Oliver Townend bids to follow up American victory
World No.3 Oliver Townend will lead a concerted bid for overdue British success at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials starting today.
Townend, from Duddleston Heath, near Ellesmere, arrives at the prestigious Gloucestershire event after retaining the Land Rover Kentucky title and landing a £100,000 top prize last weekend. It was the fifth eventing ‘major’ of his career, and he is expected to mount a major challenge aboard his 2017 Burghley champion Ballaghmor Class, a combination that finished fifth at Badminton 12 months ago.
But British hopes do not only rest with the 36-year-old over four days of dressage, cross-country and showjumping action.
The field also includes 2017 European individual bronze medallist Nicola Wilson, three members of Britain’s gold medal-winning team at the World Equestrian Games last season – Gemma Tattersall, Piggy French and Tom McEwen – plus 2014 World Games team silver medallist and former Badminton top-three finisher Harry Meade.
There has only been one British Badminton winner – William Fox-Pitt – in the last 10 years.
Townend led from start to finish in America on his 2018 Kentucky champion Cooley Master Class.
The combination posted a dressage score of 24.1 penalties to lead after the first phase, then collected just 1.2 cross-country time penalties. But intense pressure was put on him by eventual runner-up Boyd Martin after the American showjumped clear aboard Tsetserleg.
It meant Townend had to go clear in pursuit of a £100,000 top prize, but he delivered an impressive display.
“He’s a fantastic jumper, a really careful horse and tries his best for you,” said Townend. “It’s much nicer jumping a clear round and letting the rest be under pressure.”
