The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping returns to CHI Geneva from 7 – 11 December 2022 with an action-packed schedule, including the 21st running of the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final on Friday evening and pinnacle class, the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.

Held in the impressive Palexpo in Geneva, the world’s elite horse and rider combinations will tackle some of the toughest tracks of the year, at is what is often considered the sport’s leading indoor show jumping venue. Taking part in this year’s show is a spectacular line-up of athletes including 17 of the top 20 riders, as well as six Rolex Testimonees and 17 riders representing the home nation.

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – Rider Watch

After his sensational win at in the CP ‘International’, Presented by Rolex at The CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament, Germany’s Daniel Deusser will be looking to continue his impressive form in the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Majors, having won two of out the last three Grand Prix. Deusser will be aiming to continue his quest to become only the second person to have ever won The Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping, following fellow Rolex Testimonee Scott Brash’s triumph in 2015. Deusser will also be joined by fellow countryman Gerrit Nieberg, winner of the Rolex Grand Prix held at CHIO Aachen earlier this year.

Home favourite and defending champion, Martin Fuchs, will be the one that everyone has their eyes upon. Having won the last two editions of the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva, the World No.2 understands the precision, bravery and athleticism required by horse and rider to be successful in this prestigious competition. Joining Fuchs is compatriot and three-time winner of the Rolex Grand Prix at this iconic venue, Steve Guerdat, as well as FEI World Championship teammates Edouard Schmitz and Pius Schwizer.

World No.1 Henrik von Eckermann adds to the impressive list of entries this year. The Swedish rider will come to the show brimming with confidence, having been World No.1 for the past four months and following a recent win in the FEI Jumping World Cup^TM Qualifier in Verona. The double world champion and team Olympic gold medalist will however be looking to claim his first victory in the Rolex Grand Prix in Geneva. Sweden will also be represented by Peder Fredricison. The ever-competitive Peder, who joined Henrik on the podium in Tokyo and Herning will also be aiming to lift the prestigious trophy for the first time.

Last year’s runner-up Harrie Smolders will be hoping to go one better this year to become the first Dutch winner of the class. A strong contingent of riders from France will also head to CHI Geneva this year, including World No.3, Julien Epaillard, the in-form Simon Delestre and Rolex Testimonee Kevin Staut. Staut, a former winner ofboth the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final and the Rolex Grand Prix, will be looking to use his knowledge and experience of how to win in this venue to add the last Rolex Grand Prix of the year to his impressive results this year.

Great Britain will be represented by all members of their FEI World Championship bronze medal-winning team. Ben Maher won the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final last year with his Olympic gold medal-winning partner, Explosion W, and has continued his impressive form throughout the year with new string of horses at the very top of the sport. Scott Brash, is never one to discount in this prestigious class, having won here in 2014 on his way to claiming the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping in 2015. The Under-25 World No.1 Harry Charles will also be in attendance. Having broken into the Top 15 this year, the young British rider has cemented himself as one of the best riders in the world and will be joined by another up-and-coming young rider, Joseph Stockdale, who will be making his debut at CHI Geneva.

Belgium’s Gilles Thomas, who was third at in the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex at The CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament, will be joined by compatriots Gregory Wathelet, who won the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Royal Windsor Horse Show earlier in the year, and FEI World Championship individual silver medalist, Jérôme Guery.

Other notable entries include Ireland’s Conor Swail, who has recently won both the FEI Jumping World Cup^TM Qualifiers in Washington and Sacramento, Max Kühner from Austria who was third in the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva last year and the USA’s McLain Ward.

Congratulations! You are the Rolex Grand Slam Live Contender once again, how are you feeling ahead of CHI Geneva? Which horse do you plan to compete with in the Rolex Grand Prix?

I am feeling confident ahead of CHI Geneva. My horses have been in good shape over the last couple of weeks. I am really looking forward to Geneva as it is a fantastic show, and I have some fantastic memories from past experiences there. I realise that it will be difficult to win this Grand Prix again,  but I definitely have a chance this year. So in the lead up, I am taking it easy.

What have you been up to since winning the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex at CSIO Spruce Meadows  in  September,  and  how  have  you  been  preparing  yourself  and  your  horses  for  CHI Geneva?

With your best horses you are always trying to make the best plan. When thinking of CHI Geneva, I have two horses that come into consideration – Killer Queen [VDM] and Tobago [Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z]. Killer Queen had a couple of weeks off after the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, where she jumped fantastically. I think that she is back in shape and now she feels good. Over the next two weeks, I do not have a show so I will hopefully bring both horses very fresh to Geneva.

