Lanfranco to Oliver Townend

I really like Ollie and he is very good with difficult horses. Will be nice to see how this goes. I'd love for him to have a shot at the Olympic team :)
 
OT is hardworking and very talented. He sees the positive in horses and is grateful for the opportunity to bring the best out of them. People should admire his work ethic and ambition. The only people who ridicule him are those who feel challenged by his success.
 
bluesky1 said:
OT is hardworking and very talented. He sees the positive in horses and is grateful for the opportunity to bring the best out of them. People should admire his work ethic and ambition. The only people who ridicule him are those who feel challenged by his success.
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I don't think anyone one here was ridiculing him??
Whole thread is very complimentary to OT!
 
In my opinion OT is a bit of a master at getting a tune out of a tricky horse - a different approach could well be the making of the horse, only time will tell. But I wish them the best of luck. :)
 
bluesky1 said:
OT is hardworking and very talented. He sees the positive in horses and is grateful for the opportunity to bring the best out of them. People should admire his work ethic and ambition. The only people who ridicule him are those who feel challenged by his success.
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I don't think anyone's done that. Personally, I don't like his style of riding and if I were an owner I wouldn't be sending a horse to him but he is very hardworking and deserves all of his success
 
IMO, like Andrew Nicholson, Oliver Townend has stickability . . . and I do think he gets a tune out of tricky horses . . . but I wonder why he is taking on so many of other people's rejects - including Andrew Nicholson's former ride, Armada. Yes, Lanfranco did a decent dressge test for Oli this weekend . . . but there are three phases in eventing. Armada did a lovely test for him at Badminton - and Oli piloted him round beautifully . . . but Armada has always been tricky to showjump . . . and I'm not convinced that Oli can fix his (Armada's) tendency to rack up a cricket score in that phase.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not sure Oli's strategy of taking on other people's tricky rides is necessarily a good one.

P
 
PolarSkye said:
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not sure Oli's strategy of taking on other people's tricky rides is necessarily a good one.

P
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While I see your point, OT was second at Badminton last year with Armada, better than Andrew Nicholson managed with him. If OT only manages to get the full potential out of a fraction of the tricky horses he takes on, that's still a way of getting world-class horses that other top riders aren't trying.
 
I think if you're offered a tricky but talented horse that you get on with, it's worth taking the chance, especially as at the moment OT doesn't have much horsepower at the very top level. I have done this in the past - I'll take a complicated or careless horse I get on with over a talentless one any day within reason. He said how much he enjoyed riding Armada compared to some of his other rides. I think OT is doing well for himself atm so the strategy does seem to work IMO.

PS - if I were his mother I would agree with you, but as a fellow competitor I'm afraid I don't haha!
 
He has a very good work ethic, his mum and dad has always drummed that into him, Alan has a fantastic way with horses that people give up on so I'm sure with oli and Alan they will get the best they possibly can out of him. The number of ponies and now horses oli has had has taught him so much over the years. I've seen first hand horses people have totally given up on and they have brought out the best in them.
 
Magnetic Sparrow said:
While I see your point, OT was second at Badminton last year with Armada, better than Andrew Nicholson managed with him. If OT only manages to get the full potential out of a fraction of the tricky horses he takes on, that's still a way of getting world-class horses that other top riders aren't trying.
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I completely agree with you - he does seem to get a tune out of difficult horses . . . I'm more questioning taking on horses who don't seem to be equipped to do well enough at all three phases (like Armada with his very inconsistent/questionable showjumping).

P
 
OT was a very successful junior SJ'er. I don't think 2nd at Badminton is a shoddy result. OT is perhaps better equipped than some eventers to redress the problem.
 
Thistle said:
OT was a very successful junior SJ'er. I don't think 2nd at Badminton is a shoddy result. OT is perhaps better equipped than some eventers to redress the problem.
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I wasn't questioning OT's ability as a SJer, nor did I say that 2nd at Badminton was a shoddy result . . . I was merely questioning the wisdom of taking on an event horse (Armada, specifically) who has visibly struggled in the SJ phase (still does - this year's Badminton SJ round wasn't great) . . . it might pay off, it might not . . . I just wonder why OT, with his obvious talents feels the need to mop up other people's "rejects" . . . ?

