Tag Archives: Scott Brash

Inside the Rolex Grand Slam – The Dutch Masters Preview

Harrie Smolders at The Dutch Masters 2021. Photo: The Dutch Masters / Digitshots.

The Dutch Masters returns from 11-13 March and will play host to the first Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major of the year. The three-day show will culminate with the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday, where the world’s best show jumping combinations, including seven of the world’s top 10 ranked riders, will be vying to claim the prestigious trophy and become the new live contender of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. The bright lights of the Brabanthallen will once again shine on the famous arena as crowds are welcomed back to witness world-class equestrian action.

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – Rider Watch

The current live contender Martin Fuchs will be looking to secure a win in the Rolex Grand Prix to continue his quest to become only the second rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Following his historic win at the CHI Geneva 2021, in which he was the first person to win back-to-back Rolex Grands Prix, the on-form Swiss will ride Chaplin. The bay stallion is an indoor specialist, has many Grands Prix wins under his belt already, and is armed with the agility and experience to succeed in the tight Brabanthallen arena.

Daniel Deusser is looking to secure the bonus for winning two Rolex Grands Prix out of four, after his win aboard Killer Queen VDM at CHIO Aachen in 2021. The German who has spent the majority of the year out in Florida competing in the Winter Equestrian Festival, will ride Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, who is an expert indoor horse. Deusser has previously won the Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters twice before, so will be looking to capture a third to secure the 250,000 Euro bonus. Following on from his victory at the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, Swiss rider Steve Guerdat will also be aiming for the same bonus.

Last year’s victor Max Kühner returns with all the knowledge of how to win amongst a top-class field at ‘s-Hertogenbosch. The Austrian will bring a strong team of horses to The Dutch Masters, with either last year’s winning horse Elektric Blue P or Eic Coriolis des Isles as his choice for Sunday’s Rolex Grand Prix.

Current reigning Olympic individual champion and World No. 5 Ben Maher finished last year off in exceptional fashion with a win at CHI Geneva in the Rolex IJRC Top Ten Final aboard the infamous Explosion W. The British star who has also based himself out in Florida for the winter season, will return to Europe to contest The Rolex Grand Prix in ‘s-Hertogenbosch for the first-time aboard the striking chestnut gelding, who was born approximately 10 kilometres away from the world-renowned Brabanthallen.

Compatriot Scott Brash, the only rider to claim the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, will be aiming to restart his quest to win the elusive title once more. The Dutch Masters is the only one of the four majors that has eluded Brash, so he will be sure to bring his top horse to win this prestigious class.

Rounding off a strong contingent of British riders is the up-and-coming Harry Charles. Following a stellar end to the year in 2021, the 22-year-old is now the Under-25 World No. 1, and will be looking to claim his first Rolex Grand Prix. Will one of these riders be able to become the first British winner since Robert Smith’s victory in 2003?

The home crowd will be hoping to see Harrie Smolders do one better than his second-place finish in the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva in 2021. The Dutch fans will be sure to be alight with excitement when Smolders enters the arena. The Dutchman will be joined by 12 of his fellow nationals, including Maikel van der Vleuten and Jur Vrieling.

2020 team Olympic Games gold medallist, Henrik von Eckermann, will also be contesting the Rolex Grand Prix. The Swede won here in 2019 and will be looking to emulate his success as one of only two Swedish riders competing at The Dutch Masters, after World No. 1 Peder Fredricson withdrew from the competition.

As excitement builds for the first Major of the year, will Fuchs’s quest for show jumping’s most coveted prize continue or will there be a new live contender?

Read more here.

© 2022 Rolex – Rolex Grand Slam

World’s Best Riders Return to Dutch Masters for First Major of Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping

Geneva, Switzerland, 1 March 2022 – The world’s elite horse and rider combinations will gather at The Dutch Masters for three days of world-class competition in show jumping and dressage. The indoor event, held in the Brabanthallen in ’s-Hertogenbosch, culminates on Sunday 13 March with the Rolex Grand Prix, the year’s first Major of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, which rewards any rider who wins, consecutively, three of these highest-status events.