I do not really have a plan yet, I still need to make decisions regarding who I am going to jump in the Rolex Grand Prix, and which horse I will use for the Grand Prix qualifier. A lot of this depends on my feelings during the last training week before we leave for Geneva. It will allow me to observe and assess how the horses are feeling. Maybe one will remain a little too fresh that they need to start with a small class and maybe one will be ready to go straight into a big class. Until now, I have had a very good feeling with both of the horses, they both feel very happy and sound, so I am really looking forward to Geneva.

The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary next year – how big an impact has it had on the sport?

With the Rolex Grand Slam, the four shows have created an important source of motivation in our sport. They have created something that is very unique, with an exclusive format that to this day cannot be rivalled. It really pushes the sport to another level, as before you only had one championship at the end of the season. However, nowadays, all show jumpers look to the Rolex Grand Slam, and treat the four shows as four championships throughout the year. It is a fantastic format. Everybody knows how difficult it is to achieve the Rolex Grand Slam. In 2015, Scott Brash achieved it but this is already seven years ago. Since then, no one has come close to achieving this, but during each season all show jumpers aim to do so. I think that this shows the incredible role of the Rolex Grand Slam.

How important is it for a show jumper to keep learning in this sport??

I worked for Franke Sloothaak over the period of four and a half years. He was a top rider for some time, and I learnt a lot from him. To this day, I am still in contact with him regularly. I still learn from him, as he tends to visit every once in a while. I have to say that mentoring programmes may be a bit different to this now but I am actively looking out for successful riders, even younger ones in the arena during show jumping competitions. In a show jumper’s career, no matter how long one has been doing it for, there is still so much to learn, as every animal is different. Their characters change, and riders must constantly adapt and learn to be able to handle or communicate with different horses. And even with my own experience, every year with my horses, I incorporate new trainings with new and old horses for us to constantly learn and improve. It is important to constantly keep learning in this sport, and to observe and study other riders.

What does your diet and nutrition plan look like? How important is diet and nutrition to your overall training programme?

To be honest, I really do not have to monitor my weight, as I am very tall and slim. I think the most important thing in terms of nutrition, is that one has to be aware that the goal is to feel physically fit and comfortable. Obviously, everyone has to adapt their nutrition to themselves and to their body type. As I said, I am a very tall person, which I do not really think is always an advantage in the saddle. In terms of my weight,  I am very lucky that I can still enjoy food and eat whatever I fancy as my weight is easy to manage.

I really try to take the time to do a lot of stretching exercises so my body can remain flexible. Being a tall rider has some disadvantages, and flexibility is a bit of a challenge for me compared to shorter riders. It is important to continually work on flexibility. In our sport, one sits in the saddle for hours at a time, and this is a position where one’s muscles, certainly in the legs, gain strength.

Away from show jumping, how do you relax? What do you love to do?

Nowadays, if I am not training my horses, and not attending a show, I try and spend as much time with my family and young daughter. Before her, I would relax by watching a movie or going on bike rides in the evenings but now that has changed with her around. We take her to hockey training once a week and that is fun. So, yes, I try and spend time with my family.

My wife and daughter play a bit part in my life, and in my overall success in show jumping. There is a lot of travelling when we compete, and this means I am not at home for long periods of time, so people around me need to support and understand my sport and lifestyle. They certainly do this. I am really lucky with my family, as Caroline came from a show jumping background, as well, and is very supportive.

If you weren't a professional show jumper, what would you be doing? Are there any professional sports men who you idolise?

I really do not know what I would be doing if I was not a show jumper. I know for certainty that it would be something to do with the outdoors and that would involve a lot of physical activity. I could not visualise myself sitting in an office throughout the day. It would most likely have been another sport. When I was younger, I played a lot of sports such as tennis, and even rode BMXs.

What would be the perfect day? What would it look like from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep?

My perfect day would be waking up on the Sunday morning of CHI Geneva, and discovering my horses feel great, and then go on to win the Rolex Grand Prix!

What is your favourite holiday that you have been on? Do you find it easy to relax, or do you have to stay active?

It is really hard for me to decide on a favourite one because I have had some amazing summer and winter holidays. When I am away on holiday, I have to stay active. When we were in the Mauritius, I had to do some sort of water sport to ensure that I was doing some physical movement. I cannot spend a couple of days lying still on the beach. This is why I love going on skiing holidays, as you are outdoors and active all day long.

You have had great 2022 – what have you enjoyed the most and what are you most proud of?

2022 has been a great year. It has been the first year that things have gone back to normal after the Covid-19 pandemic and it was so great to be back at shows with the spectators there as well. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic we did lose some shows but all in all it has been a positive year.

