‘Tomorrow is another day, thank God’: Oliver Townend reflects on disappointing Badminton dressage score

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Badminton Horse Trials dressage: Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class
Oliver Townend riding Ballaghmor Class at Badminton 2022.
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Oliver Townend was disappointed with the marks the judges gave him on his Tokyo team gold medal-winning horse Ballaghmor Class in the Badminton Horse Trials dressage results this afternoon (6 May). They scored 25.9, which leaves them just inside the top 10 in equal eighth position after both days of dressage at the event, which is presented by Mars Equestrian.

“I’m happy with him anyway – for me, Ballaghmor Class is twice the horse dressage-wise compared to yesterday’s [Swallow Springs, with whom Oliver scored 25.7] and we ended up basically on the same mark, but that’s dressage,” said Oliver after his test, which has left him in equal eight after the first phase. “Tomorrow is another day, thank God, and tomorrow isn’t based on the opinions of three people sat in garden sheds, so fingers crossed.”

Gemma Redrup
Gemma Redrup
Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor

Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.