Inaugurated more than half a century ago, The Dutch Masters is one of the most revered occasions on the equestrian calendar. Since 2014, Rolex has been Main Sponsor of the event, where respect for tradition is matched by a commitment to constant innovation, making it a perfect partnership.

THE ROLEX GRAND SLAM OF SHOW JUMPING

World No. 2 Martin Fuchs had an exceptional 2021 season, which concluded with victory in the Rolex Grand Prix at the Concours Hippique International de Genève (CHIG). The Swiss rider heads to The Dutch Masters as the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping live contender. Fuchs said:

“I am really looking forward to returning to The Dutch Masters. The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is the most esteemed title in our sport, and I am hoping to emulate my success at CHI Geneva to maintain my winning momentum.”

Fuchs will be joined in the Netherlands by a strong contingent of fellow Testimonees. These riders will aim to showcase the harmony they have developed with their horse in their quest to win this coveted Major.

Harry Charles of Great Britain had a remarkable 2021, competing in his first Olympic Games at the age of 22, and has risen to the top of the Under-25 World Rankings. He will look to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Scott Brash, the only rider to have won the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, completing the feat in 2015.

Daniel Deusser, a two-time winner of the Rolex Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters, and victorious at the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen last year, heads to the Brabanthallen fully aware of the precision, skill, and trust between horse and rider that is required at this level. Victory in ’s Hertogenbosch would enable the German World No. 3 to collect a Rolex Grand Slam bonus for winning two of the four Majors within a year. Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat is another with a chance to claim a bonus following his victory in The CP ‘International’ at Spruce Meadows in September.

Frenchman Kevin Staut, twice a Rolex Grand Prix winner at The Dutch Masters, and Great Britain’s Brash will be drawing on their extensive experience as they join their fellow Testimonees in the quest to make the perfect start to their challenge for the ultimate equestrian prize, the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.

Virginie Chevailler
Rolex SA
virginie.chevailler@rolex.com
+41 (0) 22 302 2619

Merrick Haydon
rEvolution
mhaydon@revolutionworld.com
+44 (0) 7748 186 833

Great Britain Reigns Supreme on Day Four of London International Horse Show

The penultimate day of The London International Horse Show showcased the next generation of Show Jumping talent. An incredible ride in the afternoon performance saw British young rider, Harry Charles, win The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup exactly 20 years after his father won the same class, with a spectacular display of horsemanship aboard the relatively inexperienced mare Stardust.

The country’s best ponies were in action in The Equine Rescue Services Mini Stakes (128cm) and The Voltaire Design Mini Stakes (148cm), with the evening performance brought to a close with The Martin Collins Enterprises Christmas Tree Stakes, won by Scott Brash.

Elsewhere, The Kennel Club Intermediate Agility Stakes Finals was won by Leslie Olden with Nedlo’s Girl in a Whirl. Freddie Keighley rode Brewards Kerwen to victory in the evening edition of The Shetland Pony Grand National and received his award from Rory Bremner, while performances by Santi Serra and The Musical Ride of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment added to the day’s action from ExCeL London.

BRILLIANT BRASH BRINGS IT HOME

The Martin Collins Enterprises Christmas Tree Stakes was run under a unique format whereby the 25 competitors were drawn into six groups. The winner of each group, based on faults and time, went through to a final jump-off, accompanied by the two fastest losers across all groups.

As the only clears in Group 1 and 2, Ireland’s Denis Lynch and in-form Harry Charles won the first automatic qualification places to the jump-off. The Irishman Shane Breen was the next to join them, winning Group 3 outright, again as the only clear. Group 4 was a close affair, with Angelie von Essen, Gregory Wathelet, and Kevin Staut all jumping clear within 0.4 seconds of each other. However, Sweden’s von Essen won the battle for automatic qualification, with Wathelet going through as one of the fastest losers.

Group 5 saw compatriots Scott Brash and Guy Williams pitted together, both pulling out excellent performances to jump fast clear rounds; however, it was Brash who came out on top to go straight through to the jump-off. Williams’ time was quick enough to secure a place as a fastest loser. Great Britain’s Matthew Sampson took the final automatic place, winning Group 6.

As first to go in the jump-off, Breen set the standard with a clear in an impressive time of 40.13 seconds. Wathelet and von Essen followed, both incurring faults trying to catch Breen’s target Sampson came out meaning business, absolutely flying round the course to take over pole position.

