Eventing

Townend scoops the Event Rider Masters series

Oliver Townend (GBR) has been crowned the first Event Rider Masters Champion at the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials. Eleanore Kelly caught up with Oliver to hear what the win means for him and his yard and also to Alice Fox-Pitt about the future plans for ERM in 2017.

WATCH VIDEO:

(Apologies that the sounds gets a bit crackly when Alice speaks – the microphone wind shield blew off!)

Riding Cilnabradden Evo Oliver finished in second place in the individual leg of this weekend’s competition bringing his total series points to 100, securing him the overall ERM title and the £30,000 first prize.

Finishing in second in the 2016 series with 95 points and walking away £15,000 richer was Jonelle Price (NZ) and in third was Paul Tapner (AUS) on 93 points scooping £5,000.

Townend and Cillnabradden Evo have been unbeatable in the last two legs of the series winning leg’s four and five and they nearly won a third today after riding a clear showjumping round and accumulating just 0.8 time penalties on the cross-county to finish on a score of 46.5.

However, Thomas Carlile (FRA), who had to settle for second behind Townend in leg four, reversed the order this time to win the final competition of the 2016 ERM worth a total of £50,000.

The French dominated the top three on the ERM podium in the first leg and Carlile ensured they dominated the top spot at the series finale. Riding the eight year old grey stallion, the combination set out in pole position on the cross-country completing a superb round with no jumping faults and adding 2.4 penalties to finish on a score of 44.1.

With Townend in second spot, Jonelle Price (NZ) and Cloud Dancer took the third place on the podium on a score of 47.1.

Head over to INSTAGRAM for more photos from our weekend at the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trial.