage score of 30.8 was 0.4 of a showjumping time-penalty, which didn’t affect their final position.

The 2025 podium is a replica of 2023 – with the exception of Oliver’s ride; in 2023 he was runner-up with Ballaghmor Class.

Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight, who had held third ahead of the showjumping, dropped down the order. After a superb cross-country performance yesterday, today wasn’t this pair’s day and five fences down left them in 15th place in the final standings.

Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal jumped out of order, as Harry had two horses in contention, and they kicked off the afternoon session with a classy clear to finish on their dressage score. The pair finished on their dressage score of 33.8 to climb from 33rd to fourth.

Harry was also sixth with Superstition (39.8) – a miscommunication about a stride to the oxer at fence 10 and a rolled pole in the middle part of the final treble adding eight penalties to their score.

Emily King and Valmy Biats were sandwiched between Harry’s two rides in the final results, backing up their fourth-place finish from 2024 with fifth place this year.

Kelvin Bywater’s track proved an influential conclusion to the Gloucestershire five-star, with just five clean sheets from 54 starters.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 15 May.

Badminton leaderboard rattled after ground jury make final decision on flag penalties

Martha Terry — Sat, 10 May 2025 17:54:35 +0000

The Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase provided a classic day of sport. There was plenty of drama with an ever-changing leaderboard under blue skies, and the top two horses were reinstated after their initial flag penalties were reviewed.

The 44 clears from the 79 starters gives a 56% clear rate. On the fast going, six horses made the time, which is the joint-highest number since Eric Winter took over as course-designer in 2017.

Top 10 at the conclusion of the Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase

Oliver Townend/Cooley Rosalent: 22.3
Ros Canter/Lordships Graffalo: 25.3
Gemma Stevens/Chilli Knight: 29.5
Austin O’Connor/Colorado Blue: 30.8
Harry Meade/Superstition: 31.8
Christoph Wahler/D’Accord FRH: 32.2
Harry Meade/Cavalier Crystal: 33.8
Oliver Townend/Ballaghmor Class: 34.1
Tim Price/Vitali: 34.2
Ian Cassells/Master Point: 34.3

Oliver Townend’s second ride Cooley Rosalent has retained his dressage lead, after a brief spell outside the top 10 while his flag penalties at Huntsman’s Close were reviewed and then removed by the ground jury.

By the time Rosalent started out across country, Oliver had a bit of breathing room as the first phase runner-up Tom McEwen had broken a frangible device and clocked time-faults on JL Dublin. Rosalent finished just 3sec outside the time for 1.2 time-faults.

Badminton final scores

Before this leading round, Ros Canter’s superbly smooth clear inside the time on Lordships Graffalo had put her up to the top of the leaderboard. However, she, too, was initially penalised for a flag at Huntsman’s Close.

Gemma Stevens spent most of the day at the head of affairs after a brave and positive round inside the time on Chilli Knight from fifth draw, and she retained a podium spot once all the flag reviews were complete.

A notable climber from the dressage phase was Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue, who went round on rails to add nothing to their 20th-placed dressage score of 30.8 to leapfrog up to fourth.

The final horse inspection is scheduled to take place at 8.30am tomorrow morning (Sunday, 11 May), after which the order of jumping will be confirmed.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

Enjoy the best of Badminton with Horse & Hound

To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news, behind the scenes insight, and the best of the action throughout Badminton Horse Trials with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper 22-page magazine report on Badminton, including in-depth analysis and exclusive comments from top names, in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 15 May.

Flag penalty leaves Oliver Townend’s Badminton lead in the balance – and why he heeded his dad’s last-minute advice

Martha Terry — Sat, 10 May 2025 16:03:30 +0000

Oliver Townend put in a round in the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase with Cooley Rosalent that could see him retain his place at the top of the leaderboard – if a flag penalty is removed.

Oliver had posted 21.1 in the dressage phase with the 2024 Kentucky winning-mare, and finished the cross-country with 1.2 time-faults – just 3sec outside the time.

Oliver rode his customary tight lines on this athletic mare, but it wasn’t totally plain sailing. They dislodged the flag at the first Agria corner, and had a couple of stumbles – after the Savills Staircase and again after the KBIS Chasm – but she barely broke her stride.

Then a few fences from home, Oliver took a slightly long route skimming round from the oxer to the direct second corner at Huntsman’s, where they flicked out the flag at 26b.

Badminton final scores

“I didn’t think there was an incident,” said Oliver. “She was going towards home and it’s a right-handed corner, she slid slightly to the outside and my foot hit the flag. She definitely jumped the fence, I definitely jumped the fence. Let’s hope sensible decisions are made.

“It’s become tricky this flag situation, but we’re all in the sport together. It’s difficult for the public to follow so hopefully the FEI will come up with a better solution.”

Oliver decided to take a long route there after a phone call with his dad.

“He said it had gone very dark in there, and two had crashed at the corner,” Oliver explained. “He thought that to gallop at the oxer was the sensible thing if I was around [making] the time. Can you imagine what my dad would say if I went to the corner and ran out?”

As for his mare’s prowess, Oliver was ecstatic.

“She’s unreal, isn’t she?” he said. “She won Kentucky as a 1o-year-old and didn’t really know what she’d done. It’s her first time really back in this situation with a fit jockey who didn’t have a broken collarbone [as Oliver had at Burghley 2024] so we didn’t know what to expect.

“We thought she’d light up, but she’s a serious horse,” said Oliver, who is currently lying sixth on Ballaghmor Class. “Both horses are at completely different ends of their careers, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

End of day update: Cooley Rosalent’s flag penalties were removed and they have moved back in to the lead. They are on a score of 22.3, ahead of Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo on 25.3.

The hard-luck stories of Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase

Lauren Innes blotted her five-star copybook with her first cross-country penalties at this level on Global Fision M. They were putting in their customary brilliant round right up until Equidry Huntsman’s Close. The stride just didn’t come at the first corner and Global Fision M crashed through the fence, breaking the frangible and dislodging Lauren, who quickly up on her feet.

Another fantastic cross-country horse also had a blip on Eric Winter’s 2025 track. Sarah Ennis’ ride Grantstown Jackson was top 20 last year and is renowned for his speed. However, he looked ultra fresh early on the course, running straight past the skinny brush in the Mars Lake (fence 10b) and nearly jumping Sarah out of the saddle jumping the alternative.

Sarah schooled the 14-year-old – appropriately sporting rocket quarter marks – round to complete well down the order.

“He was amazing until the water and I thought we were on it, I don’t know whether the water splashed him but he stuck his head up and ran, and then he didn’t really want to go back in. Then he jumped into the second water and also ran. So it’s a little issue but I just hacked him round, did the long routes and there’s another day.

“I’m still really proud of him. He is a sensitive horse; he gets worried. And he was so good all the way home and we’ll just have to do more training before the next one.”

The 2022 Badminton winner Laura Collett gave five-star debutante Bling an educational round. The two-metre drop at the second sunken road took the chestnut mare by surprise so they re-presented and went on to complete. The mare finished with her ears pricked.

