Defender Kentucky, USA
OLIVER TOWNEND achieved a first five-star win for an extraordinarily long-standing owner, made an assault on Olympic selection and set up a Rolex Grand Slam attempt, all in a few gloriously sunny days in the Bluegrass State.
Disappointingly eighth after dressage, he and Cooley Rosalent appeared too far off the pace. But they clawed their way up, securing victory with a clear showjumping round as their two British rivals ahead of them clipped a fence each.
It is hard to believe that "Rosie" is only 10 - this was her third five-star.
"She's tough, female, not mare-y but knows what she wants," said Oliver, who bought her from Cooley Farm himself as a "raw, stringy" four-yearold. She is by Valent out of the Roselier mare Bellaney Jewel.
"It's rare to see a horse with so much thoroughbred trot like she did. When I found out her sire was jumping 1.60m and her mother won a Scottish Borders National, I thought I was in a dream," said Oliver. "I wasn't in the business of buying expensive four-year-olds and luckily Paul Ridgeon bought her from me two weeks later."
Paul and Diana Ridgeon have owned event horses for some 45 years; they are owners that Oliver "inherited" from Andrew Nicholson.
"Paul wasn't that enthused about paying for her to come to Kentucky, but we twisted his arm and it's his first five-star win," said Oliver. "He's 92 years old so this makes me incredibly happy for an old man, more so than for myself."
This was a 100th five-star start for Oliver - he is only the third event rider to reach that milestone, after William FoxPitt and Andrew Nicholson and an eighth five-star win. He now goes for one of the sport's ultimate prizes in the Rolex Grand Slam at Badminton, after winning Burghley last year.
"I've been in this position twice before and the first time
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