It really isn’t often, if at all, that I am lost for words. But it’s 8.30pm on a Sunday evening, I’ve just walked in the door after a 3.5hr journey home from a brilliant weekend Eventing….
Well almost perfect - it all went to plan, the special one delivered a faultless performance to win his second consecutive International class this season, taking victory in the CCI4*S class.
Cillnabradden Evo & Oliver Townend, post a clear showjumping round on their way to winning the CCI4*S class at Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market International Horse Trials, September 2020
Amazingly that was Gary’s 8th International win of his Eventing career and his 19th including National classes.
Cillnabradden Evo & Oliver Townend , on their way to winning the CCI4*S class at Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market International Horse Trials, September 2020
But that afternoon whilst in the midst of the 8/9Yo class, shortly after the elation of Gary’s win and the near-collapse that chasing him around the track had bought on, I received the news that I’d denied would ever come.
You know that good things must come to the inevitable end, but when they have been this good, it’s a hard pill to swallow.
Later yesterday evening, amidst the final preparations for the CCI4*S prize giving, (probably his second biggest fan) Oliver announced that we had witnessed the final appearance of this enigmatic star on course. For Gorgeous Gary was retiring, aptly at the top of the sport and bowing out on a high.
I have been a complete fan since his early career with Andrew Nicholson - I’ve been lucky to follow his progression over the last seven or so seasons, it’s been an emotional rollercoaster and I am forever grateful for a chance meeting with Andrew & Sally Anne at Barbury that led to an even closer following of this special boy.
Cillnabradden Evo & Andrew Nicholson, Festival of British Eventing, August 2014
Gorgeous Gary has taken me on a memorable journey as his number one fan, he has taken me to courses I’d only ever dreamed of attending. It has been a complete pleasure to follow him all the way from the Highlands of Scotland to the French Pyrenees. He pushed me to be fitter, so I could cover more ground to get him at more and more fences each time and pushed me to be a better photographer.
The most beautiful of horses and so talented - and boy does he know it, the way he would swagger into a warm up with such presence and confidence, which made spotting him from a distance an easy task. I shall miss those pricked ears always looking for the next fence and that happy expression he always had on his face when travelling across the country.
Cillnabradden Evo & Oliver Townend, Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials, May 2019
When you have so many memories, it’s hard to pick out the most memorable but here goes:
Badminton - watching his record/breaking dressage test I’m the main arena. Standing in the photographer pen when he did his final halt and someone saying ‘well we expected him to take the lead but were we expecting such a score’ and little old me piping up at the back ‘yes, he did an 18.9 last time out’. A devout fan as always.
Weston Park - That 18.9 dressage in a quiet Shropshire field was even more spectacular than Badminton, I am just sad that not more people were there to witness it
Pau - for all that it ended on paper as not the result that we all hoped for, he delivered his usual foot-perfect dressage and bossed his way almost all the way around a tough 5 star track with ease until that fateful swan caught him out - a memorable trip and I’ll be forever thankful to Charlotte his groom for sharing him for a few quiet minutes so I could have some Gary cuddles in the stables
Cillnabradden Evo & Oliver Townend, Pau, October 2018
Event Riders Masters 2016 - for showing the world he was an Eventing legend and four-star machine, helping Oliver to win the series that year
This special boy who has given everyone such a wonderful journey, thoroughly deserves to retire safe and sound to enjoy his days and I applaud both his owner & Oliver for coming to this decision.
Gary I will miss your beautiful silhouette galloping across some of the greatest tracks of Eventing but I’ll be happy knowing you bowed out at the top of your game, after a stellar winning performance - a class act as always.
They say form is temporary but class is permanent - Gary you have been the classiest horse I have and probably will ever know.
Cillnabradden Evo & Oliver Townend, Oasby 2 Horse Trials, October 2018
Thank you to his wonderful owner Sally Anne Egginton for putting up with my fan-girling and allowing me to follow him so closely, to Oliver and all at Team Townend for allowing me access to him, to Charlotte his hard-working groom who let me share cuddles with him and most of all to Gary, thank you for the most amazing Eventing journey I could have wished for.
Enjoy your retirement Gary, you’ll be treated like the king you are.
A few photo highlights from a magical eventing career…
