Friday, 30 January 2026
On Thursday 29 January, Oliver Townend announced the retirement of his stalwart campaigner, Ballaghmor Class, at the age of 19.
The grey gelding – owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan – is one of the most successful eventing horses in history.
Ballaghmor Class was bred in Ireland by Noel Hicky, sired by the Holsteiner stallion Courage II. Known as Thomas, he joined Oliver’s Shropshire yard as a young horse and began his eventing career towards the end of the 2012 season, when he finished third in a BE100, before going international in 2014. Numerous top 10 placings followed over the next few years before Thomas made his CCI5* debut at Burghley in 2017, which he went on to win at just 10 years old.
This victory very much set the tone for the next phase of Thomas’ career, where he proved himself to be one of the most consistent horses at the highest level of the sport. Over the course of 10 seasons, he achieved top five placings in all but two of his 12 non-championship CCI5* starts, winning four of them (Burghley 2017, Kentucky 2021, Burghley 2023, Maryland 2024).
His senior championship debut came at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where he and Oliver helped the British team take gold and finished fifth individually. The combined team score was the lowest in the history of the modern Games.
Oliver and Thomas featured on the nominated entry lists for a further two European Championships (2023 and 2025) and were part of the British team at the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, where they finished 16th individually.
The pair’s final event together was Pau CCI5* in October 2025, where they finished in 21st place.
“Thomas has been one of the most successful event horses in history, and a phenomenal partner and teammate to me,” said Oliver in his online statement.
“Thank you to Thomas’s owners, Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan, for supporting the fantastic journey that we have all been on together with this incredibly special horse, and to our team who have looked after him so beautifully over the last 14 years.”
The gelding will live out his days at Oliver’s yard, staying in light work to keep him happy and following the same management routine as he has for most of his life.
“Thomas is a true eventing legend. He has fans within the sport, but also from outside the equestrian community,” commented British Equestrian Eventing Performance Manager Richard Waygood. “When he came out of the start box, you knew he would give Oliver every fibre of his body and he would, most importantly, give him his whole heart – as a combination, nothing would be left on the table, and you knew that they’d fight to the very end.
“It’s been an absolute privilege to be a small part of their journey and to be there to witness some of the great results that they’ve had over the years. Stalwarts of the British team, Oliver and Thomas so often put us in the position to win medals and come home with a big smile on our faces. I’ll always remember him as that wonderful-moving grey horse, with cadence, elasticity, power and, most of all, his big heart.
“I think I speak for all the World Class Programme team when I wish Thomas a long and happy retirement, secure in the knowledge of all that he’s given us over the years.”
An official retirement ceremony will take place in the Main Arena at Burghley Horse Trials on Sunday 6 September 2026. The venue has been a happy hunting ground for Oliver and Thomas, who never finished off the podium in their four visits and have won the event twice.