“I genuinely couldn’t be happier,” Laura said. “She started off a little bit green, jumping enormous and I thought it was going to be a long way round. But she got more and more confident until the step took her by surprise. Considering what she’s done, it’s very exciting for the future.”

They were also given 15 penalties at Huntsman’s Close, where Laura took the alternative route.

Fiona Kashel was impressive in the dressage phase, in seventh on 28.4 with Creevagh Silver De Haar. Fiona rode a smooth, well-balanced round across the country, but took a long route at Huntsman’s Close to complete a minute over the optimum, which dropped them down the order.

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‘I was flat to the boards all the way’: Gemma Stevens rockets around cross-country inside the time to set the target at Badminton

Martha Terry — Sat, 10 May 2025 11:36:09 +0000

Gemma Stevens blitzed round the Mars Badminton Horse Trials cross-country phase one second inside the time, with a brilliantly judged ride on Chilli Knight.

The 2021 Bicton winners were lying 10th after dressage on 29.5, and have set the target at this early stage. Gemma Stevens channelled Chilli Knight through a wobbly passage at the Mars Lake, and the horse responded brilliantly to her positive riding and finished full of running.

“I am beyond thrilled, what a horse because it’s a long way round,” said Gemma. “I was flat to the boards, straight routes everywhere. He has so much heart and gave me the most amazing ride. You have to be as quick as you can at every fence, and not take too many pulls.

“Last year we struggled with our brakes, but we’ve changed the bit, had a fantastic ride at Burghley and come here full of confidence. He’s not big, but he eats up the ground.

“He still throws his head around when I say whoa, but he knows I’m whoaing for a jump and has a small amount of respect for me.

Badminton final scores

“He was unreal at Huntsman’s, he turned in and popped it,” she added. “I knew I didn’t have enough seconds spare to go long, but he was looking for his flags. He jumped the log-ditch-log that was keeping me up at night like it was a fence in the school.”

Oliver Townend sets early standard at Badminton Horse Trials cross-country

Oliver Townend had set the tempo from second draw, piloting his fabulous Ballaghmor Class round to finish 12sec outside the 11min 40sec optimum time.

“He’s as good as ever,” said Oliver, lying ninth with this horse after dressage. “He enjoyed it more than I did, though looking back I loved every minute. He’s a good old horse but he’s very keen these days.”

They kept up a smooth pace throughout, after the horse had slight scare early on when he made up too much ground to take off underneath the brush in the Mars Lake at 10b, and scrambled a bit to make the final skinny brush. But he seemed to build momentum, and the 17-year-old was fantastically nimble and economical at the LeMieux Eyelash Brushes when he had to adjust at the ditch.

“A couple of places weren’t quite impressive enough for him,” said Oliver. “The bigger the fence, the more beautiful he is to ride at it. If he sees a fence he doesn’t think much of, he’ll just run me through the distance, so I had to correct him or swing off [my line] a few times.

“But when the big old-fashioned Badminton fences like the double of hedges with the ditch – he’s a six-star horse.”

Pathfinder leads the way

Kirsty Chabert was first out of the start box on Classic VI, lying 32nd after dressage and would have given her rivals plenty of confidence with their smooth round.

The little mare was copybook throughout and highlighted the trust in this partnership. When Kirsty gave the mare her head at the water, and said “go on, you do it”, she skipped through on a loose rein.

They finished 45sec over the time, just taking one long route at the Holland Cooper Corners (fence 17/18).

She highlighted the Ineos Grenadier Sunken Road as the toughest combination, where they have to be “athletic and brave”.

“She was absolutely fab, she’s never strong, never pulls, she can just be spooky even after 11min galloping,” Kirsty said.

A few riders have notched up 20 penalties.

Tim Price was caught out by Viscount Viktor’s inexperience at the Le Mieux Eyelash Brushes, running out at the final element after the 11-year-old ballooned the middle ditch.

Joseph Murphy was the first to fall foul of Mayston Equestrian Sunken Road at fence 21. Joseph asked Belline Fighting Spirit for a long stride for the second element, and ran past.

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‘A big day for her’: Oliver Townend and star mare soar into Badminton lead ahead of cross-country

Lucy Elder — Fri, 09 May 2025 17:23:07 +0000

Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent delivered one of the best-ever dressage tests seen at Mars Badminton Horse Trials to soar into the lead ahead of cross-country.

Their score of 21.1 propelled them ahead of Thursday’s leaders Tom McEwen and JL Dublin (22.4, now second) and spearheads an all-British top-10 after dressage. It is also the fifth best dressage test in Badminton history, according to data analytics company EquiRatings.

Cooley Rosalent, last year’s Kentucky winner, flowed through the test – earning consistent high scores for each individual movement – to secure her lofty position.

Paul and Diana Ridgeon’s 11-year-old (by Valent, out of Roselier mare Bellaney Jewel) balances such grace with her athleticism. Oliver has long spoken of how excited he is by this mare, but today’s performance saw her step up from eminent professional to prima ballerina on Badminton’s stage.

“She’s just a natural athlete. Her pedigree is second to none, with her mother being a racehorse that won the Scottish Borders National, her father was a 1.50m horse. Somehow, the magic happened for once in breeding – and it’s worked,” said Oliver.

Badminton final scores

“She went in and brightened up with the crowd. She’s still relatively babyish despite doing what she’s done.

“One of her last memories [in an arena like that] is galloping around with me, with the crowd clapping at Kentucky. So today was a big atmosphere and a big day for her, but she’s coped brilliantly.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s cross-country, Oliver added: “She does have the stamina. It’s just up to me to give her the ride and save where I can, and be as quick as I can.

“When you’re at places like this, sometimes it’s your day and sometimes it isn’t. But I’ll just be doing my best to give her as good and as smooth a ride as possible, obviously to try and be as quick as possible, and hope that she gets the trip at the speed.”

Podium reshuffle in Badminton Horse Trials dressage

Gemma Stevens and Jalapeno were next to go in a power-packed conclusion to the first phase, giving the podium a quick-fire reshuffle. Their score of 24.7 means they are in provisional third overnight.

“It hasn’t been an all-easy preparation with her,” said Gemma, of the 17-year-old mare who is owned by Chris and Lisa Stone.

“She’s definitely been quite on edge, which is slightly new territory for me with her, because normally she’s very relaxed and almost lazy. But she’s been seriously hot to trot the last few days, so I had to ride her very slightly tentatively. She was still amazing and pulled off a serious test.”

The Chilli Morning daughter finished sixth here in 2023 and was second in the Grantham Cup – one of the major Badminton prep-runs – in the build up to this year’s event.

“It’s just been a case of trying to keep her fit, sound and happy, because she is 17, and she is a proper woman – she knows exactly what she wants out of life,” said Gemma, explaining the mare’s varied routine involves plenty of turnout, hacking and the water treadmill.

