Oliver Townend

{{Short description|British equestrian sportsman}} {{More citations needed|date=July 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox equestrian | name = Oliver David Townend [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] | image = File:Oliver Townend - Cooley Master Class - 1 - Gelände EM Vielseitigkeit 2019.JPG | image_size = | alt = | caption = Townend and ''Cooley Master Class'', 2019 European Eventing Championship | nationality = {{GBR}} | discipline = [[Eventing]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|11|15|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Huddersfield]], [[Yorkshire]], England | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | [[Equestrianism|Equestrian]]}} {{MedalCountry | {{GBR2}} }} {{MedalOlympic}} [[File:Olympic rings.svg|center|80px]] {{MedalGold|[[2020 Summer Olympics|2020 Tokyo]]|[[Equestrian at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Team eventing|Team eventing]]}} {{Medal|Competition|[[European Eventing Championship|European Championships]]}} {{MedalGold|[[European Eventing Championships|2007 Pratoni del Vivaro]]|Team Eventing}} {{MedalGold|[[European Eventing Championships|2009 Fontainebleau]]|Team Eventing}} {{MedalGold|[[European Eventing Championships|2017 Strzegom]]|Team Eventing}} {{MedalSilver|[[European Eventing Championships|2019 Luhmühlen]]|Team eventing}} }}

'''Oliver David Townend''' (born 15 November 1982) is a British horse rider. He has represented Great Britain at the [[European Eventing Championships]], winning the team gold medals in 2007, 2009, and 2017.<ref name="hah2">{{cite web |title=Oliver Townend |url=https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/tag/oliver-townend |publisher=Horse & Hound}}</ref> He has also won competing in events such as the [[Badminton Horse Trials]], [[Burghley Horse Trials]], and the [[Kentucky Three-Day Event]].<ref name="scores2">{{cite web |title=Athlete Performance |url=https://data.fei.org/Person/Performance.aspx?p=70CB80908B1F32820A57DE4D9DB1726C |publisher=FEI Database}}</ref>

Townend represented Great Britain at the [[FEI World Equestrian Games|World Equestrian Games]] in 2006 and 2014.<ref name="erm2">{{cite web |title=OLIVER TOWNEND |url=https://eventridermasters.tv/competitors/oliver-townend |publisher=Event Rider Masters}}</ref><ref name="hac2">{{cite web |title=WEG cross-country: what happened where? |url=https://horseandcountry.tv/weg-cross-country-what-happened-where/ |publisher=Horse and Country}}</ref> He was the Event Rider Masters series champion in 2016<ref name="erm2"></ref> and has been ranked world number one in [[eventing]] twice, in 2009 and 2018.<ref name="teamgbr2">{{cite web |title=OLIVER TOWNEND IS NEW NUMBER ONE IN THE FEI WORLD EVENTING RANKINGS |url=https://www.equestrianteamgbr.co.uk/news/oliver-townend-is-new-number-one-in-the-fei-world-eventing-rankings/ |publisher=Team GBR Equestrian}}</ref> He has also been ranked number one British eventing rider on seven occasions since 2009.<ref name="yorkshirepost2">{{cite news |title=Townend enjoying 'best days' and door still open for Team GB |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/equestrian/exclusive-townend-enjoying-best-days-and-door-still-open-for-team-gb-1-9342502 |newspaper=Yorkshire Post}}</ref>

==Biography== [[File:310 Oliver Townend on Flint Curtis.jpg|thumb|Townend on ''Flint Curtis'' at the 2008 World Cup leg of Chatsworth]] Townend grew up in [[Scapegoat Hill]], near [[Huddersfield]] in [[West Yorkshire]].<ref>{{cite news |title=From 'Hillbilly' to the peaks of perfection |newspaper=[[The Sunday Telegraph]] |last=Chadband |first=Ian |date=18 April 2010 |url=https://www.olivertownend.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/SundayTelegraph18Apr10-HilbillyToPeaksODT.pdf}}</ref> He won the junior newcomers [[Show jumping|showjumping]] at the Horse of the Year Show with Cool Mule at age 11,<ref name="ft">{{cite web |title=Oliver Townend: My kingdom for a horse |work=Financial Times |date=5 September 2014 |url=https://www.ft.com/content/16218310-31e1-11e4-a19b-00144feabdc0}}</ref> rode in the pony [[European Eventing Championships]] at age 13,<ref name="hah2"></ref> and left school at 16 to pursue a career in riding and selling horses. His father was an event rider and his mother was a side-saddle rider.<ref name="bd2019">{{cite web |publisher=Badminton Horse Trials |title=Oliver Townend |url=https://www.badminton-horse.co.uk/biography/2019/oliver-townend/}}</ref>

In 2010, Townend suffered a rotational fall at the [[Rolex Kentucky Three Day]] in [[Lexington, Kentucky]], and was crushed by his horse. He broke his collarbone, shoulder bones, sternum, and four ribs, but credited his [[Air bag vest|airbag vest]] with minimizing his injuries.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Thomas |first1=Katie |date=23 August 2010 |title=Equestrians' Latest Safety Option Is the Air Bag |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/sports/24airbag.html |access-date=1 May 2019 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

Townend currently lives in [[Ellesmere, Shropshire]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Townend's golden moment |work=Shropshire Star |date=3 August 2021 |page=48}}Report of his win at the Tokyo Olympics.</ref>

He was appointed [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) in the [[2022 New Year Honours]] for services to equestrianism.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=63571|supp=y|page=N25|date=1 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/59828368 |title=New Year Honours 2022: Jason Kenny receives a knighthood and Laura Kenny made a dame |date=31 December 2021 |work=BBC Sport}}</ref>

