Gatcombe Horse Trials British novice championship: Oliver Townend leads

Gatcombe Horse Trials British novice championship leader after showjumping Oliver Townend — Oliver Townend competing at Badminton in May 2022.

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Oliver Townend holds pole position in the Gatcombe Horse Trials British novice championship at the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing heading into the final cross-country phase.

The British Olympic gold medallist took an early lead with Finley Du Loir on a dressage score of 22.4 and then showjumped clear in the Dodson & Horrell-sponsored class. Oliver’s leading ride is a French-bred seven-year-old, by Quartz Du Chanu, owned by Sir John Peace.

Tom McEwen and Falaise De Riverland, owned by Magdalena Gut, Vicky Bates and David Myers, were second after dressage on a score of 23.1, but dropped down to fourth after having the green and white oxer at fence four down. The same fence also put paid to a clear for Coral Keen, fourth after dressage on her own and Ginnie Wellings’ Impuls V, so she has slipped to seventh ahead of the cross-country in the Gatcombe Horse Trials British novice championship.

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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.

Oliver Townend leads British novice championship after jumping on ‘top class but green as grass’ seven-year-old

In his seven runs this year with Oliver, Finley Du Loir has had three wins, two in novices and one in the CCI2*-S at Floors Castle.

Noémi Doerfer, 23, also showjumped clear to move up from third after dressage to second on her own 10-year-old Serengethi.

“He was really good yesterday, really good today – so now it’s fingers crossed we can do the same out on the cross-country,” said Noémi, who is half German, half Hungarian and rides for Hungary.

Serengethi is dressage-bred by Sir Donnerhall and Noémi also started out in that discipline.

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