“She’s so well trained that I can just pick her up – she honestly only goes into school once a week, because otherwise I irritate her. She’s a funny old stick, but God, can she do it when she puts her mind to it!”

Both Oliver and Gemma head into tomorrow’s cross-country with two horses in the top-10. Oliver’s four-time CCI5*-winner Ballaghmor Class holds ninth (29.3) and Gemma’s Bicton five-star hero Chilli Knight is in 10th (29.5).

A little under 15 penalties cover more than half the field after the dressage at Badminton Horse Trials.

The 2022 winners Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo sit in fourth (25.3), Emily King and Valmy Biats are in fifth (27.3), and British first-timers Tom Woodward and Low Moor Lucky are in sixth (27.9). Fiona Kashel and Creevagh Silver De Haar are in seventh ahead of Yasmin Ingham and Rehy DJ in eighth.

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‘Wild yesterday, but a bit quiet today’: Oliver Townend sets the early standard at Badminton

Martha Terry — Thu, 08 May 2025 09:03:01 +0000

Oliver Townend scored 29.3 to take an early lead in the Mars Badminton Horse Trials dressage phase on his first ride Ballaghmor Class. Oliver remained upbeat, despite the horse scoring his lowest dressage mark to date at CCI5*.

“It doesn’t matter [what my mark was] as long as the judging is consistent, and there’s plenty on the cross-country to sort us out,” he said.

The fleabitten grey, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan, is at Badminton for the fifth time, and although he was excitable at yesterday’s trot-up, he settled into his test today like the stalwart he is.

“I’m happy with the horse; a couple of things could have been better, but he’s getting quite clever,” Oliver said. “He’s wild at the trot up and wild everywhere else then comes in here and says, ‘I’ve done enough now!’ So he was a little bit lazy, a little bit quiet, but I’m happy enough.”

Badminton final scores

Ballaghmor Class shifted off the centre line for his first halt – and again at the end, but in between he showed some consistently good work, if not particularly expressive. The highlights were his extended trot and canters, while the flying changes were clean and earned him a smattering of eights. Largely, however, the judges were stuck on sevens.

You can’t help but wonder if the quiet stands on a Thursday morning weren’t in this horse’s favour. Like the trot-up, a bit of atmosphere would probably have helped the 18-year-old show a bit more sparkle.

Badminton horse trials dressage pathfinder

Kirsty Chabert, the very first rider in aboard Classic VI, said there’s “no advantage being on Thursday morning, when it’s quiet”. The 16-year-old mare produced some lovely work in between a few spooks at a cameraman to score 33.7.

“The horses tune into any noise, whereas the hustle and bustle of a crowd dulls the noise,” she said. “You hear people opening their breakfast, dropping cups, rather than the general hum of a busy crowd.

“This horse is beautiful on the flat, but it’s purely the spooks I need to worry about,” she said. “But we stayed in the boards, just had some spooky areas. But my aim for this week is still be here on Sunday for the showjumping.”

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Three eventers who’ve joined new riders this winter – including a Paris Olympic medallist

Pippa Roome — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 08:30:49 +0000

New season, new rides… it’s always fascinating to see which event horses have switched jockeys over the winter. Perhaps the highest profile move this year has been the transfer of Ride For Thais Chaman Dumontceau from France’s Stephane Landois to young British rider Elizabeth Barratt.

The 13-year-old grey’s story is an emotional one as his former pilot, Thaïs Méheust, lost her life in a fall eventing this horse in 2019, after which her friend Stephane took on the ride. The pair fulfilled a dream when they took team silver and were 14th individually at the Paris Olympics last year.

Now running under the ownership of Barratt Eventing, Ride For Thais Chaman Dumontceau starts a new chapter with 19-year-old Elizabeth. After some showjumping practice in Spain in January and February, the pair couldn’t have made a better start to their eventing careers together, with a win in an open novice at Tweseldown on 9 March.

Elizabeth has experience in taking on more established horses – she won the young rider CCI3*-S at Cornbury in 2023 on Dargun, who had been Emily King’s partner in winning the Bramham Horse Trials under-25 championship in 2018. She has also had the ride since last summer on SAP Talisman, previously a championship horse for Ireland’s Sam Watson.

Joining the Townend stable

Another new partnership who’ve started 2025 with a win are Oliver Townend and Dromgurrihy Gold, who took the intermediate at Poplar Park on 1 March. Michael McGrath’s nine-year-old son of Royal Concorde was previously piloted by Jonelle and then Tim Price, competing up to four-star with Tim last year.

“I’m excited by him – he feels like he could be a very nice horse in the future,” said Oliver after the pair’s Poplar win.

Dromgurrihy Gold went on to finish second in an open intermediate at Riseholme College Lincoln on 15 March. Oliver plans to target securing a spring four-star long qualification.

Bred in the purple

Look out too for Kinda Corvette, an eight-year-old in advanced points – the Diarado son has been bought by The Sue Davies Fund for world champion Yasmin Ingham to ride, in a deal brokered through Uptown Eventing.

The horse was bred by five-star rider Kylie Roddy, out of Cosette II, a Jaguar Mail daughter of Fachoudette, the mare Georgie Dalton (née Davies) rode in young riders alongside Kylie and at the senior Europeans.

Kinda Corvette started his career with Kylie and then spent a couple of seasons owned by Luana Edge and ridden by Dani Evans, who made the difficult decision they would sell the horse to the right rider.

“I am delighted to have produced him this far and for ‘Corey’ to go to one of the best riders in the world is an honour for me. I hope he will make it onto teams as we know he has all the ability and scope to be a successful five-star and team horse,” said Dani.

Yasmin, who has had two steady runs on Kinda Corvette at Poplar Park in the open novice and Tweseldown in the open intermediate, added: “I’m so excited to form a partnership with Corey – he’s a horse I’ve admired with Dani, she’s done a fantastic job producing him and I feel exceptionally lucky to be riding him. He’s the full package and I’m looking forward to getting to know him this season.”

Kylie said: “As a breeder this really is what dreams are made of. Corey was one of the most balanced foals I have ever seen. At the grand age of three days old he had clean changes and cadence that gave him the wow factor. A massive thank you must go to Dani Evans for looking after him and doing such a good job – I burst with pride every time I watch him. I for one can’t wait to watch how his future unfolds.”

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Oliver Townend’s freshly minted five-star grey impresses as Brits on song at Pau

Lucy Elder — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 20:49:45 +0000

Oliver Townend showed he has another exciting grey five-star prospect in his string as En Taro Des Vernier stepped up to deliver a sub-30 dressage on his first attempt at this level at Pau Horse Trials today (Thursday).

Oliver and the 10-year-old, by the late, great eventing stallion Upsilon, ended the opening day of dressage at Pau Horse Trials in provisional third place on a score of 29.4.

The gelding, who is owned by Sir John and Victoria Peace, is one of three rides on Oliver’s card at this year’s French five-star, with Crazy Du Loir and Kentucky winner Cooley Rosalent to start their Pau campaigns tomorrow (Friday).