I have also had a couple of new horses come into my yard that I am very excited about. I have a nine-year-old, Major Tom, who this year has stepped-up to jump in some bigger classes. I am very pleased with how he has handled this, and he will now have some downtime before next year. I have big hopes for him next year.

What are your plans, dreams and ambitions for 2023?

Next year is incredibly important for the Brazilian team as we are looking to gain our qualification for the Olympic Games – so this will be my main goal. We will work towards the FEI Nations Cup™ Final in September and the Pan American Games held in Chile in October. So, 2023 will be a busy year to make sure that we perform well at these events to ensure our place in Paris.

Tell us a little bit about your stable of horses – which ones are you most excited about?

Major Tom, a nine-year-old Belgian-bred is my main horse. We have had him for two years, since he was a seven-year-old, and he is owned by Artemis Equestrian Farm. He has a huge amount of ability and quality so we have been trying to produce him as best we can so that he can tackle the big events.

I also have some other very nice horses that are owned by Artemis Equestrian Farm including Chili, Quality FZ and Venice Beach who are all 5* horses that have a lot of experience and are competitive at top level. I am really excited about the horses that I currently have, and I have a lot of hope for 2023.

This year marks the 21st Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final – what is the role of the IJRC role and in your opinion how important is the club for show jumping?

The Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final is organised by the IJRC. We founded the class after I came back from the Tennis Masters in Portugal and I thought that was something that needed to be added in our sport. It is something that is so exclusive, has great prize money and now the riders really fight to get into the Top 10. The riders always bring their best horses to try and win this prestigious class. I am really proud to be part of it and the IJRC make sure that the class is so well run.

I think that the club is so important. We are trying to improve the sport and make sure that we introduce new innovative ideas to the sport to ensure that it evolves in the right way. The IJRC does a tremendous amount of work to ensure that the committee represents all the riders and additional stakeholders such as owners and breeders – it is an important piece of the puzzle of our sport.

In your opinion what do the decision makers and the rights holders need to focus on to keep evolving and progressing the sport?

I think that we really need to focus on promoting the sport across the world to get more mainstream media attention. Sports such as tennis or football take up much of the media attention and sponsorship – so you really have to battle to be in the media much as possible so that we can keep sponsors, ensure the sport develops and keep the prize money improving.

You have recently been elected as the FEI athlete for jumping riders – what will your role be, and what will you be aiming to achieve over the next four years?

I am the voice of the riders, my voice is what comes out of the IJRC board – I try to defend our interest as much as possible as well as guiding and suggesting changes that I think are positive for the sport. So, my job is to promote the views of all riders across the world, and to speak with riders that have problems, especially ones that are not really known or under the radar. I bring them up with the FEI and help them solve their problems so that the sport can continue to grow.

You have had an incredible career as both a rider and a high-performance manager – what else would you love to accomplish?

My focus right now is on competing, especially with the nice stables of horses that I have, so to compete at a high level is my number one objective. Through my role in the IJRC I am focused on moving forward to keep developing the sport – it benefits me, but also everyone.

How positive do you believe the Rolex Grand Slam has been for the sport of show jumping?

I think is very important to have a brand that is as big globally as Rolex to get behind the sport. We are incredibly lucky to have such a great brand behind our sport – they invest a lot of money, not only in the events, but also in media and press to try and put the word out about equestrian sport. Rolex are so famous and prestigious that our sport being linked to them is a huge benefit for us – I would say it is more a plus for us then it is for them, so we are very lucky to have their support.

The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping has been incredible for the sport. The Majors are something that riders and owners look forward to and aim towards. All of the Majors, both indoors and outdoors, are phenomenal, and something very special in the calendar.  The Rolex Grand Slam is something that is very difficult to achieve, with only Scott Brash achieving it in 2015 and I do not know if it is something that will be achieved again – but I hope that someone else will do. I think that if someone was going to be able to do it again it would be Daniel Deusser in the next 12 months – he knows how to perform on these big occasions.  

Just like tennis and golf, show jumping has its very own Grand Slam. Which of the other sporting ‘Majors’ do you love watching, and which is your favourite and why?

I am a sports fan in general – I like high quality sport. I love watching Formula One, football, golf and tennis. I think Formula One is my favourite sport to follow but I have been lucky enough to attend some of the Golf and Tennis Majors through my partnership with Rolex, which have been amazing.

What is the best advice someone has given you?

I think it is that patience with horses is the most important thing that you must have. Also, I think that even if things are not going your way, you must keep on pushing and trying and eventually your time will come.