Sampson’s lead did not last long, as Harry Charles, fresh from victory in The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup, followed him into the arena and put on a foot perfect performance to go into first place. The lead changed once again as last to go, Scott Brash, pulled off an exceptionally tight turn to the vertical at number four and a frantic charge to the last, and shaved 0.14 seconds of Charles’ time to take his inaugural victory at this year’s London International Horse Show.

Speaking of his victory aboard Lady Harris & Lady Kirkham’s Hello Mr President, Brash said: “Hello Mr President is a very fast horse, which makes my life a bit easier. Harry has won enough today; he needs to give the old ones a chance again! The crowd is what makes this show, and they were absolutely fantastic again tonight. The organisers have done a brilliant job; we jump all around the world, all year round, so to finish off in London with your home crowd, to get a win, is extra special.”

The 128cm ponies had the crowd behind them in The Equine Rescue Services Mini Stakes, as one after the other they put their foot to the boards in a scintillating display of speed and agility. Five combinations went through to the jump-off, but it was Cate Kerr riding Dunbarover who came out on top, 0.33 faster than Hollie Gerken with Black Jack III in second.

The ecstatic 12-year-old exclaimed: “It’s amazing; to win here is like a dream. I knew that everyone wanted to win, but I just wanted to win a bit more! My pony is just amazing; the jump-off course suited him quite well, so I just went for it. This is the best Christmas present I could ever have.”

Later in the day, their 148cm counterparts took centre stage in The Voltaire Design Mini Stakes. Nine of the 13 starters made it through to the jump-off, setting up for an entertaining show down. Of the three double clears, Noora von Bulow riding Elando van de Roshoeve came out on top with an exceptional round in the time of 24.89 seconds, ahead of Phoebe Farman in second and Lauren Caroline back in third. The win capped off an exceptional year for 13-year-old von Bulow, who also won the Children’s Grand Prix at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Youth Finals show in Kronenberg, The Netherlands earlier this year.

More information about The London International Horse Show can be found here.

For more information, please contact:
Gayle Jenkins / rEvolution / gjenkins@revolutionworld.com

Equestrianism’s Finest Head to CHI Geneva for Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final and Rolex Grand Prix

Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday 7 December 2021 – The Concours Hippique International de Genève (CHI Geneva) returns to the Palexpo arena from 9-12 December for the 60th edition of the prestigious show. The Rolex Grand Prix and the Rolex International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) Top 10 Final are notable highlights during four days of elite competition.

The partnership between Rolex and the Geneva International Horse Show was established in 1996, with 2021 marking the 25-year anniversary, and remains a key element of the brand’s long-standing commitment to equestrianism that dates back more than 60 years. Inaugurated in 1926, the event is among the most revered on the equestrian calendar, demonstrating an unwavering dedication to continuous improvement and quality that fits perfectly with Rolex’s own pursuit of perpetual excellence.

THE ROLEX GRAND PRIX

The competition will culminate on Sunday with the Rolex Grand Prix, one of the four Majors that form the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. As ever, it will be a showcase of the precision, bravery, and athleticism required by horse and rider, working in harmony to take on the challenge set by world-renowned course designers Gérard Lachat of Switzerland and Louis Konickx of the Netherlands.

The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, comprising The Dutch Masters, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament, the CHIO Aachen, and the CHI Geneva, was initiated in 2013 and rewards a rider who wins three consecutive Grands Prix at these events. The most coveted prize in show jumping, it has been achieved by only one athlete, Scott Brash of Great Britain, whose epic feat began at Geneva in 2014 and was completed with victories at Aachen and Spruce Meadows in 2015.

Germany’s Daniel Deusser heads to Geneva as the current live contender for the Rolex Grand Slam following his exceptional performance at Aachen in September, taking victory aboard Killer Queen VDM.

THE ROLEX FAMILY OF TESTIMONEES

A strong roster of Rolex Testimonees will challenge Deusser for the Rolex Grand Prix title. Leading the way will be home favourites Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat.

