Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping

FUCHS RETAINS THE TITLE

The CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament – the third Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major of the calendar year – once again played host to one of the toughest competitions in the sport, the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex. Held in the iconic International Ring, the world’s most elite horse-and-rider combinations were all hoping to etch their names into the history books as they pursued one of the most coveted titles in the sport.

The field included the current Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping live contender, André Thieme, as well as the winners from the last three editions of the class: Martin Fuchs (2023), Daniel Deusser (2022), and Steve Guerdat (2021).

Following the same format as the previous Major held at the CHIO Aachen, the class consisted of two rounds and a jump-off. In total, 38 combinations started in the first round, with the top 12 proceeding into the second round. Those tied after this would then take on the challenge of the jump-off against the clock to decide the final placings.

First to tackle Leopoldo Palacios’ typically huge and daring course was Brazil’s Yuri Mansur, who secured a clear round inside the time allowed. The course provided a suitable challenge for this world-class group of riders, and it wasn’t until the eleventh to go, Rolex Testimonee Daniel Deusser, that the crowd was treated to another clear round. The time proved a challenge for numerous riders, with Steve Guerdat, Tim Gredley, and Juan Manuel Gallego all collecting just one painstaking time penalty. At the halfway point, there were just four clears, including one from team gold medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Ben Maher. This meant that those with time penalties or quick four-fault rounds could remain in contention for a place in the second round.

Of the remaining 18 riders, only last year’s winner, Martin Fuchs, could add his name to the exclusive list of clears who would carry no penalties to forward. It was not meant to be for the live contender, André Thieme, as two fences fell, ending the German’s quest to become only the second rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. The Canadian crowd was also disappointed not to see a home victory as neither Tiffany Foster nor Erynn Ballard qualified for the next round.

As the second round of the class was built, the CEO and President of Spruce Meadows, Linda Southern-Heathcott, announced the exciting news that next year the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, would have an increased prize fund totalling CAD 5 million in honour of 50 years of international competition at the venue.

Max Kühner, first to go in the second round, added no penalties to his score of four faults and set the standard for the following riders, as did Rolex’s newest equestrian Testimonee, Richard Vogel, with the sensational stallion, United Touch S. Britain’s Tim Gredley and Medoc De Toxandria were another combination to leave all of the fences standing, and in doing so, remained on just a single time fault from the initial round, as did Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat.

Martin Fuchs produced the first double clear of the day, with Ireland’s Darragh Kenny quickly following suit, meaning that the sold-out crowd would be treated to a jump-off. Both Yuri Mansur and Ben Maher had one pole apiece; however, last to go, Daniel Deusser, secured a clear and proceeded to the shortened course.

With the riders returning in the same order in which they jumped in the previous round, it was Martin Fuchs who was first to return to the sunbathed arena. Fuchs and the striking grey gelding, Leone Jei, set the pace in an impressive time of 40.22 seconds, but he collected just four faults. Kenny could not match the pace set by Fuchs, with one pole and two faults. The pressure was therefore on the 2021 winner to deliver a clear, but two fences fell, meaning it was Fuchs who claimed back-to-back titles. Additionally, this now means that Leone Jei is the first horse to win a Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major at the same venue.

Speaking on his win, Fuchs stated: “To be honest, I am a little bit shocked and surprised to win – you don’t expect to win when you have two of the best riders behind you. Today really was my day, and so I am very happy. It was hard to be the first into the jump-off; the wait was incredibly nerve-wracking!”

The Swiss rider continued: “Leone Jei is an incredible horse, and he has such an amazing jump. He always performs so well in the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Majors – he is an unreal partner to have. The courses that we jump here are some of the toughest in the world; they really challenge the riders and the horses. You need to be 100% focused and confident, as well as have the courage to jump these impressive fences to be able to win here. I love coming here – it is a very special place to me.”

We are here at the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament. Please could you describe how special it is to be here?

Whenever you get to jump in any of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Majors it is incredible feeling, they are really the epitome of show jumping. Spruce Meadows is a prestigious and historic venue – the best in the world have competed here and fought for that that title, and so just to be part of it is in an honour.

It is not the first time I have jumped at the ‘Masters’ but it is the first time I have competed in the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex. However, I have jumped in a few of the other Rolex Grands Prix that are part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Just to be here is incredible – you feel like you are in a videogame. The atmosphere is electric!

Can you tell us about your top horse at the moment, and what unique characteristics they have?

Right now, my top horse is Argan De Beliard, who I will jumped in the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex. He is also the same horse that I jumped in all of the Rolex Grands Prix this year. He is definitely a veteran, he knows his job incredibly well. We call him Mr. Consistency – he is always fighting for a clear round, and he understands the role. A lot of horses, that are considered the best, understand the sport, and he is definitely one of them.

He is not the most exciting horse to watch, and I think that is one of his strengths – he is so reliable. Usually, for these big Grands Prix there are always big tests and questions that have to be answered and to have such a reliable partner makes my job a lot easier.

Could you tell us about how important it is to have a good partnership with your horse?

