‘We’ll miss him’: five-star horse steps down for Pony Club rider – as Olympic medallist returns to action

Tregilder, the five-star ride of Oliver Townend, has retired from the top level – while fan favourite Ballaghamor Class has returned to action.

The Hazeldines’ 14-year-old gelding Tregilder has bowed out sound and well to become a schoolmaster for 14-year-old Emily Hazeldine – and have already won their first rosette together.

“He’s been very good for us and the owners were starting to look for horses for their granddaughter, and I said ‘Well you’ve already got one’,” Oliver told H&H.

Oliver and Tregilder were second at the 2023 Pau five-star and ninth at last year’s Luhmühlen five-star. The pair have finished in the top 10 at four-star 10 times, including winning the Burgham CCI4*-S in 2023 and Blair Castle CCI4*-S (then CIC***) in 2018. They were also seventh in the one-off Bicton five-star in 2021.

“He was second at Pau last year and I thought it was a very good achievement for him, plus he’d won at four-star level and I like them to finish sound and well,” said Oliver.

“We sent Tregilder up to the Hazeldines’ and he’s been absolutely lovely with Emily. She’s got a very nice horse to get some experience on.”

Emily and Tregilder have been enjoying themselves at Pony Club.

“The Hazeldines have owned him since he was four years old; there was no point in them going out looking for a horse when they already own one that has achieved as much as he has,” said Oliver.

“He’s been a very good horse all the way through his career. I’ve always enjoyed riding him and he’s one that has continued to improve throughout. I was glad to get a good result at Pau which was a nice way for him to finish. We thought ‘Let’s retire him to a quieter life with a bit less pressure’.

“Like all five-star horses you spend an awful lot of time with them so you always wonder what you could win with them if you kept going, but at the same time he’s done enough. We’ll miss him on the yard because he’s like a pet, and I’ll miss riding him because he’s a very nice horse to sit on. He’d done more than enough for us and I’m happy he’s moved on to the next stage in his life.”

BALLAGHMOR CLASS IS BACK

Oliver’s top five-star ride and Olympic gold medallist 17-year-old Ballaghmor Class has returned to action after missing much of the spring season. The pair were second in the Cornbury open intermediate on 12 September, posting a 20.9 dressage, and just picked up four time-penalties across country.

“In my mind he’s still improving, he’s unbelievable,” said Oliver.

“We’ve obviously had minor setbacks. And I nearly gave him too much time off – he came back a bit well and definitely too fresh, but yet again he’s just a freak of nature in terms of he came out, led the dressage which had a lot of five-star horses in it, and jumped double clear.

“How can you put it into words? I’m very conscious that I’d like to finish him the right way, but the way he feels, we’re a long way from that day yet.”

Oliver said Ballaghmor Class was initially out with a deep-rooted hoof abscess, followed by a “minor issue”, but has been right for some time.

“I didn’t want to start him for no reason – he’d missed the spring season, and he’s not had a serious amount of time off in his entire career, so once we’d missed the spring I said let’s give him the time,” said Oliver, adding that Ballaghmor Class will compete in the dressage and showjumping at Allerton this weekend, then the Little Downham CCI4*-S (5-6 October).

“After that I’ll discuss with his owners which direction we’re going. He’s very established and riding those established ones in all three phases is just a different world.”

Oliver added that Cooley Rosalent is “feeling well”, following their fall at Burghley, while Oliver described himself as “on the mend” after breaking his collarbone in a fall at Frickley Park, two weeks before Burghley.

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