Gatcombe Horse Trials British open championship: new national champion

Oliver Townend was crowned British national champion, as he was the highest-placed Brit, finishing second on Mark and Angela Chamberlayne’s Dreamliner in the Gatcombe Horse Trials British open championship at the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing.

Oliver was in fifth going into the final cross-country phase aboard the 12-year-old, who was bred by his current owners, but a super-speedy clear inside the usually elusive optimum time at Gatcombe propelled them into overall runner-up spot in the Magic Millions-sponsored British open championship.

“This is a very special result for his breeders and and for my new job with Caunton Stud. You wouldn’t think of him as a quick horse, but at the same time he is by Jumbo, who had stamina, and he is out of a full thoroughbred mare, so I knew he‘d get the trip,” said Oliver, who has been national champion here twice before. “But he is a big horse who is about two ribs too long, but the most important thing is he is very genuine.”

“My first round on Majas Hope didn’t go to plan! I wanted it to be a good warm-up ride for Billy Walk On, who went later on – then I would know all of the lines,” said Pippa, 30 years after her win in this class aboard Sir Barnaby. “So it’s annoying. It was a rider error. I usually always want to add strides and for once I had a good shot over the hedge and I thought I was going to get up on the four strides, but I ended up too far off and he just couldn’t get one knee out of the way and tipped me off.“

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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.

‘A very special result’: Oliver Townend becomes new British national champion at Gatcombe

Gatcombe Horse Trials British open championship: placings

Oliver also finished fourth overall with Sir John Peace’s Lukas in the Gatcombe Horse Trials British open championship, adding six cross-country time-faults to their 30.7 dressage.

“He was never going to be the quickest round this course as he’s a very big horse, but I had a really good ride and he was perfect,” said Pippa after her round.

Pippa was in third after the showjumping with her own and Marek Sebestak’s Majas Hope, but she fell off at a corner at fence 6b.

The 2019 British open champions Jonelle Price and Classic Moet finished fifth, clocking the second fastest cross-country round of the day, stopping the clock just two seconds over the optimum time.

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