=== Whip use === Townend has received several warnings for excessive whip use during competitions and for riding fatigued horses.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eventingnation.com/oliver-townend-given-recorded-warning-by-fei-following-badminton-elimination/ |title=Oliver Townend Given Recorded Warning by FEI Following Badminton Elimination |date=2023-05-11 |first=Tilly |last=Berendt |access-date=2024-11-15}}</ref> He received warnings for "abuse of the horse" in 2014, and for "abuse of the horse and wrong use of the whip" at [[Floors Castle]] in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-07 |title=Oliver Townend Apologizes for Badminton Whip Controversy |url=https://horsesport.com/horse-news/townend-badminton-whip-controversy/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Horse Sport |language=en-CA}}</ref> In 2018, he received an official warning for “abuse of horse/excessive use of the whip” at the [[Badminton Horse Trials]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cuckson |first=Pippa |date=2018-05-07 |title='It didn't look good': Oliver Townend apologises again for whip misuse at Badminton Horse Trials |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/equestrianism/2018/05/07/oliver-townend-apologises-whip-misuse-badminton-horse-trials/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> He subsequently lost two sponsors and apologized.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-15 |title=Sponsors drop world number one Townend after Badminton whipping scandal |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1065083/sponsors-drop-world-number-one-townend-after-badminton-whipping-scandal |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=www.insidethegames.biz}}</ref> He received further warnings for whip use at the [[Blair Castle]] International Horse Trials in 2018 and at an indoor horse trial competition in Stockholm in 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-03 |title=Oliver Townend given warning for whip use at Blair |url=https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/oliver-townend-given-another-warning-whip-use-663442 |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Horse & Hound |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Berendt |first=Tilly |title=Oliver Townend Given Recorded Warning by FEI Following Badminton Elimination - Eventing Nation - Three-Day Eventing News, Results, Videos, and Commentary |url=https://eventingnation.com/oliver-townend-given-recorded-warning-by-fei-following-badminton-elimination/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=eventingnation.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and was disciplined by the [[Federation Equestre International|FEI]] for dangerous riding at [[Badminton Horse Trials]] in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Autry |first=Jenni |title=Oliver Townend Responds to Public Outrage Over Whip Use at Badminton - Eventing Nation - Three-Day Eventing News, Results, Videos, and Commentary |url=https://eventingnation.com/oliver-townend-responds-to-public-outrage-over-whip-use-at-badminton/ |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=eventingnation.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Winning International Championships== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! colspan="11" align="center" | '''Results''' |- ! Year ! Event ! Horse ! Placing !Notes |- | 2007 ||European Championships | Flint Curtis ||{{Gold01}} |Team |- |2009 |European Championships |Flint Curtis |{{Gold01}} |Team |- |2017 |European Championships |Willingapark Cooley |{{Gold01}} |Team |- |2019 |European Championships |Cooley Master Class |{{Silver02}} |Team |- |2020 |World Young Horse Championships |Cooley Rosalent |{{Silver02}} |CCI** |- |2021 |[[2020 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] |Ballaghmor Class |{{Gold01}} |Team |- | colspan="11" align="center" | EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew |}

==Notable horses== *'''Flint Curtis'''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Past Horses – Oliver Townend |url=https://www.olivertownend.com/category/past-horses/ |access-date=2024-11-20 |language=en-US}}</ref> **2006 Badminton Horse Trials third place **2007 & 2009 European Championships – team gold **2009 Badminton Horse Trials winner *'''Carousel Quest'''<ref name=":0" /> **2009 Burghley Horse Trials winner *'''Armarda'''<ref name=":0" /> **2014 Badminton Horse Trials runner-up *'''Willingapark Cooley'''<ref name=":0" /> **2017 European Championships – team gold **2018 Badminton Horse Trials runner-up *'''Cillnabraden Evo'''<ref name=":0" /> ** Badminton 5* dressage record holder (19.7) *'''Ballaghmor Class'''<ref name=":0" /> **2017 Burghley Horse Trials winner **2018 Burghley Horse Trials runner-up **2019 Badminton Horse Trials runner-up **2019 Burghley Horse Trials runner-up **2021 Kentucky Horse Trials winner **2020 Olympic Games – team gold, individual 5th **2023 Badminton Horse Trials runner-up **2023 Burghley Horse Trials winner **2024 Maryland 5* winner *'''Cooley Master Class'''<ref name=":0" /> **2018 & 2019 Kentucky Horse Trials winner **2019 European Championships – team silver, individual 9th **2021 Maryland Horse Trials runner-up *'''Swallow Springs'''<ref name=":0" /> **2022 Badminton Horse Trials third place *'''As Is'''<ref name=":0" /> **2022 Maryland Horse Trials third place *'''Cooley Rosalent'''<ref name=":0" /> **2020 World Young Horse 6-Year-Old runner-up **2023 Maryland Horse Trials third place *'''Tregilder'''<ref name=":0" /> **2023 Pau 5* runner-up

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.olivertownend.com/}} * {{FEI}} * {{Olympedia}} * {{Olympics.com profile|oliver-townend}} * {{Team GB}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Townend, Oliver}} [[Category:British event riders]] [[Category:1982 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Huddersfield]] [[Category:British male equestrians]] [[Category:Equestrians at the 2020 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Olympic equestrians for Great Britain]] [[Category:Olympic medalists in equestrian]] [[Category:Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain]] [[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Animal cruelty incidents]] [[Category:21st-century British sportsmen]]