Oliver Townend

Wednesday 7th - Sunday 11th May 2025

Oliver Townend

Great Britain
  • 109 - Ballaghmor Class
  • 14 - Swallow Springs

Biography

The 2020 British Olympic team gold medallist Oliver Townend (40), who is based near Ellesmere in Shropshire, is a former winner of Badminton (2009) and has achieved 18 completions of the event. Last year he was second with Ballaghmor Class – entered this year also – with who he later in the year won Burghley, the second Burghley win for the combination (2017). The pair has also won Lexington 2021 and took team Olympic gold in Tokyo (2020).

Ten-year-old Cooley Roselant has rarely been out of het ribbons. She completed her first two 5* events last year and was 3rd in the American event at Elkton after winning the 8/9 year-old 4* championship class at Blenheim.

It will be a first Badminton for Tregilder who was 9th at Luhmuhlen 5*last year. Retired on the cross country at Burghley he was re-routed to Pau 5* where the pair finished second.

One of the busiest riders on the circuit, Oliver is currently ranked #1 in the FEI world rider ranking (20/03/23) and at the end of 2023 was the leading rider in British Eventing.

Oliver began riding when he was seven years old, inheriting his love of horses from his parents. His father, Alan, competed in three-day eventing, while mother, Eve, showed side-saddle at county level. His first success came in show jumping at HOYS when he was 11, and at 13 he went on to represent Britain on the pony eventing team at the European Championships. Oliver quickly moved through the ranks and for three years was stable jockey to former British team trainer, the late Kenneth Clawson in Leicestershire before going solo. Oliver’s good result at his first Badminton in 2005 with Topping earned them an individual place on the 2005 British European Championship squad at Blenheim. With Flint Curtis, Oliver came third at Badminton in 2006 and rode as an individual at the Aachen WEG in the same year. In 2007 he won a European team gold in Pratoni del Vivaro. In 2009 Oliver joined the elite group of riders that have won back-to-back Badminton and Burghley titles. That year he also won the HSBC FEI Classics title and at the end of the 2009 season was top of the BE rider rankings for the first time. In 2014, with Black Tie, he was an individual member of the British Squad for the WEG in France but retired cross country. In 2015 he completed Burghley with three horses and with Fenyas Elegance represented GB at the European Championships at Blair Castle. In 2016 he became National Champion after winning the British Open at Gatcombe and in 2017 was a member of the British gold-medal winning British team at the European Championships at Strzegom (Cooley SRS). In 2019 with Cooley Master Class, with who he has won Lexington 5* twice (2018 & ’19) he was a member of the British team to win silver at the European championships and in 2022 with Ballaghmor was a member of the British team for the European Championships in Pratoni (16th).

Tregilder owned by The Hazeldines and Mitchell Fox Group is a 14-year-old British-bred SHB(GB) registered gelding. Bred by Preci-Spark Ltd he is by Royal Concorde out of Trewins by Hand in Glove. He has been produced through the levels by Oliver. In 2021 the pair was 7th in the 5* at Bicton the first at the level for Tregilder and last year was 2nd at Pau 5*.

Cooley Rosalent owned by Paul Ridgeon is a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare. Bred by JW Rosbotham she is by Valent out of Bellaney Jewel by Roselier. Rarely out of the ribbons in 2020 with Ollie she was 2nd in the World 6-year-old championship and the following year 7th in the 7-year-old class. In 2022 the combination was 2nd in the 4*L at Blair Castle. Last year the combination was 3rd in the American 5* at Elkton.

Ballaghmor Class (aka Thomas) is a 17-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. He is by Courage (also the sire of Ringwood Sky Boy, Cooley Rorkes Drift, Duke of Cavan) out of Kilderry Place.  He has been ridden by Oliver since 2012 – the pair has twice won Burghley (2017 &’23), won Lexington (2021) and team gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games and been 2nd at Badminton on two occasions 2019 and 2023.

