The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping returns to the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ from 7-11 September 2022, with the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex on the Sunday providing a thrilling finale to five days of outstanding sport. Located in the foothills of the Alberta Rocky Mountains in Calgary, the show will welcome the world’s best horse and rider combinations to what is often regarded to as the leading equestrian venue in North America.

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – Rider Watch

Following his spectacular win at CHIO Aachen with Ben 431, Gerrit Nieberg comes to the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ as the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Live Contender. This will be the first time that the combination will make the journey across the Atlantic Ocean to this iconic venue, with the duo looking to carry forward their winning momentum from CHIO Aachen to continue their quest to become the next Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping victor.  

Joining Nieberg are a host of world-class horse and rider combinations. Three of the Swedish FEI World Championship gold medal-winning team come to Calgary with their medal-winning horses. Jens Fredricson, Peder Fredricson and Henrik von Eckermann will all be aiming to claim their first victory in the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex at the beautiful venue. von Eckermann and King Edward are sure to be the hot favourites heading into the third Rolex Grand Slam Major of the year, having won the Individual gold medal in Herning. Peder Fredricson is also expected to be at the top of the leaderboard, having won two Rolex Grands Prix in the last two months at Knokke Hippique and the Brussels Stephex Masters. These combinations will be riding full of confidence and will be looking to continue their top-form into the show.

Out of the six Rolex Testimonees competing at the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, current World No.2 Martin Fuchs will lead the way. The Swiss, who made history by winning consecutive Rolex Grands Prix at CHI Geneva in 2019 and 2021, will be hoping to claim the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping bonus for winning two out of four Majors. Fuchs has had a phenomenal 2022 season thus far, winning the FEI World Cup™ Final and the Rolex Grand Prix at Jumping International de Dinard.

Compatriot, and last year’s winner of the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex, Steve Guerdat returns to the impressive International Ring at the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ to defend his title. The ever-competitive Guerdat is the ultimate horseman and is always able to get the most out of his horses in the big moments. Knowing what it takes to win, he brings two of his top horses (Venard de Cerisy and Taina M&m), to this third Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major of the year. Joining Fuchs and Gerdat is the next young Swiss talent and their FEI World Championships teammate Edouard Schmitz. The young rider is now cementing himself as one of the most exciting young riders in the sport having recently won the International Grand Prix of Ireland at the Dublin Horse Show.

A regular at the Calgary venue, Kent Farrington and his team of horses will have the advantage of knowing the arena and most importantly the American knows how to win in it. In July, he added to that list of wins with Orafina in the Jayman BUILT Cup at the 'North American' CSI 5* tournament held at the venue. Last year, Farrington came second in the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex, and will be hoping to go one better this year.

British rider, Scott Brash, is sure to have the fondest of memories from this venue, as it was where he won the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping in 2015. Brash still stands as the only rider to have won this elusive title and is a two-time winner of the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex. He will travel to Calgary brimming with confidence, following his strong performance in the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen finishing a close second, as well as winning Team bronze in Herning.

The home crowd will be delighted to welcome a number of Canadian riders. Tiffany Foster, the best placed Canadian rider at the FEI World Championships, will be joined Erynn Ballard and Amy Millar. The last Canadian winner of this class came from Ian Millar and Dixson in 2014, so these talented riders will be looking to bring the coveted title back to home soil once more. The Canadians also have a trump card to play, with their new Chef d’Equipe Eric Lamaze on-site providing his expert coaching and knowledge having won the class in 2007.

The Netherlands will be represented by Harrie Smolders, who will be partnered by Darry Lou. The 14-year-old chestnut stallion was the former mount of American rider Beezie Madden, who in 2019 claimed the prestigious class. The passionate crowd will no doubt be wondering whether the Dutchman is able to repeat this success aboard this talented horse. Adding to Europe’s strong presence at the show is Max Kühner, who brings his trusted partner Elektric Blue P as well as the talented Eic Coriolis Des Isles. France’s Kevin Staut will also be making the journey the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’. Staut, who has had numerous 5* Grands Prix wins over the last couple of years, is yet to be victorious in this class. The Frenchman’s fellow Rolex Testimonee Daniel Deusser, a previous winner of the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen and The Dutch Masters, will also be in attendance.