P
 
PolarSkye said:
I wasn't questioning OT's ability as a SJer, nor did I say that 2nd at Badminton was a shoddy result . . . I was merely questioning the wisdom of taking on an event horse (Armada, specifically) who has visibly struggled in the SJ phase (still does - this year's Badminton SJ round wasn't great) . . . it might pay off, it might not . . . I just wonder why OT, with his obvious talents feels the need to mop up other people's "rejects" . . . ?

P
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Well OT doesn't seem to have 4* horses coming out of his ears, so presumably he feels that an inconsistent 4* horse is worth having... clearly occasionally it pays off big time. He's not quite in the position of WFP/AN who can turn down rides on anything not capable of winning gold medals. I can't imagine he's turning down the rides on better horses to concentrate on Armada...
 
^^ I was just thinking the same Jo. I don't know OT's personal circumstances but I'd hazard that it's similar to how it's easier to find a job when you are already employed than when unemployed... SOME kind of 4* form is probably better than none when it comes to attracting top rides, and if all he's got access to is tricky 4* horses at the moment, then he'll just have to make the best of it :D
 
Jo_x said:
Well OT doesn't seem to have 4* horses coming out of his ears, so presumably he feels that an inconsistent 4* horse is worth having... clearly occasionally it pays off big time. He's not quite in the position of WFP/AN who can turn down rides on anything not capable of winning gold medals. I can't imagine he's turning down the rides on better horses to concentrate on Armada...
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But I read somewhere that he has 51 rides - or is that a fabrication? They can't all be tricky, surely? How much attention can he give all of those - bearing in mind that some may be youngsters, etc. No, he's not in the same position as WFP and AN (or others), but it seems a risky strategy to fill your barn with tricky ones rather than holding out for one or two really good, solid performers - or am I mad? Harry Meade is short of rides at the minute . . . but I get the sense that he's being patient and waiting. Ditto other younger riders . . .

. . . I understand why he's taking the line he is . . . I'm just not 100% sure it's a sound strategy . . . but I'm willing to be proved wrong ;).

P
 
PolarSkye said:
But I read somewhere that he has 51 rides - or is that a fabrication? They can't all be tricky, surely? How much attention can he give all of those - bearing in mind that some may be youngsters, etc. No, he's not in the same position as WFP and AN (or others), but it seems a risky strategy to fill your barn with tricky ones rather than holding out for one or two really good, solid performers - or am I mad? Harry Meade is short of rides at the minute . . . but I get the sense that he's being patient and waiting. Ditto other younger riders . . .

. . . I understand why he's taking the line he is . . . I'm just not 100% sure it's a sound strategy . . . but I'm willing to be proved wrong ;).

P
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Seems pretty sound to me - he has plenty of lower grade horses coming up the levels too, and keeps his eye in at 4* in the mean time - if you have lots of horses but not many at top level, I imagine the extra effort is minimal relative to the benefits. He's had a top ten finish at 4 of his 7 4*s with Armada... that's a pretty solid performance I'd think?
 
Armada and OT where the third highest place british combination at badminton not a result to be sneezed at .

And I do think Faracat has a point perhaps he enjoys these experienced complex horses.
 
PolarSkye said:
. . . I understand why he's taking the line he is . . . I'm just not 100% sure it's a sound strategy . . . but I'm willing to be proved wrong ;).

P
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Can i ask why you think it isn't a sound strategy?

I personally think its a fairly smart move - if your lacking in 4* horse power and people are offering you rides, albeit quirky - if you can get a tune out of them and get some good results, maybe not so constantly but results all the same, your getting your name out there/ keep knocking on the doors as it were and hopefully attracting owners of less quirky horses. Probably more so than lying low until a more desirable horse presents itself?
 
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