With their Champions Tour about to commence, H&C’s Jenny Rudall grabbed a few minutes with Geoff Billington and Oliver Townend to ask your questions and to find out who declares themselves the best rider and whether Oliver is single.

H&C speaks to Geoff Billington

H&C: How did the Champions Tour, which is now about to going into its second year come about?

GB: I’ve known Oliver for quite a while and we wanted to do something different to pull in the crowds, raise the profile of our sports and have some fun.

H&C: Why did you choose Oliver?

GB: We get on well and bounce off each other; I have wanted to do something different for a long while and he was an obvious choice.

H&C: Who is the better rider?

GB: ME! I can do the dressage and everything.

H&C: For those who went last year, we saw you do an impression of Oliver in the dressage, will we being seeing more impressions this year?

GB: Sure we will, you will have to wait and see.

H&C: Have your impressions ever got you into trouble?

GB: Yes, when I was doing Jan Topps he asked me to stop as he was at the time being investigated by the tax man and I happened to be doing his impression to Abba’s ‘Money, Money, Money’.  It didn’t go down well.

H&C: What’s your favourite food?

GB: Sea Food

H&C: In the last tour you did a trick with Oliver and a pint where he had to grab it off a wing while jumping the fence, will there be anything similar this time round?

GB: We haven’t decided yet but there will be lots of things in the show.

H&C: What’s your best hangover cure?

GB: Hair of the Dog.

As Jenny wrapped up the H&C interview with Geoff, she expected to be handed over to Oliver. Instead, Geoff hung up.  When she rang back, she was informed that Geoff assumed that as he had made it clear he was a far better rider than Oliver, he felt we would have no need to talk to him!

H&C speaks to Oliver Townend

H&C: What’s it like working with Geoff?

OT: A nightmare! Trying to get him to concentrate is impossible - he always wants to mess around.  He is an absolute nightmare even when he is TRYING to do dressage.

H&C: One our members on our Forum wants to know if you’re single?

OT: Err, yes... Sorry, I had to think about that.

H&C: Do you think amateurs should wear Point 2 air jackets eventing?

OT: It can’t hurt and it’s definitely not going to do them any harm. 

H&C: Did it help you in Kentucky?

OT: I would not of been back in the saddle so quickly if I had not been wearing it.

H&C: How do you guys choose your horses for the tour?

OT: We could use most of our horses, it is just a case of practicing and getting them used to the lights and the special effects.

H&C: Are you using your competition horses?

OT: I am, not sure Geoff will.

H&C: Do you have any tips on training spooky horses?

OT: It’s just about getting miles on the clock, getting them out to different places and shows and getting them 100% in tune with their surroundings and you, so they have 100% trust in you.

H&C: Geoff has said he is unsure if you will redo the pint trick, why in the last tour did you have to do it and not him.

OT: Because you have to lean forward and to the side and if he gets his belly out of line with the saddle, he’ll fall off.

H&C: Can you give us any clue as to the tricks in the new show?

OT: I have no idea what is going to happen myself. Geoff can be very spur of the moment, the pint trick wasn’t planned it just happened. As I said, Geoff is a nightmare.

H&C: Finally do you enjoy this compared to competing?

OT:  We really enjoy it and people have fun with us, the more people support it the more we will get to do.