Jérôme Guery will head the strong Belgium contingent in Canada. Guery notably, who won the Individual silver medal at the FEI World Championships, will be joined by no less than four members of the Philippaerts family. Ludo Philippaerts will be joined by three of his sons, including Olivier, winner of the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex 10 years ago, Nicola who brings the talented mare Katanga V/H Dingeshof, with whom he finished third in the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen earlier in the season and Thibault who recently won Individual silver and Team gold-medals at the FEI Young Rider Championships.

Course designer Leopoldo Palacios will be looking to set a challenge that is fair yet challenging for the horses and riders competing in the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex. With the continued quest for the next victor of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping continuing at the historic venue, the field of competitors look as talented as ever and each rider will be putting their all into lifting the iconic trophy on the final day.

How does it feel to be the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Live Contender?

It is a real privilege to be the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Live Contender. It has always been a dream of mine and I have always looked up to the other riders who have achieved this. After my victory in the Rolex Grand Prix, I think it took a week or so to sink in that I am the Live Contender!

What are your goals, dreams and ambitions for 2022?

I would like to continue with the Rolex Grand Slam shows in Spruce Meadows and then Geneva. This was something that I had not originally planned for because, due to my previous world ranking, I would not have been able to get into these shows. However, now that I have a chance to compete these shows, I want to do my best and give everything to continue this momentum.

When did your love for show jumping start, and who has inspired you the most throughout your career?

I only started riding when I was 13 years old. Before this and growing up, I was more interested in other sports like soccer. However, I did grow up with horses because of my parents so there were always horses around and I decided to give it a go one day.

My love for show jumping developed quickly and one week after starting to ride, I decided that I wanted to become a professional show jumper. From that moment on, I was working and training hard every day to achieve this dream.

My dad was the person who inspired me most when I was young due to all his experience and success. My dream has always been to be as good as he was and still is, and maybe even be a bit better one day! I still really look up to him in terms of who he is and how much he works each and every day. Although he is not showing competitively anymore, he is still riding every day at home. His motivation and support for everything that I do is unbelievable and very inspiring.

Tell us a little bit about Ben 431… What’s his character like? How was he after CHIO Aachen?

I have to admit that Ben 431 is really over-motivated. Occasionally, it can be quite difficult to handle him and keep him calm but that is also a real positive thing because it means he is always fighting for you and trying to do his best at all times. He is tireless – for example, after three rounds at CHIO Aachen, he was not tired and would have been able to do another one or two rounds. After the victory at Aachen, he also understood that he had done something special. There were lots of media commitments and so he received lots of attention – even more than before. Now he is always looking out of his window for more attention so I think he feels like a bit of a superstar!

What treats does Ben 431 like when he is successful?

Apples from the trees at the stables!

Looking ahead to the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ next month; which horses will you compete with, and who have you selected for the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex?

I will be competing with Ben 431 and Blues d'Aveline, who was also competing at CHIO Aachen and was placed in Hamburg. Ben will definitely partner me in the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex.

Is Ben 431 a good traveller on long journeys?

Until now, he flew once a year to Doha and was actually fine. It was very smooth and uncomplicated so there should be no problems getting him to Calgary.

Tell us a little bit about your current stable of horses and their personalities… Which of your young horses are you most excited about?

There are lots of exciting young horses but it is always hard to say who will make the transition into the bigger part of the sport most effectively. I would say that I am particularly excited about Amigo 1841, who is now nine years old. I really hope he will make the step to the next level.

How important is your team – your groom, your farrier, your coach, your vet, your owner?

My team is hugely important. It’s not just me and Ben. We are in the ring together for 80 seconds but there is so much work that goes on behind the scenes. The whole team play a key role in enabling us to have success in those 80 seconds in the ring. It is often that everyone only talks about the rider and the horse but there is so much more to it. All the others are just as or even more important. They are the true unsung heroes.

Gut Berl seems to be a real family operation – tell us a little bit about it…

Gut Berl is run by Hendrik Snoek, the former German show jumper, and we are all there working for him. While it is Hendrik’s place, it is very much a family business. We have a really good partnership and relationship which I am really happy about. Also, to have the chance to have these kind of horses and be able to go to shows like these now is great.

