PrintOliver Townend could be described as Great Britain’s eventing phenom or the bad boy of the sport. He’s fought hard to break into the elite ranks of the British eventers but often found himself selling his best horses to pay the bills. He rode as an individual at the European Championships at Blenheim (England) in 2005 and again as an individual at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen (Germany). He made his first team appearance a winning one with team gold at the 2007 European Championships in Pratoni (Italy). He’s never hesitated to state his opinion along the way.
In 2009, he won the Badminton CCI**** (England) on Flint Curtis and the Burghley CCI**** (England) on Carousel Quest. This 27-year-old from Ellesmere, Shropshire, Great Britain, sat down with the press to talk about his plans for 2010 and the pressure to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing.
Question: Which horses are you going to be taking to Kentucky?
Oliver Towend: The horse that is going to Kentucky for definite is a new ride of mine called Ashdale Cruise Master. I’ve only had the horse for a bit more than two months. He’s done two Burghley four-stars with his previous rider Emily Gilruth.
He’s another gray gelding by Cruising out of a Master Imp mare. He’s a really classy animal. He’s 11 years old. I’ve got a lot of confidence in the horse. He’s a horse that I’ve watched for a couple of years now and always thought he was fantastic. Emily became pregnant and has just had a child, which is the reason I’ve got the ride on the horse. The horse belongs to Henry and Edna Harding.
Q. Why have you chosen that horse and not Carousel Quest or Flint Curtis?
A. We decided a month ago that it probably wasn’t in Carousel Quest and Flint Curtis’ best interests to travel to the other end of the world at this stage in their life and their career. We’re going to give them a quieter time, seeing as they’ve been the main two boys for the last few years in my yard. We’re going to save them.
Possibly they’ll turn up at Kentucky later in the year at the World Equestrian Games. But we really decided they were going to take a step back this spring and give some of the younger, more up-and-coming horses a chance to come through and prove how good they are.
Although I’ve only just got the ride on Ashdale Cruise Master, he is without doubt an outstanding horse. The only problem for me at this point in time is the dressage, and, obviously, getting to know him. The dressage is his weak phase. To win the likes of Rolex Kentucky, then we need a good dressage. Apart from that, he’s a very good jumper. He’s got plenty of scope and plenty of gallop. We’re very positive for him.
Q. Given the success you had on Flint and Carousel last year, was there a strong temptation to go with either of them to Kentucky?
A. That temptation is there, but at the same time, I really do believe in this new horse. He’s been a talking horse for quite some time within the riders in Great Britain. Everybody’s had their eye on him and said he’s really got the potential. At the minute, for whatever reason, he’s not fulfilled his potential. Hopefully it will be down to us forming a partnership to release all this potential and try and win the Grand Slam. To sit on him is a dream. I’ve been very fortunate.