Fuchs will be hoping to retain his crown following a successful year that has included team gold and individual silver medals at the European championships. The Swiss World No. 4 said: “CHI Geneva is particularly special for me as it’s my home Major and a show that I always want to do well at. Winning the Rolex Grand Prix in 2019 was an unbelievable feeling and I will be doing my very best to repeat my performance.”

Guerdat is a three-time winner (2006, 2013, and 2015) of the CHI Geneva Rolex Grand Prix, and was also victorious in the 2010 and 2018 Rolex IJRC Top 10 Finals. He heads to Palexpo with the prospect of securing a Rolex Grand Slam bonus after winning the CP ‘International’ at the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ earlier this year.

Brash, currently ranked No. 6 in the world, also understands the accuracy, courage, and determination required to win a Major, as does Kent Farrington, winner of this event in 2017 with his brilliant mare, Gazelle. France’s Kevin Staut and Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa join the roll of former winners looking to reclaim the title, while Ireland’s Bertram Allen and Great Britain’s Harry Charles will be seeking to add their names to this illustrious list.

THE ROLEX IJRC TOP 10 FINAL

In the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final, the world’s top 10 ranked riders compete against each other for the right to be crowned champion. The unique event, which in 2021 celebrates its 20th anniversary, has been supported by Rolex since its inauguration, and acknowledges the achievements of the best show jumpers over the course of the season.

Farrington will contest the 2021 edition as reigning champion, having ridden Austria 2 to victory in 2019. His second success – the American also triumphed in 2015 – marked the seventh consecutive win for a Rolex Testimonee in the event. He will be up against a strong contingent of in-form riders, including Deusser, Fuchs, Brash, Guerdat, and Staut.

IJRC Director Eleonora Ottaviani commented: “We are extremely proud to support this unique concept, bringing together the best riders in the world each year. As with the Nitto ATP Finals in tennis, the Top 10 Final is unparalleled in equestrian sport, producing the finest level of competition from the world’s best athletes. In 2021 we mark the 20th anniversary of the event, a testament to its long-standing success, made possible through the partnership with Rolex, a brand that has demonstrated a continuous and invaluable commitment to equestrianism for more than 60 years.”

Virginie Chevailler
Rolex SA
virginie.chevailler@rolex.com
+41 (0) 22 302 2619

Merrick Haydon
rEvolution
mhaydon@revolutionworld.com
+44 (0) 7748 186 833

Who to Look Out For at the CSIO Spruce Meadows Masters 2021

(Photo: Rolex Grand Slam / Ashley Neuhof)

The CSIO 5* Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ returns from 8-12 September 2021, and will play host to the second Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major of the year: the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex, which will be staged in the impressive International Arena on the final day of the competition.

After winning the Rolex Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in April – and in doing so becoming the live contender – Austrian Max Kühner has confirmed his attendance, alongside a stellar list of competitors, including five out of the current top 20-ranked riders in the world, and five Rolex Testimonees. As ever, the five-day competition promises to be a truly international affair, with 15 nations represented, with the hosts welcoming no fewer than 42 of its very own home-grown athletes.

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – Rider Watch

Current world number three Martin Fuchs travels to Calgary brimming with confidence, following Switzerland’s win in the team jumping competition at the European Championships, which he and his gelding, Leone Jei, played a crucial role in. The 29-year-old will be accompanied at Spruce Meadows by his talented 10-year-old gelding, Conner Jei, winner of the Rolex Grand Prix at the Jumping International de Dinard.

British rider Scott Brash returns to Spruce Meadows, where he was crowned the first ever Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping champion in 2015 with his legendary gelding, Hello Sanctos. The current world number four brings Hello Vincent to Calgary, with whom he finished a very credible fourth in the Rolex Grand Prix at Knokke Hippique in June.

Fuchs’ compatriot and the current world number 10-ranked rider, Steve Guerdat, has also added the Team European champion accolade to his impressive list of titles. The three-time World Cup champion (2015, 2016, 2019) will compete at Spruce Meadows with his dependable 12-year-old gelding, Venard De Cerisy, who he took to this year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where the duo finished fifth in the Team competition.

Rio 2016 Olympic Team silver medallist Kent Farrington leads the charge of athletes from the United States, and in a clear demonstration of intent, brings seven horses with him to Spruce Meadows. Of note, the current world number 13 will compete with his 15-year-old mare, Gazelle, 14-year-old gelding, Creedance, and nine-year-old hot prospect, Orafina.

