Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class, 2018 Badminton Horse Trials.
© Kit Houghton
By Equestrian Life
World number one event rider Oliver Townend has come under fire following his cross country rides at Badminton over the weekend. Townend, who the weekend before won the Kentucky 3DE aboard Cooley Master Class, received official warnings at Badminton over his use of the whip on cross country on both Cooley SRS and Ballaghmor Class.
In a post-event interview, Townend responded to questions regarding the official FEI warning by saying:
“Kentucky last weekend felt fantastic and smooth for me, and I won it. Yesterday, I had to fight hard. I can win prettily and I can win ugly, and that is why I am seven times British number one and world number one at the minute… Of course you are going to get critics, but AP McCoy, Lester Piggott, Conor McGregor, it doesn’t matter who you are in sport… If you are at the top of your game, you are always going to get someone try and trample you.”
His remarks following the official warning did not go down well with many critics.
Following post-event scrutiny, Townend has released the following statement via his Facebook page:
“Having watched my Badminton cross-country rounds for the first time when I got home last night, I’m so disappointed and upset about the way I rode. It didn’t look good and I don’t want to look like that.
I fully accept the warning I received from the ground jury. My competitive instincts got the better of me and I will work hard to improve in this area.
I try really hard to give my horses the best ride possible – I try to be as fit as possible, to be as light as I can be, to sit as still as I can, to get them on the best strides and take-off points to minimise the energy they have to waste. I care enormously about their wellbeing and their welfare.
I feel I have let my amazing team down. I am aware of my position in the sport and of my responsibility to be a suitable role model to younger people, and I apologise to them.
I love my horses – I live for them. I am extremely proud of all four horses – Ballaghmor Class and Cooley SRS, and the two who went so brilliantly at Kentucky, Cooley Master Class and MHS King Joules – and of every horse on my yard.”
Despite the above apology, the social media backlash has continued. At time of writing, the above statement has received plenty of attention — 4.2K reactions, nearly 1k shares and more than 1k comments, with many of them critical of his ride.
Both of Townend’s horses jumped clear on the cross country and were passed fit to showjump. Cooley SRS jumped clean on the final day to finish second, while Ballaghmor Class lowered two rails to finish fifth. Townend narrowly missed out on the lucrative Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing after winning Burghley and Kentucky but just falling short at Badminton.
Jonelle Price and Classic Moet of NZ won the 2018 Badminton Horse Trials.
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