“He’s got a nice brain and I think he’s a good horse for the future,” said Oliver, fresh from Maryland 5 Star victory with Ballaghmor Class, adding that he was pleased with En Taro Des Vernier’s dressage performance.

“He’s a character. He pretends he’s fizzy and hot, but he’s lazy and cold at the same time, so you can very easily be made to look a monkey by him. But he loves his job and he’s always got his ears pricked. He’s a bit of a playboy – for example, if you do medium canter without a buck, that’s a win.

“He has a great attitude, loves his cross-country and has jumped to a decent level.

“We’ve only had him for two and a half years, and we’re happy with his progression so far.”

It’s been a solid opening day for the Brits. Former Pau winner Tom McEwen heads the provisional standings after day one with Brookfield Quality (25.8), and seven British combinations feature in the top 10 at this stage.

Fiona Cashel and her own 16-year-old Creevagh Silver De Haar produced a five-star personal best of 29.7 to hold provisional fifth.

“He just tries so hard for me – he’s an absolute gem. We used to get 35s the whole time, and he’s just got better with age,” said Fiona, crediting trainer Damien Hallam for the improvement.

She explained that it has also been a case of “being brave enough” to resist the temptation to do too much at an event.

“The less I work him, the better he is. I did work him properly yesterday, but today I haven’t been on him,” she said. “He’s just grazed and he’s so easy, bless him, he just comes out and does his thing.”

Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI are within touching distance of the leaders in sixth (30), while Isabel White and Icarus made a smart first five-star appearance to hold eighth on 30.9.

Tom Rowland and KND Steel Pulse are in ninth place after day one; judges rewarded their tidy performance with a score of 31.5.

“It does just show that if you can pull off a mistake-free test, it’s worth a lot,” said Tom.

Reigning Pau champion Ros Canter, who scooped the 2023 title with Izilot DHI, rounds off the top 10 at this stage with the first of her two rides, MHS Seventeen (31.7).

“I was chuffed to bits with him,” said Ros, adding that this is the 11-year-old Callahan gelding’s first CCI5* and only his third long-format event.

“He definitely got a bit of stage fright, bless him. He’s pretty green, and he’s got a bit of a suspicious streak. So he went in and every corner he had his handbrake on, and he needed me to hold his hand quite a lot. But there’s so much more to come.

“We’re only just scratching the surface of what he’s going to be capable of.”

The remaining places within the top 10 are held by New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone and Menloe Park (second on 26.1), USA’s Boyd Martin riding Fedarman B (fourth on 29.5) and Belgium’s Wouter De Cleene with Quintera (seventh on 30.4).

Day two of Pau Horse Trials dressage starts at 8am UK time (9am local time) tomorrow (Friday).

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Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class win Maryland: ‘I wish he could carry on for another 10 years so we could retire together’

Pippa Roome — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 19:58:53 +0000

Oliver Townend topped the Mars Maryland 5 Star results today for Britain, claiming his ninth five-star title and a fourth win at the level for the all-time great Ballaghmor Class.

The 17-year-old grey – owned by Karyn Shuter, Val Ryan and Angela Hislop – could not afford a fence down to hold his spot today and put in one of his best ever showjumping performances, never looking like touching a pole. He becomes the third horse in the history of the sport to win four or more five-star titles.

“He’s just phenomenal and it’s my job to show the world how good he is and luckily I didn’t mess this one up,” said Oliver.

“A lot of rubbish has been spoken about his showjumping over the years – he’s usually in a grass arena in mud going last, when it’s almost an unfair playing field, but when you put him on a surface like Kentucky where he won or here, he’s a different level.”

This was Oliver’s fourth visit to Maryland in four renewals of the five-star and he has finished second once and third twice on his previous visits.

“I was praying not to finish on the podium again. To bring Ballaghmor Class here comes with its own pressure, we expect to deliver, but when you see the other competitors and how good they are – I saw Tim [Price] warm up and thought I could do with swapping horses right now.”

But Oliver’s incredible partner came through for him today and his emotion around this superb horse has been clear all week.

“I just wish he could carry on for another 10 years so we could retire together,” he said. “You’ve seen what he’s done, he’s a monster – he’s a monster at home to look after, but when it comes to doing his job, there’s no better horse in the world.”

Maryland 5 Star results: Doel takes third

Oliver’s compatriot David Doel was the unfortunate loser of today’s showjumping phase. Galileo Nieuwmoed just tapped out the middle part of the treble at fence six to drop one spot to third. This was the pair’s second podium spot at five-star after second at Burghley Horse Trials last year and their sixth top-10 result at the level.

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed finish third at Maryland 5 Star in 2024. (Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

New Zealand’s Tim Price – winner here in 2022 with Coup De Coeur Dudevin – was third overnight with his own and Sue Benson’s Falco and moved up to finish second. The 2021 Pau Horse Trials winner and world double bronze medallist delivered an extremely secure clear today.

Tim Price pilots Falco to second at Maryland 5 Star 2024. (Image credit: Roya Brinkman for Shannon Brinkman Photography)

The riders placed fourth to eighth – all representing the home side except for Britain’s Bubby Upton – held their order in the Maryland 5 Star results through the final phase today.

Buck Davidson, fourth on Sorocaima, knocked the middle part of the treble at six and the first part of the Mars double at 12, as well as adding 0.4 of a time-fault.

He kept his place ahead of Bubby. She and Cola just knocked the last fence, the oxer at 13.

Jennie Brannigan also had the last down, as well as the front rail off the oxer at four, and finished two seconds over the time to land sixth with Twilightslastgleam.

Emily Hamel (Corvett) and Lillian Heard Wood (LCC Barnaby) both jumped clear, with Lillian adding 0.4 of a time-fault, to claim seventh and eighth.

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Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class head British top two after Maryland cross-country: ‘We know what he’s done, he’s special’

Pippa Roome — Sat, 19 Oct 2024 20:02:40 +0000

Oliver Townend has taken the lead after the Mars Maryland 5 Star cross-country day, with the extraordinary veteran five-star campaigner Ballaghmor Class.

“It’s a proper five-star – for me Maryland is right up there with Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, the others are a level less. This is the top, top of the sport and it’s not easy,” said Oliver after piloting the three-time five-star winner round with 4.8 time-penalties.

“I tried to look after him all the way and ended up a bit slow because of it,” said Oliver, explaining he took a calculated gamble in opting for the long route at the second of the Sawmill Slices – brush corners over a ditch – at 18ab. “And then I looked after him all the way home… we know what he’s done, he’s special.”

Reflecting further on his round and Ballaghmor Class’s return to five-star level after a deep-rooted hoof abscess in the spring, Oliver told H&H: “I’m very, very pleased and relieved with ‘Thomas’ and very happy for his owners Karyn Shuter, Val Ryan and Angela Hislop, who’ve been on an amazing journey with him.

“To have him back at what’s turned out to be a very tough five-star is very emotional for all of us as we always want to do the right thing for him and he’s turned up again and put in another amazing performance. He felt keener than ever and it wasn’t the smoothest round I’ve possibly ever had on him as he was really excited and keen early on, but every time I needed him he locked onto the lines and did his job amazingly, as he always does.