Our sport is unique because you have two souls, not one. You have to work together, and you cannot yell at each other like you could with a human teammate. You have to find other ways to communicate, and find your own language with each horse. You only achieve this by spending time with them, and I think being very sympathetic is incredibly important.

One of the unique aspects of our sport is that men and women compete on a level playing field – I think that a huge asset for women is the ability to communicate in a way that may not come as naturally as for a man. You have to use your strengths, I have found that when I have a really strong partnership with my horse, and they know that I trust them 100%, they then trust me more.

Argan De Beliard is a horse that I have had for a number of years now, but we were able to very quickly jump the big tracks at the beginning of our partnership. He was an easy horse to trust and I am very grateful he let me be his person. At the highest level of the sport, with the risks you have to take, the strongest partnerships and relationships are the most successful.

You graduated from Havard – what lessons did you learn from your education that you bring with you to your career now?

I have learned a lot from having the opportunity to be educated – obviously it was a massive privilege that I had the chance to not only go to school but also to be able to pursue my career at the same time. Many have to make choice between the two, but I was in the unique situation that my family made it possible to do both.

It was never really a question, if I would go to college, but with riding it was always a choice. I think, in a way, I feel I have so much to prove, because I was given a leg-up and a lot of opportunity, and I don't want to waste that. I am very aware of how lucky I am, and really grateful for that.

Going to college with kids that didn't even know what I did or that sport is called show jumping was a gift, because I could fall off on Sunday in the biggest Grand Prix, or I could win, and on Monday morning, my classmates would have no idea, and I was just Lillie. That was such a privilege.

I think that in any pursuit that someone is extremely passionate about, it's so easy to get in your own head about it. I'd say that for most of the riders at this level, our self-worth is often defined by our most recent result, and that can be incredibly debilitating. So, I would say the number one lesson I learned is that life goes on, and we are so lucky to work with an animal, to be outside, to do something that is incredibly rewarding.

So obviously, I learned a lot in terms of academics, and I'm a bit of a nerd, so I loved that. I actually kind of I miss some of that, but I would say for my life, the biggest lesson is the perspective that it has given me and the immense gratitude that every day I am able to wake up and ride a horse.

What is the best piece of advice you have been given and who gave it to you?

I have gotten a lot of very good advice over the years, but I would say it's probably two things. The first would be my mother always reminded me that this is a choice and something that I choose to do. So when I'm really hard on myself, she likes to remind me of that. I think that it is incredibly valuable, because it is a choice – one that I'm very lucky to have.

The other major piece of advice came from McLain Ward. When he started to help me, I had lost a lot of confidence in myself, and in my ability as a rider. I'm very open about that, because I think for young people it is important to see. We watch all these riders that we consider superstars or just athletes in any sphere, and they all go through periods of self-doubt, but you don't necessarily see that. Especially as a woman, I think it's important to make clear that it is normal.

When I started working with him, he reminded me that I am good enough, that I have the ability to be the best. I repeat those words to myself every time, I feel like I could have done better. If he believes in me, then I must actually be good. I think I believe him more than I believe myself!

How do you remain focused and cope with the pressure before you go into the arena?

I'm definitely an individual that does better with more pressure, and that's something that I've practiced. The very first time I went to a show on a pony, my mother told me that I needed to imagine I was going into the jump-off for the gold medal at the Olympic Games. I say this to people now, and they always think that it could not be true. But it is so very true! You can ask the woman that taught me at the time.

I think that it's about practicing that pressure, and you often hear people say you have to use pressure as an advantage, and do not let it crush you. Of course, there are days that it can be very hard and the pressure can get the better of you. However, it's something that I tried really hard to work on, and I try to make the most of every opportunity that I get to jump at this level.

I am very lucky that the first time that I jumped in a five-star competition, I was 17-years-old. So, although I'm not old, I've done it for 10 years, and hopefully it's just the beginning! I would say there is nothing quite like practice and holding yourself accountable. I was always the type of kid in school that could be in tears before a test because I just couldn't stand the idea of failure. I would say that that's my personality type and probably why I've gotten used to a lot of pressure.

What advice would you give to young riders who are aspiring to compete at the highest levels of the sport?

I would say two things. Number one is to stay in school as long as it is physically possible. I get pushback on that. Obviously, not everyone has the opportunity that I did, but now with post-Covid, the way that a lot of education has transformed to online there are a lot more options. I still take courses online and try to expand my brain. In my opinion, it is incredibly important to just being a well-rounded person. Before I went to college, there were a number of riders that said to me: “Why are you bothering to do that? You have so much talent and you're going to ride anyway, so why not just ride?” But the sport is always going to be there, and the horses are going to be there. I think in order for our sport to grow, and keep up with the global dynamic and how the world is changing, that it's important to really push yourself and get educated.

The second thing I would say is don't be afraid to reach out to someone that you admire, and you might get a ‘no’, but that's the worst case scenario. There is so much opportunity now, between all of the live streams. You can watch almost any Grand Prix in the world, and if you can't watch it live, you can watch it back. If you get the chance to go to a horse show, watch the warm-up arena. Often people overlook that, but that is really where you see a rider. The best riders don't have one type of horse, they can ride multiple. So, watch and ask questions. I think you'd be surprised how willing the top riders are to help younger people.

