Oliver Townend and Armada at Badminton
Top 100 Riders
Oliver Townend has topped the end of season British Eventing Points rankings for the first time since 2009, the year he won both the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, although he has been in the top three every year since 2004. The 31 year old who hails from Yorkshire also wins the Tony Collings Award for the best British rider.
During the 2014 season Oliver has amassed 1556 points with notable wins at Ballindenisk CICO3* and CCI2*, and Rockingham Castle, Floors Castle and Brightling Park's CIC2*s.
His talented but tricky Armada was the runner up at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and placed eighth at the Land Rover Burghley CCI4*s while Black Tie II's fourth place at Luhmuhlen CCI4* resulted in the pair's selections for the Senior British WEG squad. In total Oliver won nine international and 24 national classes this year.
William Fox-Pitt retained his second place from last year with a total of 1272 points. His score was boosted by a win and ninth place at Rolex Kentucky CCI4* along with good results at Bramham, Burghley, Blenheim and the WEG, where he and Chilli Morning brought home the individual bronze medal.
Last year's leader, Andrew Nicholson (NZL), has dropped to third place on 1246. The spring CCI4*s did not go Andrew's way, but as the season progressed the remarkable Avebury produced wins at the British Open Championships, Barbury CIC3* and, of course, Land Rover Burghley CCI4*, boosting Andrew's points total.
Three ladies who have had a good year are Izzy Taylor (1016), Nicola Wilson (1003) and New Zealand’s Jonelle Price (950) behind the three leading men and Australia’s Paul Tapner (876) and Sam Griffiths (746) are in seventh and eighth places. Six other Australian riders are in the top 100 with Chris Burton (17th), Bill Levett (20th), Andrew Hoy (37th), Kevin McNab (44th), Lucinda Fredericks (77th) and Sammi Birch (=85th)
Watch Oliver Townend and Armada’s winning cross country at Burnham Market CIC3* here
Top 100 Horses
Louise Harwood and Whitson
Two very big names in British Eventing, Burghley winner Avebury and Rolex Kentucky winner Bay My Hero, have been pushed from the top spot for 2014 by Louise Harwood’s Whitson. The 16.3hh gelding by Cameo’s Reflection, ridden by the diminutive Louise, recently finished 13th in the CCI4* at Les Etoiles de Pau and together they have won and placed throughout the year at events such as Blair Castle, Barbury International, Tattersalls and Chatsworth
These results have had a good impact on Louise’s ranking too and have seen her rise from 36th in 2013 to 9th in this year’s Top 100 Rider List
Sam Griffiths’ Badminton winner Paulank Brockagh, Paul Tapner’s Kilronan and Bill Levett’s Improvise have all had good years resulting in top 10 rankings in 6th, 7th and 8th places respectively
Watch Louise and Whitson on cross country at Belton International here
The Goldman Cup
David Doel and Koyuna Sun Magic
This year’s winner of the Goldman Cup, awarded to the leading Under 21 year old rider at the end of each season is David Doel. Amassing a total of 263 points David beat second placed Tom Jackson in the very last week of competition with a win at Aldon. David has a good string of horses including Miss Caruso who has enjoyed wins at CCI* and 2* levels this year as well as competing at the Young Rider European Championships
Runner up Tom Jackson won the Bramham CCI3* on Waltham Fiddlers Find
Watch David Doel and Miss Caruso, winners Open Intermediate Under 21 Belton International
Britannia League
Thirty-year-old Jodie Amos, from Southam in Warwickshire, has triumphed in the inaugural Britannia League, with her own and Nicola Coates' Wise Crack.
The League was introduced this year by British Eventing as a platform for British riders to celebrate the talent beyond the British team (riders cannot have competed under the British flag at Senior FEI European Championships, World Equestrian Games or Olympic Games) and also to recognise the support provided by the owners of horses ridden at CIC3*, CCI3* and FEI CICO competitions. Winner Jodie Amos and Wise Crack finished the season with 197 League points. In second place, fourteen points off the pace are Francis Whittington and Catherine Witt's Easy Target who shot up the leader board following their CCI3* win at Blenheim. In third place, on 173 points, are Louise Harwood and Roy Baker and Emma Baker-Jones's Whitson
Jodie will be awarded a cheque for £5,000, Francis a cheque for £3,000 and Louise a cheque for £1,000. Wise Crack’s part owner Nicola Coates will take home a large bronze, to keep for the year, as well as a replica memento.
Watch Jodie and Wise Crack ride the cross country at Burnham Market where they were fourth in the CIC3*
Find out more about purchasing cross country videos we filmed at UK events here