“He seems all ok at the moment and finished probably better than he’s ever finished a five-star in terms of freshness. I minded him most of way and saved him as much as I could. It was always the plan to jump the long route at fence 18 because I was told in the warm-up none of the good horses were sighting the second part at all. I was already ahead of time there and I tried to mind him as much as I could down the hills, but he’s finished fresh and very well.

“Tomorrow’s another day, but I couldn’t be happier with the way he is at the minute so fingers crossed we stay that way. I’m very proud of him and the team behind him who’ve got him back to the level.”

Tim Price and Falco at Maryland 5 Star 2024. (Image credit: Amy Dragoo)

The time-faults Oliver Townend incurred over the Maryland 5 Star cross-country left the door open for world double bronze medallists Tim Price and Falco to slip ahead of him. But the New Zealander’s 7.2 time-penalties on his own and Sue Benson’s horse dropped him into third, behind both Oliver and David Doel, who has moved up to second from 16th after dressage with Galileo Nieuwmoed, having posted the only round inside the time today.

Tim said: “It’s a tough track, a beast of thing. My horse has done quite a lot but only one five-star and no offence but Pau is not a patch on what you’ve got here and the terrain.

“I had to think about my horse – the old adage of riding the horse before the course – and I know the more you hold in reserve at the start, the more you can spend on the way home. He felt fantastic coming home and it’s not just about today, it’s about tomorrow too. Hopefully that’s left us in good stead for a good three phases.”

The last on course, Colleen Loach, could have claimed overnight second for Canada had she gone clear in the time, but FE Golden Eye ran-out at the arrowhead off a bounce distance out of the YANMAR Sunken Road at fence 7abcd and was eliminated after two more problems further round the track.

Bubby Upton has only slipped two places to fifth with Cola, despite incurring 11 penalties for a broken frangible and 12.8 time-faults today, while home side rider Buck Davidson (Sorocaima) sits fourth having had 5.2 time-faults.

Harry Meade was the only Brit to have an unsuccessful day – he pulled up his first ride Away Cruising and then took a fall from five-star debutant Et Hop Du Matz at the triple brush arrowhead out of the Irish Horse Board Coffin Question at fence 12abcd.

Eight pairs of the 21 starters finished today over Ian Stark’s cross-country course – the last one the Scot will design as he is retiring from the role.

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Two Brits poised behind leader in Maryland 5 Star podium positions as dressage concludes

Pippa Roome — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 20:38:01 +0000

Oliver Townend holds second at the conclusion of the Mars Maryland 5 Star dressage, with fellow Brit Bubby Upton just behind him in third after her test on Cola. Tamie Smith holds the lead on Mai Baum for the USA.

Oliver and Ballaghmor Class – the 17-year-old three-time five-star winner owned by Karyn Shuter, Val Ryan and Angela Hislop – put in a thoroughly professional test today, hitting the high marks throughout.

The highlights of the Maryland 5 Star dressage test for Oliver Townend included the extended canter and final centreline, with both movements earning eights across the board from judges Christina Klingspor (Sweden), Valerie Pride (USA) and Xavier Le Sauce (France).

He was awarded one outlier mark of four, from Xavier at B, for his rein-back where Ballaghmor Class seemed to sort of crouch at the end of the movement and perhaps kicked the white board. The other two judges gave a seven for this movement.

Oliver has finished on the podium on all three occasions that this event has run – he was second in 2021 on Cooley Master Class, then third on As Is in 2022 and third on Cooley Rosalent last year. He returns after a tricky season for Ballaghmor Class, who missed out on Badminton and the Olympics after a deep-rooted hoof abscess in the spring.

“It’s a special venue and for Cecil County and Maryland to put on a five-star is something always be grateful for,” said Oliver. “Anyone that puts on such a standard of event with such great prize money deserves to see Ballaghmor Class here.”

The rider choked up when asked to pay tribute to his super partner, who must be nearing the end of his career at 17 years old, although his rider doesn’t think retirement is imminent.

“He’s naturally a fit horse and he enjoys his job immensely – sometimes it’s keeping the excitement working for you rather than against you,” he said. “He’s an incredibly tough, incredibly sound horse and has been throughout his whole career.

“With his enthusiasm for his job, I don’t know what we’re going to do with him when his job as an event horse is finished because I can’t see him doing too many other jobs. So we’ll keep him going as long as he’s able because he isn’t going to be a happy hacker for somebody to go round the roads and I can’t see him in hunting field or doing anything under this level.

“He pretty much keeps himself going the way he is, he’s naturally a top-class event horse and we’ve been hugely privileged to have him as part of our team for so long.”

Et Hop Du Matz makes five-star debut

Also for Britain, Harry Meade is now ninth on Away Cruising, who did his test yesterday, and 12th on his second ride, five-star debutant Et Hop Du Matz, owned by Mandy Gray.

“He’s a young horse and I’ve always said he’s a bit behind and to give him plenty of time as he’s a very tall, weak, gangly spider of a horse, but having gone that softly softly approach, actually he’s been very uncomplicated and he’s at his first five-star at 10 so he’s not behind, but he still has lots of improvement to come,” said Harry.

“The flying changes are a work in progress and we had mistakes in two which are costly. But overall I’m thrilled – he went like he was working at home not in the main arena on Friday afternoon at a five-star and the main thing was he took a positive experience away from here. He’s doing all the right work, I’m still pleased with his mark and there will be more to come so I hope he’ll be a really good horse.”

David Doel, who performed his test yesterday on Galileo Nieuwmoed, holds 16th going into tomorrow’s cross-country.

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Oliver Townend: ‘What the sport of eventing needs to thrive’

Catherine Austen — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 09:28:29 +0000

Oliver Townend shares his thoughts on collecting rings, a new owner’s award and prize money in eventing

When you’ve made your living in a sport for 25 years, it is easy to take aspects of it for granted. But sometimes I am shocked by the incredible venues we have in eventing, and am reminded how lucky I am to be part of it.

The area in which I grew up had nothing like that, and it is only because of horses and eventing that I have had the chance to see these amazing places.

I’ve been to some brilliant events recently, from Cornbury Park to Allerton Park and Little Downham. I haven’t been to Allerton for more than 10 years, and it was good to relearn what a fantastic place it is. It has space, varied terrain and is well suited to be a top-level one-day event. It needs supporting – and a date that doesn’t clash with Blenheim.

My novice and BE100 horses will have come on so much from their experience of the terrain and the surroundings – it made me realise how little of that sort of thing they have seen, and how different Allerton is to many modern one-days. It is a great shame it no longer has a national advanced class – I don’t know whether this would suit the landowners and organisers or not, but what about giving it Chatsworth’s date and having a four-star there?

Cornbury had the atmosphere in the evening that good events used to have, with everyone socialising together in a relaxed way, which is something that has been lost from the sport for some time.

