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Oliver Townend confirms his Badminton Horse Trials rides, plus one further withdrawal

Pippa Roome Pippa Roome

    • Oliver Townend has confirmed which two horses he will ride at this week’s Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian.

    The world number one’s rides will be Paul and Diana Ridgeon’s Swallow Springs (number 14) and Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan’s Ballaghmor Class (number 109).

    Oliver Townend originally had five horses entered for Badminton Horse Trials, but had withdrawn two of them – Angela Hislop’s Cooley Master Class and Sophie Adams’ Ridire Dorcha – last week. He has now also withdrawn the Hazeldines and Mitchell Fox Group’s Tregilder, leaving the two greys as Oliver’s partners in this week’s competition.

    Oliver will start as one of the favourites among the Badminton Horse Trials riders, with a chance of victory on both horses but a particularly strong chance on his Tokyo Olympic gold medal-winning ride Ballaghmor Class.

    There has been one more withdrawal this week. James Sommerville has pulled out his own and his mother Jennifer’s Talent (number 36), saying that the horse has a “mild injury”, which showed up on Tuesday morning after his final jump on Monday afternoon.

    “Talent’s welfare and safety is paramount to my team and I. Talent has been in our stables since a four-year-old. He is now 16 and owes me and my family nothing. He has achieved so much for us, taken us to numerous five-star events and Nations Cup competitions,” said James. “Talent and I will be back competing in the near future.”

    James wished the remaining competitors luck for the week, particularly his good friend Ben Hobday, who is number 37 so was due to follow him cross-country.

    “Gutted I can’t give you a lead round,” he said.

    The competition officially starts with the first horse inspection at 4.30pm today.

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    Pippa Roome
    Pippa Roome

    H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
    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.
    Pippa Roome

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