What qualities do you think a horse and rider has to have in order to a Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major?

I would say, as a pair, they have to have trust in each other, they have to have desire to win, and they have to have confidence. I would say those are the three major qualities. You see all different types of horses and riders that can win a Major, like in today’s class, but as a partnership, that they really need to have those three things.

How important do you think the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping has been on the development of the sport?

We want our sport to be on the scale of, for example, tennis and the Major Grand Slam events that we all watch on TV. We admire those athletes, and in this world, we have the same respect for the riders and horses that are competing at what would be the equivalent level. To have the recognition and the support from a brand like Rolex and to put these events at the highest level, that's the pinnacle of our sport, as it would be in any sport.

Everyone obviously would love to jump a championship, but really the best are able to perform, not in just one weekend, but over multiple events. For any rider to go to any one of these Majors is a huge deal, but the fact that there are four Majors each year means that there is something that we can aim for every single year.

The funny thing about dealing with horses is, obviously, it's not just about the rider, the horse has to peak at the right time which requires some luck. You might miss an Olympic year or World Championship year, but every year that you have a super horse and you have that partnership, you can aim for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. I think it's the pinnacle of show jumping.

Please could you introduce yourself, and tell us your role and what this entails…

My name is Alejandro, and I am Erynn Ballard’s show groom. I started working for her eight months ago, and before this, I worked for Darragh Kenny. My job is to take care of her horses and travel with her to all of the shows – I try to do my best in every part of my job!

What inspired you to become a groom in the equestrian world, and how did you start?

My grandfather used to take care of horses, and we have always had horses back in Spain, where I grew up. I began riding myself but I had a bad accident and I was in the hospital for a long time. After this, I decided to quit riding and start grooming as I could no longer ride. Grooming was therefore a natural next step for me – it enabled me to keep working with horses.

Working with a Canadian rider, Spruce Meadows must be a very special experience for you, can you tell us how special it is to be here?

It is very special. We always want the horses to do well, but here at the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament, when Erynn enters into the ring everyone is clapping and cheering for her – it is an incredible feeling.

Spruce Meadows is my favourite show on the circuit, and of course, is even better when we do well.

Can you tell us a little bit more about the facilities here at the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament?

The facilities here are exceptional – I have nothing bad to say. There are paddocks for the horses, a lot of turn-out, plenty of rings to flat, lunging arenas, and the stables are great – there are water points everywhere, good ventilation in the stables, and hot water in the mornings. I really could keep going on about the number of facilities here.  

What does a typical day look like for you at Spruce Meadows during a competition?

We have a routine that always stays the same – although we change the timings for riding depending on the class, but the routine is always the same. I come in you check the horses, feed them hay and grain. We try to keep everything as consistent as possible. In my opinion, consistency is the key! If you start changing things, then the horses are not going to perform as well. We try to keep everything simple. 

Can you share a bit about the unique personality traits or quirks of the horses you work with?

We have three horses with us this week. One is a lovely stallion called De Flor 111 Z Santa Rosa, he is very kind, nice, and polite – he doesn’t really do anything wrong. Then we have a nine-year-old gelding named Fave D'Authuit. They are all my favourites but he is a special one. He is fresh though – if it is a cold day then he can be a little bit quirky and cheeky. Finally, there is the man of the house – Gakhir. He is the number one – everyone loves him, and he cannot do anything wrong – whatever he does is always good. He is the special one.

What is Erynn’s approach to working with the team and horses, and what makes her so talented?

Erynn is the nicest rider I have ever worked with! I cannot say one bad thing about her. She is perfect! She takes care of everyone. She always asks about the horses, as well as all of the team including how we are doing, if our flight was good, if we have a rental car – she thinks about every detail.

What do you find most rewarding about working at the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Majors such as Spruce Meadows?

When you work day in and out with the horses it is so rewarding to see their progress. For example with our chestnut stallion, De Flor 111 Z Santa Rosa, we got quite recently and we have been jumping in the smaller classes and yesterday he jumped clear in the big class. It is a nice feeling when you see the horses improving and getting better all the time.

What skills or qualities do you believe are essential for someone in your role?

I think it is passion and love – you have to love what you do. You have to leave a lot of things behind with this job and so you need to be totally dedicated. You have to be a hard worker – there are so many hours involved, and you are always on the next plane or truck to the shows. I think that being a hard worker is key to it all.

How do you continue to learn and improve your skills as a groom?

You have to ask questions! If you have a question, you should always ask the other grooms and they will help you out. That is what is so special about our community – people are always willing to help out because we all love the horses. It is also always important to ask the wider team, the vets, grooms, farriers, and trainers.

You of course learn a little bit through your own experiences – you see what works well with one horse, and then try to adapt that to another one. The horses teach you a lot! If you think you know everything, then you will not get better!