Allerton, Cornbury and Little Downham all had something different to offer in the calendar, and had good entries. Eventing definitely can work, but at the moment there is a hugely unsettled feeling throughout the whole community. Events are dropping like flies, and the atmosphere between riders and volunteers, for example, isn’t as good as it should be.

Something that must be sorted is showjumping collecting rings. We are so lucky to have some amazing people who regularly volunteer to run these tricky parts of an event, and they know what system works best at most venues. But British Eventing’s guidelines advise keeping to given times – which just doesn’t work.

You only need one person to have a puncture or one dressage judge to be late and the whole thing is thrown off balance and results in a very frustrated volunteer shouting for numbers that aren’t there and an awful lot of tension.

What works is writing your number down when you get there, with a space every five horses for riders with three or more horses. This allows riders with multiple horses to get through their day more efficiently and means that amateurs know they will have five, a maximum of six, horses until their round. For everyone’s sake, this needs to be the system used everywhere.

A leading owner’s prize

Why don’t we have a leading owner’s prize? Let’s reward and champion this vital group and give them something to compete for. Nobody has a problem with JP McManus being leading National Hunt owner most years, because everyone in racing understands how lucky the sport is to have him.

We are regularly losing owners to the likes of racing and showjumping, and we need to give them something to keep them interested. It doesn’t have to involve huge sums of money, but surely a really nice trophy, a magnum of champagne and a sponsored holiday isn’t that hard to organise?

Up the money

I’m becoming increasingly embarrassed by the prize money that is displayed on the likes of EventingScores with the final results of each event. It’s no good anymore saying that we just don’t have the sponsors – we have to think outside the box.

Eventing is already too expensive, but no one questions the addition of a start fee or abandonment fund fee. So why don’t we have a prize-money fund, where £10 or £20 is added to the entry fee for every class? This fund might need to run for a season to gain momentum before it starts paying out, and we need transparency as to how much is in it. It’s got to be worth a discussion, surely?

● How do you think prize money should be funded? Write to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

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Oliver Townend riding TREGILDER for GBR in CCI-S 4* Section C, during the cross country phase at Burgham International Horse Trials near Alniwick in Northumberland in the UK on the 289h July 2023 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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Brits, five-star winners, and an eye-catching skewbald among Maryland 5 Star entries

Becky Murray — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 16:42:37 +0000

Four Brits, former five-star winners and an eye-catching skewbald mare are among the Mars Maryland 5 Star entries.

There are 23 combinations entered for the US event, which takes place at Fair Hill on 17-20 October.

Harry Meade, who jumped three clear cross-country rounds at Burghley last month, will fly across the pond with two rides; Charlotte and Peter Opperman’s experienced 17-year-old Away Cruising and 10-year-old Et Hop Du Matz, whom Harry co-owns with Mandy Gray. Away Cruising has seven five-star completions under his belt, his most recent at Badminton this year, when he and Harry were 20th. Et Hop Du Matz is making his five-star debut.

Oliver Townend returns to Maryland 5 Star, this time with Tokyo Olympic team gold medallist and three-time five-star winner Ballaghmor Class, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan. The 17-year-old gelding missed the spring season owing to a hoof abscess followed by a “minor issue”, but made his comeback at Cornbury last month, when he and Oliver were second in the open intermediate. On Saturday (28 September) they topped the Little Downham CCI4*-S.

Bubby Upton will be making her Maryland debut with her mother Rachel’s 14-year-old Cola III. Bubby came back from serious injury at the beginning of the year to finish 10th at Badminton with Cola, and the pair won the Hartpury CCI4*-S in August.

David Doel is making the trip with Gillian Jonas and Mary Fox’s 13-year-old gelding Galileo Nieuwmoed. The consistent pair have five top-level completions under their belt, of which four were top-10 placings, including second at Burghley last year.

Other Maryland 5 Star entries

New Zealand’s Tim Price brings forward 2021 Pau five-star winner and world team bronze medallist Falco, owned by Sue Benson.

For the home side, all eyes will be on Tamie Smith and Ellen Ahearn’s 18-year-old Mai Baum. Maryland 5 Star will be the 2023 Kentucky Three-Day CCI5 winners’ last top-level competition together; Tamie told Eventing Nation Mai Baum will retire from top-level eventing.

Former Maryland 5 Star winners Boyd Martin and On Cue will hope to reclaim their 2021 crown, while Boyd is also entered with his Tokyo Olympic ride and world silver medallist Tsetserleg, and five-star debutant Commando 3. Bruce Davidson Jnr is entered with Sorocaima, with whom he was ninth last year.

Canada’s Jessica Phoenix has two rides; Jim Phillips’ 14-year-old gelding Wabbit, and Jessica’s own 16-year-old skewbald mare Fluorescent Adolescent, who is making her five-star debut.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘We’ll miss him’: five-star horse steps down for Pony Club rider – as Olympic medallist returns to action

Becky Murray — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 10:59:50 +0000

Tregilder, the five-star ride of Oliver Townend, has retired from the top level – while fan favourite Ballaghamor Class has returned to action.

The Hazeldines’ 14-year-old gelding Tregilder has bowed out sound and well to become a schoolmaster for 14-year-old Emily Hazeldine – and have already won their first rosette together.

“He’s been very good for us and the owners were starting to look for horses for their granddaughter, and I said ‘Well you’ve already got one’,” Oliver told H&H.

Oliver and Tregilder were second at the 2023 Pau five-star and ninth at last year’s Luhmühlen five-star. The pair have finished in the top 10 at four-star 10 times, including winning the Burgham CCI4*-S in 2023 and Blair Castle CCI4*-S (then CIC***) in 2018. They were also seventh in the one-off Bicton five-star in 2021.

“He was second at Pau last year and I thought it was a very good achievement for him, plus he’d won at four-star level and I like them to finish sound and well,” said Oliver.

“We sent Tregilder up to the Hazeldines’ and he’s been absolutely lovely with Emily. She’s got a very nice horse to get some experience on.”

Emily and Tregilder have been enjoying themselves at Pony Club.

“The Hazeldines have owned him since he was four years old; there was no point in them going out looking for a horse when they already own one that has achieved as much as he has,” said Oliver.

“He’s been a very good horse all the way through his career. I’ve always enjoyed riding him and he’s one that has continued to improve throughout. I was glad to get a good result at Pau which was a nice way for him to finish. We thought ‘Let’s retire him to a quieter life with a bit less pressure’.

“Like all five-star horses you spend an awful lot of time with them so you always wonder what you could win with them if you kept going, but at the same time he’s done enough. We’ll miss him on the yard because he’s like a pet, and I’ll miss riding him because he’s a very nice horse to sit on. He’d done more than enough for us and I’m happy he’s moved on to the next stage in his life.”

BALLAGHMOR CLASS IS BACK

Oliver’s top five-star ride and Olympic gold medallist 17-year-old Ballaghmor Class has returned to action after missing much of the spring season. The pair were second in the Cornbury open intermediate on 12 September, posting a 20.9 dressage, and just picked up four time-penalties across country.

