Oliver Townend scores consecutive wins in the Event Rider Masters

Oliver Townend has become the first rider to win back-to-back legs of the new Event Rider Masters series.

Riding Cillnabradden Evo, Oliver won the penultimate leg held at the Blair Castle Equi-Trek International Horse Trials in Scotland. The pair won the fourth leg at Gatcombe three weeks previously.

A double clear meant they added just 2.4 time penalties to their dressage score to finish on a winning score of 45.2pen.

Tom McEwen on Diesel took second place with 56.1pen, while Gemma Tattersall was third on Santiago Bay on a score of 57.7pen.

Oliver Townend took over the ride on Cillnabradden Evo from Andrew Nicholson,

Oliver Townend rides Cillnabradden Evo in the ERM CIC3* Dressage at 2016 Blair Castle Interntional Horse Trial (Interim-2ND). Saturday 27 August. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography

after Andrew’s cross-country fall when competing the horse at Gatcombe in 2015.

“He is a deceptively quick horse, who has a bit of chequered history with the cross-country, but we have worked hard on that and hopefully turned a corner,” said Oliver. “I couldn’t be happier for the horse and his owners today.”

Oliver will be taking the same horse to the final leg of the series at Blenheim (10-11 September), where he will be aiming to take the title from current leader Paul Tapner.

Paul Tapner, Oliver Townend, Gemma Tattersall Jonelle Price are all in with a strong chance of claiming the £30,000 prize for winning the series.

“I hope my horse Yogi Bear can pull something special out of the picnic basket at Blenheim in order to secure us the series!” said Paul.

In the other classes at Blair, Nicola Wilson won the CCI3* with Annie Clover, having led from day one.

Despite heading into the final showjumping phase with a three fences in hand, the pair knocked one fence and collected seven time penalties to reduce their winning margin to just 1.3 penalties.

“I’m thrilled to bits. She’s been so consistent at Three Day Events and she’s finally got the win she deserves,” said Nicola.

Flora Harris and Bayano were crowned Scottish Open Champions when they took top honours in the CIC3*. The pair were in second place after the showjumping, but set off on cross-country as leaders following Bill Levett and Improvise’s withdrawal.

Their final score of 42.8pen was some 7.4 penalties ahead of runners-up Oliver Townend and Dunbeau.

“That was one of the best rides I’ve ever had on him,” said Flora.

Caroline Clarke landed the CCI2* title with Touch Too Much, giving the rider her first international victory, while New Zealand’s Jonelle Price won the CCI1* from start to finish aboard the well-named nine-year-old, OBOS Impressive.

Watch highlights from Blair Castle on Horse & Country at 8pm on Friday 2 September