Inside the Rolex Grand Slam: Interview with Willem Greve and More
Photo: Rolex Grand Slam/Thomas Lovelock
Interview with Willem Greve
Congratulations! You are the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping live contender. How are you feeling ahead of CHIO Aachen?
It is an honour to be on the list of riders who have won a Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major. It is incredible to ride at the CHIO Aachen, and it would be a dream come true to win there. Of course, there is more pressure and more eyes on us now being the live contender, having won the Rolex Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters, but I am trying to just focus on my horses and keep everything the same as before.
Reflecting on your win in the Rolex Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters, how special was this victory to you?
At the time I didn’t notice it because you are so focused on your horse and the moment. It was a very emotional win! The crowd was incredible, and the atmosphere was sensational…
Rider Watch – CHIO Aachen 2024
Similarly to how the tennis Grand Slam calendar moves surfaces from clay to grass, so too does the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – from the indoor arenas of the CHI Geneva and The Dutch Masters to the awe-inspiring grass arena at the CHIO Aachen, the next Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major. The show, which often draws comparisons with The Championships, Wimbledon, attracts the finest horse and rider combinations from across the globe – all with the same hope of claiming the prestigious final class, the Rolex Grand Prix.
Dutch rider Willem Greve goes to the CHIO Aachen as the live contender of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Greve made history in March when he became not only the first Dutch rider to win the Rolex Grand Prix [during the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping era] at The Dutch Masters, but also the first Dutch rider to win a Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major. Partnered by the sensational stallion Highway T.N. N.O.P, Greve set the home crowd alight as last to go in the jump-off…
Highlights – CHIO Aachen 2024
From 28 June to 7 July, the CHIO Aachen will welcome the world’s top horse and rider combinations to the iconic Aachen Soers showground for the hundredth time. Since welcoming riders and carriage drivers for the first time in 1924, the CHIO Aachen has been a cornerstone of equestrian sport, and this year’s event promises to be a remarkable tribute to a century of equestrian excellence. The World Equestrian Festival at the CHIO Aachen will showcase five thrilling disciplines: show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, and vaulting. An electrifying atmosphere is guaranteed as 360,000 spectators will gather over 10 days to witness a new chapter of sporting history unfold.
Following the iconic Opening Ceremony on Tuesday 2 July, Wednesday 3 July will see the start of the 5* show jumping at the CHIO Aachen. The Turkish Airlines-Prize of Europe, held in the evening under floodlights, offers the first opportunity for riders to qualify for the show’s pinnacle class, the Rolex Grand Prix. The excitement will continue the next evening with the Mercedes-Benz Nations’ Cup…
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