Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class
“I looked around the collecting ring and thought, whatever happens, I wouldn’t swop this horse for anything” said Oliver Townend of his 10 year old Burghley winner Ballaghmor Class
You could have heard a pin drop as Oliver and the big grey, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan, jumped the final few fences. They had already had one down, leaving very little room if he was to stay ahead of Piggy French who had jumped a clear round on Vanir Kamira, but stay ahead he did, adding just one time penalty to his four faults to complete the event on a score of 45.6
Oliver was clearly emotional about the win, his first at Burghley since he won back-to-back Badminton and Burghley titles in 2009, and admitted that it had been a ‘difficult year’
“I lost a good friend a year ago on Friday and, although I’ve never spoken about it, I think it shook me a little bit. But it’s so good to be back here with an unbelievable horse”
“I’ve had to play the numbers game for a long time now to find these top class ones but at the same time I’m trying to cut down the numbers so that you can see me perform the way I performed this weekend. For me, this is the biggest and hardest to win 4* in the world so it means the world to me”
Oliver moved up from sixth after the dressage into the top spot after an impressive cross country yesterday ride on a horse that has never competed at 4* level before.
Oliver Townend
Hug time for two top mums - Tina Cook and Piggy French
“No, I don’t think I will win” said Piggy French, at that point in third place, but she came very close. However second place was still a fantastic result for the lady who took a year off to have baby Max then returned to the sport with a renewed passion that has been rewarded with top results all year at all levels
Piggy and Vanir Kamira produced a clear round, one of only four in the afternoon session, to complete on a score of 46.9, having moved up from ninth after the dressage and fifth after cross country when they incurred just 3.2 time penalties
Gemma Tattersall and Arctic Soul
Gemma Tattersall has struggled with a bad cold for the past few days but hopefully a podium finish will help her to recover somewhat quicker. Gemma was a little bit disappointed with a rail down in the show jumping after a fantastic cross country performance yesterday, to finish on a score 47 and take third place
Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser finished in fourth place, making it a very British line up. 16 year old Tom and the 10 year old Toledo de Kerser moved up from seventh place after cross country with a double clear show jumping round
“He’s a quirky horse” says Tom “He hated warming up here with all the other horses around him but you just have to work that out. But I am delighted with that round, he just popped around and made it feel like child’s play”
Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy
New Zealand’s Tim Price broke the British hold at Burghley, finishing in fifth place on a score of 51.5 but, although delighted with how Ringwood Sky Boy had recovered after cross country, he would have preferred to win! We spoke to Tim as he watched the last few riders in the show jumping arena
The USA also flew the flag in the top six with Lynn Symansky and Donner finishing in sixth place on 53.1
Paul Tapner and Bonza King of Rouges
Paul Tapner was the only Australian in the afternoon session of show jumping, finishing in 19th place on Bonza King of Rouges and he is planning on shaving off a few penalties before Badminton next year