Read more here.

© 2021 Rolex – Rolex Grand Slam

Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Takes Centre Stage for 2nd Leg of Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping

Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday 7 September 2021 – The prestigious showgrounds of Spruce Meadows in Canada will once again welcome the world’s top horse and rider combinations for the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex. The esteemed 5* competition, which forms part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, will take place on Sunday 12 September 2021, providing a spectacular finale to the five-day CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament.

Staged in the foothills of Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, the event is widely regarded as the leading equestrian event in North America. Rolex’s affiliation with Spruce Meadows dates back to 1989 and is part of its long-standing support for the sport. For more than six decades, the brand has forged close relationships with elite international events and athletes who share its commitment to perpetual excellence.

Launched in 2013, the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is the most coveted prize in equestrianism, rewarding the rider who wins the Grand Prix at three of the four Majors in succession. To date, Scotland’s Scott Brash is the only competitor to achieve the feat, having done so in 2014-2015 with Hello Sanctos.

To aspire to the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping requires a unique harmony between horse and rider, a special bond crafted over years with infinite patience, care, and expertise. Once trust and communication have been established, a pairing can push the boundaries and confront all obstacles placed before them. The bar is almost impossibly high, which is why only the finest riders keep rising to it.

The CP ‘International’ is the Grand Slam’s second Grand Prix of 2021. Max Kühner will head to the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament as the Rolex Grand Slam live contender following his victory at The Dutch Masters in April.

As the winner of the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva in 2019, World No. 3 and recent European Championship team gold and individual silver medallist Martin Fuchs travels to Canada with the opportunity to claim a bonus for winning two of the past four Rolex Grand Slam events. He will be joined by compatriot Steve Guerdat, who will be looking to add this title to his long list of honours, which includes individual gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games and Rolex Grand Prix victories at CHI Geneva and CHI Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Scott Brash, the current World No. 4, is a two-time Grand Prix winner at this venue, including in 2015 when he completed the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. He will return full of confidence following excellent recent results, including a victory in the Netherlands on the eve of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where he finished equal seventh in the individual jumping competition.

Canada’s Eric Lamaze will also be seeking his third Grand Prix title, at an event where he has enjoyed so much success, and Kent Farrington will join in taking on the testing course designed by Leopoldo Palacios. Farrington heads to the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ in top form following a successful week at the CSI Spruce Meadows ‘National’, culminating in victory in the RBC Grand Prix of Canada with his exceptional 15-year-old mare, Gazelle.

Virginie Chevailler
Rolex SA
virginie.chevailler@rolex.com
+41 (0) 22 302 2619

Merrick Haydon
rEvolution
mhaydon@revolutionworld.com
+44 (0) 7748 186 833

Scott Brash Finishes ahead of Edward Levy in the Hubside Jumping de Grimaud’s CSI 4* Grand Prix

© Ljuba Buzzola pour HUBSIDE JUMPING.

Sunday evening, Scotland’s Scott Brash, currently the tenth best rider in the world, won the HUBSIDE JUMPING de Grimaud’s CSI 4* Grand Prix for the second time with Hello Jefferson, after an initial victory last October with Hello Senator. He finished ahead of France’s Edward Levy, who has been performing very well recently and Belgium’s Jos Verlooy.

“I’m delighted with Jefferson’s performance. He really is an exceptional horse. It took a while for me to be able to handle him; he is really powerful. But now we have formed a real combination and it works very well. I have been riding him for two years, but it took several months before we really became a combination. But he is brilliant, very intelligent. There were only seven jump-off riders this evening, but I really want to congratulate the course designer who did a fantastic job. He didn’t have an easy task and had to deal with an extraordinary line-up: there were virtually exclusively riders and horses that usually compete at 5* shows. So he had to create a 5*-level course; otherwise there would have been twenty clears after the first round, which is not what you want. So well done to Andrea Colombo: his courses were fair; there were rails down on all the fences. I watched the jump-off round of Edward Levy, who was first to go. His mare has a very fast stride, but it seemed shorter than Jefferson’s. So I really focused on my horse’s powerful stride to take out a stride before the final fence. It’s possible that I took out other strides elsewhere on the course as well. It’s the second 4* Grand Prix that I’ve won here at the HUBSIDE JUMPING. I would love to add next week’s CSI 5* Grand Prix to my list of wins! All of the riders agree that Sadri Fegaier has done an exceptional job as an organiser and we are all very grateful to him. Tonight’s Grand Prix which was held in the evening reminded us all of this really special atmosphere that we all love which is really great.  We all needed to experience that.”

