Biography

The 2020 British Olympic team gold medallist Oliver Townend (42), who is based near Ellesmere in Shropshire, is a former winner of Badminton (2009) and has achieved 18 completions of the event.

In 2023 – his last visit – he was second with his Olympic gold medal partner Ballaghmor Class – entered this year also. The pair won the 5* in Elkton Maryland last October. In 2023 they gained a second win at Burghley having previously won in 2017. The pair has also won Lexington 2021 and took team Olympic gold in Tokyo (2020).

It will be a first Badminton for the grey mare Cooley Roselant winner of the 2024 Lexington 5* and then 16^th at Pau after the disappointment of a non-completion at Burghley 2024.  She completed her first two 5* events in 2023 (Luhmuhlen and Lexington) and won the 8/9 year-old 4* championship class at Blenheim.

One of the busiest riders on the circuit, Oliver is currently ranked #8 in the FEI world rider ranking (01/04/2025).

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 who 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 Class was a member of the British team for the European Championships in Pratoni (16^th).

Cooley Rosalent owned by Paul Ridgeon is an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare. Bred by JW Rosbotham she is by Valent out of Bellaney Jewel by Roselier. In 2020 with Oliver, she was 2^nd in the World 6-year-old championship and the following year 7^th in the 7-year-old class. In 2023 the combination won the 8/9-year-old 4*L at Blenheim and finished the year with 3^rd place in the 5* at Elkton. In 2024 she was the winner of the 5* at Lexington.

Ballaghmor Class (aka Thomas) is an 18-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 & 2023), won Lexington 5* (2021) Elkton5* and team gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games. In 2019 the pair was 2^nd at Badminton and again in 2023.