“In my mind he’s still improving, he’s unbelievable,” said Oliver.

“We’ve obviously had minor setbacks. And I nearly gave him too much time off – he came back a bit well and definitely too fresh, but yet again he’s just a freak of nature in terms of he came out, led the dressage which had a lot of five-star horses in it, and jumped double clear.

“How can you put it into words? I’m very conscious that I’d like to finish him the right way, but the way he feels, we’re a long way from that day yet.”

Oliver said Ballaghmor Class was initially out with a deep-rooted hoof abscess, followed by a “minor issue”, but has been right for some time.

“I didn’t want to start him for no reason – he’d missed the spring season, and he’s not had a serious amount of time off in his entire career, so once we’d missed the spring I said let’s give him the time,” said Oliver, adding that Ballaghmor Class will compete in the dressage and showjumping at Allerton this weekend, then the Little Downham CCI4*-S (5-6 October).

“After that I’ll discuss with his owners which direction we’re going. He’s very established and riding those established ones in all three phases is just a different world.”

Oliver added that Cooley Rosalent is “feeling well”, following their fall at Burghley, while Oliver described himself as “on the mend” after breaking his collarbone in a fall at Frickley Park, two weeks before Burghley.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout Blenheim Horse Trials, Horse of the Year Show, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Burghley cross-country course claims top names’ scalps as riders come a cropper

Martha Terry — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 14:07:52 +0000

The leaderboard has had a big shake-up through the Defender Burghley Horse Trials cross-country phase, with a handful of falls from top names in a dramatic spell.

Oliver Townend lay in fifth on 24.4 overnight on his Kentucky CCI5* winner Cooley Rosalent, but this young mare didn’t looked to be going with her customary zest. Oliver was quick-thinking to switch to the long route at the Leaf Pit after not jumping the first arrowhead sweetly. He then had to push to get the two strides through the Trout Hatchery corner and hedge. Four fences later at Joules at the Maltings, the grey had to make a huge stretch over the final brush, knocking a flag, on a tight serpentine line.

The Valent mare just seemed to go a bit green after the accumulation of efforts and made a huge effort over the first of the Rolex corners, and stretched for the four strides to the second corner. She bravely tried to tackle it, but didn’t get high enough, breaking the frangible device and pitching Oliver out of the saddle.

Another of the seven former five-star winners in the field, Jonelle Price’s Grappa Nera, also came a cropper. The Leaf Pit was the most talked-about fence before the competition, but had not produced any penalties until Jonelle. She came off the drop well, but stood off at the first arrowhead, which makes it a huge obstacle as it’s on top of a hillock. The mare had to stretch, straddled it and Jonelle rolled off the top. She, too, was quickly up on her feet, smiling ruefully, as the mare trotted off as if looking for the next fence.

US rider Hannah Sue Hollberg’s hopes for a first Burghley completion came to an end at the Dairy Mound, eight fences from home. The horse was looking a little weary, and when he twisted over the corner, Hannah Sue came out the side door.

Gireg le Coz was desperately unlucky not to be able to capitalise on his seventh-placed dressage of 25.3 for France. He was copybook through the Leaf Pit and both ways through the Defender Valley. But he stumbled on landing after a bold jump over the roll-top in the Trout Hatchery at fence 11a, and both horse and rider had a dunking, but were quickly back on their feet.

Burghley Horse Trials cross-country: “I want to go round again!”

One combination who did make the course look straightforward was Sophia Hill and Humble Glory. Unfortunately he was over-bold at the start, and paid the price for his early enthusiasm. He came blasting down the slope into the Defender Valley at fence 5a, activating the frangible device at the rail when he dropped his legs on seeing the ditch. But with those 11pen on their record, this former racehorse settled down to show how extraordinarily catlike he really is, skipping round these enormous fences to gallop home for only 8.4 time-faults, easing down as one of the fastest of the day.

“My horse just ran through me,” said Sophia, 27, about the penalties at Defender Valley. “He was really fresh and full of running. I wanted to slow down but he didn’t come back. He was way too fast there, and so luckily we had the frangible. I eased up a little bit after that but we completed.”

Sophia heads back to her native Australia next week after five months based in Yorkshire with Nicola Wilson, but isn’t ruling out a return.

“I want to go round again straightaway,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll get the opportunity to come back, but it’s a huge trip from Australia.”

To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Oliver Townend pilots precocious mare into Burghley dressage third: ‘She did very, very well’

Pippa Roome — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 11:12:35 +0000

Oliver Townend has slotted into third place in the Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage standings with Paul and Diana Ridgeon’s precocious mare Cooley Rosalent, on a score of 24.4.

This spring’s Kentucky Three-Day Event winner scored the first 10 of the competition – from ground jury president Christina Klingspor for her mid-test halt – and presented an active, elegant picture, marred only by fluffing the first flying change, which Oliver said was his error.

“She’s only a 10-year-old and she’s had an exciting life,” said Oliver, referencing the fact Cooley Rosalent’s recent experiences have included laps of honour at Kentucky and Maryland 5 Star, where she was third last autumn.

“Going into an atmosphere like that, she’s getting to know the crowd and the job, and you never know which way horses are going to react and she did very, very well.”

Elaborating on the mistake in the first flying change, Oliver said: “It was my error – I was over-trying and over-riding so that was me knowing she’s babyish and trying to help her and probably overdoing it.”

Oliver Townend referred to hoping to be in the top six at the end of the Burghley Horse Trials dressage, because his double Burghley winner Ballaghmor Class was sixth in the dressage on his first attempt here in 2017 and went on to win.

Looking ahead to tomorrow’s cross-country, Oliver said the track becomes more and more like Kentucky, where Derek di Grazia is also the designer.

“That isn’t a complaint and it’s a bonus my mare has been to Kentucky,” said Oliver, who is a fan of Derek’s work. “It’s a serious, serious course, bigger than it’s ever been in places and getting skinnier and skinnier.

“She’s jumped around some big tracks before. I’m just going to ride her positively and try and look after her the best I can. I hope she learns a lot on the way and we come home with a good result.”

The rider immediately before Oliver, France’s Gireg Le Coz (Aisprit De La Loge), now holds fourth on 25.3, with Caroline Powell in fifth after a great test this morning on Greenacres Special Cavalier. Overnight leader Ros Canter still holds pole position on Izilot DHI and Emily King is second on Valmy Biats.

To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘He’s a good one’: exciting plans in the pipeline for new British intermediate champion

Gemma Redrup — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 20:30:01 +0000

Oliver Townend added to his impressive tally of British championship victories when securing the Aston Martin Bristol British intermediate championship at the Gatcombe Festival of British Eventing replacement, at the NAF Five Star Hartpury International Horse Trials today (11 August).

Riding John and Victoria Peace’s En Taro Des Vernier, Oliver capitalised on a speedy cross-country round, where he clocked the joint second fastest round of the day for four time-faults to complete on 36.4 – adding four showjumping faults to a 28.4 dressage.