Entries

Ballaghmor Class

ISH, Ireland, 2007
16.3hh , grey , gelding

Sire Courage

Dam Kilderry Place

Breeder Noel Hickey

Owner(s): Karyn Shuter
Angela Hislop
Val Ryan

Swallow Springs

ISH, Ireland, 2008
16.2hh , grey , gelding

Sire Chill Out

Dam Kilia (Cult Hero)

Breeder Maria Keating

Owner(s): Paul & Diana Ridgeon

Withdrawn

Cooley Master Class

ISH, Ireland, 2005
16.2hh , bay , gelding

Sire Ramiro B

Dam The Swallow (Master Imp )

Breeder John Hagan

Owner(s): Angela Hislop

Ridire Dorcha

ISH, Ireland, 2008
16.3hh , dark bay , gelding

Sire Limmerick

Dam Skreenmor Dark Stranger (Big Sink Hope )

Breeder Jim Tempany

Owner(s): Sophie Adams

Tregilder

SHBGB, United Kingdom, 2010
17.1hh , black , gelding

Sire Royal Concorde

Dam Trewins (Hand In Glove )

Breeder Preci Spark

Owner(s): The Hazledines
Mitchell Fox Group

Notable Results

2023 – Pau CCI5*L 2nd Tregilder

2023 – Alnwick CCI4*S 1st Tregilder

2023 – Elkton CCI5*L 3rd Cooley Roselant

2023 – Blenheim CCI4*L 8/9years 1st Cooley Roselant

2023 – Burghley CCI5*L 1st Ballaghmor Class

2023 – Luhmuhlen CCI5*L 9th Tregilder 27th Cooley Roselant

2022 – Blair castle CCI4*L 2nd Cooley Roselant

2022 – Elkton CCI5*L 3rd As Is

2022 – Pratoni CH-M-Y 16th Ballghmor Class

2022 – Burghley CCI5*L El Swallow Springs, El Tregilder

2022 – Alnwick CCI4*S 1st Swallow Springs

2022 – Blair Castle CCI4*S 2nd As Is, 13th Ballghmor Class

2021 – Pau CCI5* 6th Ridire Dorcha

2021 – Le Lions CH-M-YH-CCI3*L 7th Cooley Roselant

2021 – Elkton MD CCI5*L 2nd Cooley Master Class

2021 – Blenheim CCI4*L 10th Swallow Springs

2021 – Bicton CCI5*L 7th Tregilder

2021 – Tokyo OG 5th Ballaghmor Class (team gold)

2021 – Lexington CCI5*L 1st Ballaghmor Class

2020 – Le Lions CH-M-YH-CCI2*L 2nd Cooley Roselant

2019 – Lexington CCI5*L 1st Cooley Master Class

2018 – Burghley CCI4* 2nd Ballaghmor Class

2018 – Lexington CCI4* 1st Cooley Master Class

2017 – Burghley CCI4* 1st Ballaghmor Class, 21st Samuel Thomas

2017 – Strzegom CH-EU-CCI3* w/d Cooley SRS (team gold)

2016 – Burghley CCI4* 7th Samuel Thomas, 23rd Dromgurrihy Blue, ret King Joules

2015 – Blair Castle CH-EU-CCI3* 17th Fenyas Elegance

2015 – Burghley CCI4* 11th Dromgurrihy Blue, 23rd Armada, 32nd Samuel Thomas

2014 – Burghley CCI4* 8th Armada

2014 – Caen WEG Ret Black Tie

2012 – Burghley 4th Armada,

2012 – Luhmuhlen CCI4* 7th ODT Sonas Rovatio, 8th Armada

2011 – Burghley CCI4* Ret Imperial Master, EL Neo de Breuil

2009 – Burghley CCI4* 1st Carousel Quest

2007 – Pratoni EU-CH-CCI3* 12th Flint Curtis (team gold_

2005 – Blenheim EU-CH-CCI3* 43rd Topping

Badminton

2023 – 2nd Ballaghmor Class

2022 – 3rd Swallow Springs 5th Ballaghmor Class

2019 – 2nd Ballaghmor Class, 6th Cillnabradden Evo

2018 – 2nd Cooley SRS, 5th Ballaghmor Class

2017 – 16th ODT Ghareeb, 25th Samuel Thomas

2016 – 25th Armada, Ret Black Tie

2015 – 11th Armada

2014 – 2nd Armada

2013 – 34th Armada

2009 – 1st Flint Curtis

2008 – 12th Coup De Coeur

2006 – 3rd Flint Curtis, 31st Topping

2005 – 12th Topping