Olympia, London (GBR), 18 December 2011 – Great Britain’s Ben Maher produced a stunning performance from the nine-year-old Tripple X to win the seventh leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2011/2012 series at Olympia in London, Great Britain this evening. In yet another of this season’s super-exciting showdowns, the 28 year old rider effortlessly surpassed the seemingly impossible target set by three-time Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping champion Marcus Ehning from Germany in an 11-horse jump-off against the clock.
And, in a truly international line-up, Ireland’s Dermott Lennon slotted into third ahead of America’s Laura Kraut, while reigning European champion Rolf-Goran Bengtsson from Sweden finished fifth and Spain’s Manuel Anon filled sixth spot. “It’s the biggest win of my career, and the perfect end to a roller-coaster year,” said Maher who was additionally pleased because he bred the winning horse himself. “Some people breed hundreds of horses each year, and I breed just three, so I know I’m really lucky to not only ride, but to have bred one as good as this!” he pointed out.
The Grand Hall at Olympia is always a challenging venue, with the buzz of the crowd creating an electrified atmosphere and the relatively narrow confines of the arena placing extra pressure on horses and riders. And Bob Ellis, the man who will design the courses for next summer’s London Olympic Games, tested them truly this afternoon, with a course that required their full attention.