Full results here.

Daniel Koroloff – E-mail: daniel@blizko-communication.com

Brits on Top on Final Day of Olympia

Olympia, The London International Horse Show concluded in spectacular fashion, with the world’s top Show Jumpers in action in the Turkish Airlines Olympia Grand Prix, which was won by Britain’s Scott Brash. Meanwhile, Emanuele Gaudiano demonstrated why he is known as one of the fastest riders on the circuit with a win in The Turkish Airlines Speed Stakes. The evening wrapped up with the British flag flying once more as Holly Smith was crowned with the 2019 Leading Rider Award.

The day also included action from the country’s best young riders, with The Voltaire Design Under 25 British Championship going to Jodie Hall-McAteer and Scotland’s Millie Lawson taking the Equine Rescue Services Mini Stakes for 128cm ponies.

The BSPS Ridden Mountain and Moorland Championship Final sponsored by LeMieux was taken by Emma Burrow with Welsh Section D Dyffryngwy Sir Picasso.

The final Saracen Horse Feeds Shetland Pony Grand National races of the season saw wins for Lily Phelan on Sedgehill Talisman and Lucy Aspell riding Merkisayre Sea Duble in her last year of being eligible for the competition. Meanwhile, The Kennel Club Small Agility Stakes Final went to Dave Munnings with Boost Bite for the third year in a row.

The final night crowd was in for a real treat as a thrilling competition unfolded in the showpiece Turkish Airlines Olympia Grand Prix. It was horsemanship at its best as Scott Brash, in the very last round of 2019, produced a magical display on Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s Hello Vincent to snatch the prize from his six rivals in the jump-off.

“Winning my last grand prix of the year, in front of a home crowd – it doesn’t get any better than that,” said a visibly thrilled Brash.

Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander, on brand new ride Identity Vitseroel, had given it her all, her 11-year-old bay gelding trying his heart out with prodigious leaps and turns on a sixpence, but Brash’s smooth horsemanship was pure class and, with the crowd screaming him down to the final fence, the clock showed that he had shaved 0.82 off her time.

Holly Smith, who has enjoyed an outstanding show and took the Leading Rider accolade by an astonishing 28 points, finished third on Hearts Destiny and sealed a brilliant season.

“I’m absolutely delighted with all three of my horses, but Hearts Destiny has taken me to places I’ve only dreamed of – a bronze medal at the Europeans, winning the Aga Khan Trophy in Dublin. And the calibre of riders here at Olympia – seven of the world’s top 10 – makes it all the more special.”

In fourth place was new face James Wilson, 25, on Imagine de Muze, a mare that has given him a dream year. “I’ve been watching Olympia since I was a kid, so this is particularly special,” he said. “This horse has made all my dreams come true: my first World Cup, my first Nations Cup, and now my first Grand Prix placing. She has catapulted me right up there and now I’ve got Tokyo in my sights.”

Seven riders made it through to the jump-off, four of them British, and, as tension built, Brash was coolly waiting in the wings on Hello Vincent, a horse produced by new Voltaire Design under-25 champion Jodie Hall-McAteer and which he’s only been riding for a few months.

“The others were very fast, and I knew I had to pull out all the stops,” said Brash. “I just tried to keep it tight. I got a good first forward distance and then managed the seven strides to the tray, which is what you had to do to win. The crowd was great and really gets behind you. I’m so proud of Vincent – he was amazing.”

Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano led from the front to take the Turkish Airlines Speed Stakes with Carlotta. As fourth to go in the 20-strong class, he set a tough target and held on for the victory.

“There was not so many options for me, so I just had to follow the course,” said Gaudiano. “My horse is a bit smaller than some of the others, who would be able to take out a stride, so I knew I had to go fast.”

