Oliver Townend takes the lead at Badminton with best dressage score in 18 years

Oliver Townend is the leader after the dressage at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, on the event’s best score in 18 years.

Oliver was riding Ballaghmor Class, who took him to victory at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials last year. This is only the 10 year-old gelding’s second four-start event, but Oliver never doubted his talent.

Their score of 20.8 puts them 2.8pen ahead of Mark Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody in second place.

“He’s very special,” said Oliver. “He came out at Burghley and did what we thought he was capable of, but we were going into the unknown.

“Now we’re not in the unknown, but that’s often when they go the wrong way, because they know what’s coming and know the atmosphere and crowd. But he came to me 100 per cent.”

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