“I think he’s a very, very good horse. He’s one of those that isn‘t flash on the flat in comparison to the modern day lot, but I think that you’ll see him at proper five-stars,” said Oliver, who purchased this horse, who previously mainly showjumped, from France. “He‘s a machine to ride across country and a nice jumper and he has a really nice personality about him. He’s a playful character, he deserves this win and we think he’s a good one.”

Speaking of plans for the rest of this season, Oliver said not to be surprised to see him at a top level event.

“He could end up at a five-star at the end of this year. He’s so enthusiastic cross-country – he’s probably the first one I’ve ever had that you’re almost pulling him off the corners – he almost tries to do it too well, which is an incredible feeling when you‘re jumping skinnies on angles and you‘re telling him ‘not the wide bit’, but he’s so desperate to please.”

Oliver said that he thought the track at Hartpury was a “proper” test.

“It was like riding around a four-star with the terrain taken into account, which is exactly what you want for a championship course. It was as tough as you could have it really. Obviously we’ve lost Gatcombe, which is the saddest thing in my eventing life, but at the same time it’s a brilliant replacement in terms of the terrain. We’re sadly missing quite a lot of what Gatcombe has, but at the same time, from a horse point of view, you come out of this event knowing exactly what you‘ve got.”

Oliver commented that Crazy Du Loir, who was novice champion in 2022, and led the British intermediate championship after the first two phases last year before rain stopped play, also deserved this win. However, the incredibly talented 12-year-old mare, who led going into the final phase, stumbled on landing jumping into the second water and left Oliver with no chance at remaining in the saddle.

British-based Dutchman Andrew Heffernan secured second with SSK Cape Cooley, 1.8 penalties behind En Taro Des Vernier, while Fiona Kashel was third with Monbeg Cazador on 39.3.

Of the 24 cross-country starters, only France’s Gaspard Maksud jumped clear inside the time with Just Perfect, which was enough for them to finish fifth. Twenty starters jumped clear.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Olympic gold medal-winner withdrawn from Paris selection: ‘His welfare and happiness is most important’

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 16:38:22 +0000

Oliver Townend’s Tokyo team gold medal-winner Ballaghmor Class has been withdrawn from the Paris Olympics nominations as “his welfare and happiness is more important than anything else”.

Oliver and the 17-year-old gelding, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan, had been named on the British long-list for this summer’s Olympic Games but it was announced today (11 June) that he would be withdrawn as he has not achieved his final qualification result. The decision was made “in full collaboration with” British Equestrian eventing performance manager Dickie Waygood, Oliver and the horse’s owners.

Oliver and his team said: “We are disheartened to withdraw Ballaghmor Class from Team GB Olympic selection. As his preparation for a long-format event in the first half of the season was interrupted, we could not secure the final qualification for the Olympics without compromising his best interests.

“This is so disappointing for the whole team, but ‘Thomas’ means the world to us and at the end of the day, his welfare and happiness is more important than everything else.

“He is one of few special horses that has an Olympic gold to his name and while he will be aiming for an autumn five-star, we hope that stablemate Cooley Rosalent will fly the flag in our bid to be selected for the Games. Huge thanks to British Equestrian, Thomas’s owners, our sponsors and the team around us who have shown unwavering support in making this decision.”

Oliver is still on the nominated list with Paul and Diana Ridgeon’s Cooley Rosalent. The British Eventing selectors will work with Dickie to name a replacement combination for the Olympic eventing nominated list next week.

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Two riders bidding for a senior championship debut among British eventing Olympic entries

Pippa Roome — Mon, 20 May 2024 11:05:30 +0000

The British eventing Olympic entries have been revealed. These are the 12 horse and rider combinations who will be submitted as the nominated entries for the Paris 2024 Games. The final team of three and one alternate will be chosen from this list.

The closing date for the nominated entries is Tuesday 25 June and the list may be amended before this; selection decisions are subject to pairs maintaining fitness and performance. The final squad will be announced in late June.

Nine riders have been named on the list, with Ros Canter, Yasmin Inham and Oliver Townend each appearing with two horses. Two of Britain’s horses from the gold medal-winning team at the Tokyo Olympics (London 52 and Ballaghmor Class) could make an appearance in Paris, with the same riders in Laura Collett and Oliver. Tom McEwen, who rode Toledo De Kerser on that team, and Ros Canter, who was the alternate with Allstar B, are both listed this time with different horses.

Aside from Tom, Laura and Oliver, the other rider on the list who is already an Olympian is Kitty King, so five riders (Ros, Yasmin Ingham, Emily King, Tom Jackson and Bubby Upton) are bidding to make their Olympic debut. Emily and Bubby would both be making their senior championship debut should they get the final call-up for the Games.

British eventing Olympic entries

Ros Canter with 11-year-old Izilot DHIOwner: Alex Moody and riderBreeding: by Zavala VDL out of a mare by Cavalier

Ros Canter with 12-year-old gelding Lordships Graffalo

Owners: Michele and Archie Saul

Breeder: Lordships Stud Writtle College (GBR)

Breeding: by Grafenstolz, out of a mare by Rock King

Laura Collett with 14-year-old London 52

Owners: Karen Bartlett, Keith Scott and rider

Breeder: Ocke Riewerts (GER)

Breeding: by Landos, out of a mare by Quinar

Yasmin Ingham with 13-year-old Banzai Du Loir

Owners: Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies Fund

Breeder: Pierre Gouye (FRA)

Breeding: by Nouma D’Auzay out of a mare by Livarot

Yasmin Ingham with 14-year-old Rehy DJOwners: Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies FundBreeder: Noel Russell (IRL)Breeding: By Tinarina’s Inspector, out of a mare by Big Sink Hope

Emily King with 14-year-old Valmy BiatsOwners: Phillipe Brivois, rider’s father David King and the Valmy Biats SyndicateBreeder: Phillipe Brivois (FRA)Breeding: by Orlando out of a mare by Aurelie Du Prieure

Kitty King with 15-year-old Vendredi Biats

Owners: Diana Bown, John Eyre, Sally Lloyd Baker and Samantha Wilson

Breeder: Phillipe Brivois (FRA)

Breeding: by Winningmood, out of a mare by Camelia De Ruelles

Tom Jackson with 12-year-old Capels Hollow DriftOwners: Patricia Davenport, Milly Simmie and Sarah WebbBreeder: Jeanette Glynn (GBR)Breeding: by Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvar,out of a mare by Lucky Gift

Tom McEwen with 13-year-old JL Dublin

Owners: Jo and James Lambert and Deirdre Johnston

Breeder: Volker Göttsche-Götze (GER)

Breeding: by Diarado, out of a mare by Cantano

Oliver Townend with 17-year-old Ballaghmor ClassOwners: Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val RyanBreeder: Noel Nickey (ILR)Breeding: by Courage II

Oliver Townend with 10-year-old Cooley RosalentOwners: Paul and Diana RidgeonBreeder: JW Rosbotham (IRL)Breeding: by Valent, out of a mare by Roselier