Gaudiano has ridden Carlotta, a 10-year-old mare, since her first competition and she has been a prolific winner for him. “She has now won over 65 international classes, and is my [specialist] speed horse,” he said.

Britain’s Holly Smith finished second with Denver, a result which was part of her tactics to clinch the Leading Rider of The Show. “I was going to jump Denver in the Grand Prix, but decided to enter him in this,” she said.

Meanwhile, rising star Jodie Hall-McAteer punched the air and hugged her horse as she realised she had won the coveted Voltaire Design Under 25 British Championship with two superb clear rounds on Shalt’n Peppa.

Under a new format, the young riders went through a qualifier on Friday, won by Georgia Tame on Quintella, with the top 10 competing in front of a packed house on the prestigious final night of the Show. The best five – all of whom went clear in the first round – then progressed to the jump-off.

Jodie, 19, was first to go in the jump-off and set the target of a clear round in a time of 30.75 seconds. The consistent Georgia came closest, riding a mature round for clear in 32.38 seconds.

“I’m so proud of my horse,” said Jodie, who competed on her first senior FEI Nations Cup team this year. “It’s right up there with the highlights of my career. Everyone wants to win this.”

Earlier in the day, Millie Lawson made the most of her long journey from Aberdeen to London with victory in the Equine Rescue Services Mini Stakes for 128cm ponies. Riding Priestwood Hardy, she was chasing a tough target set by Tabitha Kyle (Living the Dream) in the six-pony jump-off, but the 12-year-old utilised her mount’s natural enthusiasm and strength to pinch 0.05 seconds from the time.

“He was very hyper,” joked Millie. “I managed to get tight to the [penultimate] upright and just gallop at the last. It’s a dream come true to win here; it’s amazing!”

Emma Burrow had the perfect wedding and Christmas present combined when her Welsh Section D Dyffryngwy Sir Picasso was judged champion of the BSPS Ridden Mountain and Moorland Championship Final sponsored by LeMieux.

The 26 ponies qualified for the Final, representing all the native breeds – Shetland, Exmoor, Dartmoor, New Forests, Dales, Fell, Connemara, Highland, and Welsh (Section A, B, C, and D) – made a spectacular sight assembled in the Grand Hall of Olympia.

Emma (née Boardman), a native pony producer from Carlisle who only got married a fortnight ago, bought Dyffryngwy Sir Picasso as a six-month-old foal from his breeder, Gwyneth Griffiths, who had travelled from Wales to watch.

Dyffryngwy Sir Picasso has swept the board this year, winning at HOYS, the RIHS, Royal Welsh and Royal Lancashire, qualifying at Westmoreland County Show where judge Tom Best told Emma: “Now go and win the big one.”

Taking the reserve position was striking Highland stallion Melanie Stanford’s Benbreac of Croila, shown by Matthew Cooper in a fitting end to his showing career. The 16-year-old grey, who will retire after Olympia, obviously has a charming temperament, standing rock-still amid all the post-class hubbub back in the stables.

The final result was extremely close, with the combined scores from conformation judges Helen Horsfall and John Harvey and performance judges Nigel Hollings and Nicola Turner adding up to 177 for the winner and 176 to the reserve.

Please visit www.olympiahorseshow.com.

For more information, please contact:
Gayle Jenkins / gjenkins@revolutionworld.com / +44 (0)203 176 0355

Super-Cool Briton Brash Bags Victory in Verona

Scott Brash and Hello M’Lady. (FEI/Massimo Argenziano)

The saying “it’s never over until the fat lady sings” rang loud and true at the fourth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League in Verona, Italy where Great Britain’s Scott Brash posted a spectacular last-to-go victory with Hello M’Lady.

It seemed as if Ireland’s Darragh Kenny was about to provide the perfect post-competition headline for the competition staged in the “City of Love” when setting a super-fast target with the 10-year-old Romeo in the 16-horse jump-off. It was fast and furious from the outset, and when this pair galloped down the final line and stopped the clock on 36.06 seconds, there really didn’t seem to be any room for improvement on that.

But Brash, team gold medallist at the London 2012 Olympic Games, is the king of cool.

