Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class win Maryland: ‘I wish he could carry on for another 10 years so we could retire together’

Oliver Townend topped the Mars Maryland 5 Star results today for Britain, claiming his ninth five-star title and a fourth win at the level for the all-time great Ballaghmor Class.

The 17-year-old grey – owned by Karyn Shuter, Val Ryan and Angela Hislop – could not afford a fence down to hold his spot today and put in one of his best ever showjumping performances, never looking like touching a pole. He becomes the third horse in the history of the sport to win four or more five-star titles.

“He’s just phenomenal and it’s my job to show the world how good he is and luckily I didn’t mess this one up,” said Oliver.

“A lot of rubbish has been spoken about his showjumping over the years – he’s usually in a grass arena in mud going last, when it’s almost an unfair playing field, but when you put him on a surface like Kentucky where he won or here, he’s a different level.”

This was Oliver’s fourth visit to Maryland in four renewals of the five-star and he has finished second once and third twice on his previous visits.

“I was praying not to finish on the podium again. To bring Ballaghmor Class here comes with its own pressure, we expect to deliver, but when you see the other competitors and how good they are – I saw Tim [Price] warm up and thought I could do with swapping horses right now.”

But Oliver’s incredible partner came through for him today and his emotion around this superb horse has been clear all week.

“I just wish he could carry on for another 10 years so we could retire together,” he said. “You’ve seen what he’s done, he’s a monster – he’s a monster at home to look after, but when it comes to doing his job, there’s no better horse in the world.”

Maryland 5 Star results: Doel takes third

Oliver’s compatriot David Doel was the unfortunate loser of today’s showjumping phase. Galileo Nieuwmoed just tapped out the middle part of the treble at fence six to drop one spot to third. This was the pair’s second podium spot at five-star after second at Burghley Horse Trials last year and their sixth top-10 result at the level.

New Zealand’s Tim Price – winner here in 2022 with Coup De Coeur Dudevin – was third overnight with his own and Sue Benson’s Falco and moved up to finish second. The 2021 Pau Horse Trials winner and world double bronze medallist delivered an extremely secure clear today.

The riders placed fourth to eighth – all representing the home side except for Britain’s Bubby Upton – held their order in the Maryland 5 Star results through the final phase today.

Buck Davidson, fourth on Sorocaima, knocked the middle part of the treble at six and the first part of the Mars double at 12, as well as adding 0.4 of a time-fault.

He kept his place ahead of Bubby. She and Cola just knocked the last fence, the oxer at 13.

Jennie Brannigan also had the last down, as well as the front rail off the oxer at four, and finished two seconds over the time to land sixth with Twilightslastgleam.

Emily Hamel (Corvett) and Lillian Heard Wood (LCC Barnaby) both jumped clear, with Lillian adding 0.4 of a time-fault, to claim seventh and eighth.

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