Young British competitor takes over ride on two five-star event horses: ‘I’m grateful for the opportunity’

Young British rider Lizzie Baugh has taken over the ride on two five-star horses owned by Caunton Manor Stud, both of whom were previously ridden by Oliver Townend.

Caunton Manor executive director Victoria Wright told H&H it was “organically the right time to move on”; Oliver is based three hours from Caunton, and Victoria keen to have the horses at home.

“We were so lucky to have Oliver, he is one of the hardest-working people I know. He did the most wonderful job getting the horses to five-star level and they were lucky to have him on them at their first five-star at Pau,” said Victoria.

“It’s really exciting for Lizzie. I’ve known her since she was tiny as we all grew up in Caunton and I remember her on ponies hacking through the village. It felt right to support Lizzie, who is now getting up there with her career and in the need of some rides at five-star level. She’s local so it’s perfect so that the horses can all be at home.”

Victoria added that she believes it is important to support the next generation of riders.

“It’s really hard for the younger riders coming into the sport. It doesn’t seem as accessible as it used to be with owners, so it’s nice to be able to give Lizzie a chance,” she said. “It’s how the next generation can come through, the sport has to keep evolving and we’ve got to keep nurturing the young talent.”

New Caunton Manor Stud rider Lizzie Baugh, 27, has represented Britain at the young rider Europeans with Quarry Man and ridden clear cross-country jumping rounds at Burghley Horse Trials 2024 and Badminton Horse Trials 2025 with home-bred B Exclusive.

“It’s a really good opportunity and I feel like it’s come at a nice time for me to get up there with a string of horses at the top level,” said Lizzie, after her dressage test at Bramham today (5 June) with Piltown Concorde.

“Hopefully they’ll kind of pull along my younger ones such as this horse, who’s doing his first four-star here at Bramham, and run alongside him.”

With Oliver, 11-year-old En Taro Des Vernier was British intermediate champion and then 28th on his five-star debut at Pau Horse Trials last year.

En Taro Des Vernier was fourth in an open intermediate (OI) at Belsay last week with Lizzie, adding just 1.6 time-faults to their dressage score, having also jumped a steady double jumping clear hors concours in the intermediate at Aston-le-Walls earlier in the month.

Crazy Du Loir, who is 13, won two OIs last year with Oliver and finished 17th at her first five-star at Pau.

She and Lizzie finished third in an OI at Belsay last week, closing the competition on their dressage score, after eight showjumping faults and a steadier run across country on their first outing at Aston-le-Walls at the same level.

“They both had really good runs at Belsay,” said Lizzie. “I feel like I’m starting to get the gist of them. Obviously they’re experienced horses, and I’m probably more used to doing young horses right from the bottom and producing them up. To get on ones that know the job is quite a different game. But I’m enjoying getting to know them and really excited. They’re lovely horses and I’m so grateful to have the ride on them.”

Lizzie will ride both horses in the Alwnick Ford CCI3*-S (18-22 June).

Victoria added: “They’re new partnerships, she’s just starting to get to know the horses. There’s no pressure, we’ve told her to take her time and build the relationship with them. I think she’ll spend the majority of this season getting to know them and then we’ll probably make some plans of what next year might entail.

“I dare say she could potentially be a team rider in the future. With the right rides I think she’ll be knocking on the door. She deserves that, and she’ll certainly work hard to try and get there.”

Additional reporting by Becky Murray

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