“I was fortunate enough to be at the end so I could see how fast I had to go. Darragh had done a really good round; he was very, very fast so I had to take all the risks today. M’Lady was really fantastic and I’m delighted with her!” — Scott Brash (GBR)

He described Uliano Vezzani’s first-round track as “tough and delicate,” the angled oxer at fence eight and the line from the vertical white planks at nine to the double at fence 10 claiming a significant number of victims. He said the time-allowed of 80 seconds was “maybe a bit too generous, but it showed the calibre of horse and rider here today that we got 16 clears!”

It was The Netherlands’ Marc Houtzager and Sterrehof’s Dante who were holding the lead with a time of 36.64 seconds when Kenny rode into the ring. The 31-year-old Irishman and his handsome horse were smooth and fast through all the twists and turns, and the always-vocal Verona spectators roared with approval when they scorched through the finish to reset the target at 36.06 seconds.

World No. 1, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, came close to that with Alamo, the horse with which he claimed his third Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ title earlier this year, when breaking the beam in 36.19. And home hero Emanuele Gaudiano, third last to go, drove the crowd into another frenzy of excitement when just fractionally slower with the extraordinary Chalou whose toe-pointing jumping technique is quite unique.

As Brash set off with his 13-year-old mare, he looked cool, calm, and completely collected. He had worked out every inch of his run to perfection, and by the time he came racing down the long run to the last, it was clear he was out in front, the timers confirming his win when showing 35.55 seconds after he landed over the final fence to a wall of sound.

“I finished second here in Verona a couple of years ago (with Ursula) so it’s great to go one better here this time around! M’Lady is a delicate mare; she can get a little stressed with the atmosphere, so it took be a bit of time at this show just to get her relaxed in the collecting ring, but her talent showed through in the end in the jump-off today – I thought she was amazing!” — Scott Brash (GBR)

Kenny would have to settle for second while Guerdat finished third.

Guerdat, who now heads the Western European Leaderboard going into the next leg in Stuttgart, Germany next weekend, described the jump-off as “very fast!”

He said, “This last few weeks I missed most of my jump-offs so I wanted to keep my head a bit cooler today and try to not risk anything stupid, and the horse being naturally fast it was enough for the third place. But you know today if you don’t risk it all it just isn’t possible anymore to win a class like this. But I’m very pleased with the horse; he couldn’t have been any better today. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season with him.”

Meanwhile, Brash reflected on his result and what it means for him and his brilliant mare. When asked if he might have Tokyo 2020 on his radar for her, he replied, “Yes, the Olympics is certainly on my mind and I would hope to think M’Lady is going to be one of my strongest contenders for next year.”

He is careful about how he is managing her with that in mind. “She was off for quite a while through injury a few years back, but she jumped at this summer’s European Championships to help qualify Great Britain for Tokyo,” he explained. He then dropped her down a level, jumping her at St Tropez in recent weeks before asking her to step up again in Verona. This result has confirmed for him that she’s very happy to be back at the sharp end.

“It’s nice to feel that she feels competitive at the top end of the sport again – so I’ve high hopes for next year!” he said.

FULL RESULTS

By Louise Parkes

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Scott Brash Makes It Two in a Row

Image copyright PSV.

A full house for the Equita Masters presented by Hermès Sellier in Lyon. Twenty of the world’s top riders competed in this 1.60m class. You needed to ride fast and true to be among the ten qualifiers for the second round. Two riders conceded a penalty point, Christian Ahlmann on Ailina, and the world number two, Martin Fuchs on Silver Shine, who finished sixth and fifth, respectively. Mark McAuley and Miebello were the first to complete a second clear round and set the benchmark time of 43”00, but the following riders notched up faster and faster rounds to try and win the class in front of a vociferous crowd. Finally, the British rider Scott Brash came out on top, for the second year in a row. He rode an extremely fast jump-off on Hello Shelby, full of poise and fluidity. “There was a great atmosphere. It was a very exciting class that I am proud to have won again. Shelby jumped incredibly well, and even better in the jump-off. I am delighted to see how he is improving day after day. He seems to be enjoying it more and more. He’s a real class act. It makes my life easier,” said Brash after his win.

JULIETTE FEYTOUT PEREZ
juliette@blizko-communication.com