Hendrik is the owner of the stables and the owner of most of my horses. However, horses like Ben are owned 50:50 between Hendrik and my father. There are also a few other horses at the stables which have different owners.

What keeps you motivated and hungry for success?

Quite simply, the success is what keeps me motivated! It is important to have a goal. I absolutely love riding but I don’t know whether I could do it without the element of competition, the shows and something to work towards. Events like Aachen are what I work towards every day and the opportunity to compete there fuels my motivation. I am working as hard as ever to enjoy more moments like this.

Do initiatives like the Rolex Grand Slam make you even more motivated to win?

Of course. The Rolex Grand Slam is so traditional and unique. In our sport, there are so many shows each year and the Rolex Grand Slam is definitely a highlight as it consists of four of the best events. Everyone would love to be a winner at one of the Rolex Grand Slam events. It is viewed as a really important initiative among us riders and within the sport.

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

Unfortunately, I don’t have time to watch too many other sports but if I do, I really enjoy watching tennis. My favourite player is Roger Federer.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

To always believe in yourself. This piece of advice is so important for your mentality – in particular, your mindset and how you think about everything. Equally, to always believe in your horses. Also, it is important to ride as many different horses as possible. That’s the best way of learning to ride, building experience and developing an understanding of the horses.

What is your role at CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’?

I first came on board after doing some postgrad work in 1988 and have been the resident veterinarian ever since. I work across the many tournaments hosted here, including the ‘Masters’, and throughout the busy summer season, taking care of the 900 horses we get on the grounds over that six-week period. As for my current job, the FEI define my role at Spruce Meadows as being the Veterinary Service Manager. It’s an oversight role working with the organising committee, helping to coordinate the visiting delegates and veterinary commission to ensure that the facility, surgical backup, and the treating areas are all ready for the tournaments. I basically work as the oversight veterinarian for the treatment side of things, rather than the commission.

Have you worked on any other international equestrian events?

Earlier in my career I was invited to the World Cup Jumping Final in Las Vegas, as part of the treating team. That was during an era when the World Cup Final was taking place in Las Vegas every second year, and I went down as part of the veterinary team on a number of occasions. Aside from that, I haven't worked as an official at any other international events – my focus has primarily been on Spruce Meadows.

How important is nutrition for a horse’s wellbeing?

Nutrition is just one part of the equation. Horses are amazing in what they can metabolise, so as long as we maintain a nice, consistent diet they should be fine. Rather than complicated nutrition, I think the hardest thing international horses face is the change of diet as they travel from event to event. When they're going from venue to venue, trying to maintain consistent nutrition or feed source can be difficult. When you look at our international horses arriving by planes, enduring long transport times, you can find that there is an adjustment period and some of our toughest cases have been through a lack of adaptation to the new feed source. For example, Alberta is known for high quality grains and roughage, compared to Europe where there is really good forage, so the European horses can sometimes have trouble adapting to that. Current government requirements mean that we have to dump all European horse’s grain and bring them onto a brand-new feeding regime once they arrive in our care. This all takes place over a very concentrated period of time, maybe 10 days at most, so it can be a big adjustment for them and one that we have to tread carefully. Our main aim is always to get them on board without creating abdominal disruption. Over those first few days we always cross our fingers, because if there is some abdominal discomfort we are really limited as to what we can treat them with. The FEI holds us to very high requirements and, while they will never deny treatment for the horses, we have to make sure we don’t interfere with performance later on in the competition.

Why did you decide to become an equine vet? Did anyone inspire you?

I started as a competitor in the junior ranks at Spruce Meadows when it first started, and it was one of the key reasons I became a veterinarian. Watching the facility and the quality of horses unfold really helped me target my career. My aspiration was to look after the quality of horses that were starting to come to Spruce Meadows and to see the facility develop from a ‘cattle feed lot’, as Ron [Southern] used to refer to it, to its current world class status. This journey has been an amazing part of my career.  As for mentors, I've had some great teachers, including some wonderful horsemen and founding trainers here at Spruce Meadows. I’ve also been able to work with a few local vets who were looking after the horses at Spruce Meadows in the early days, who were quite inspirational. Additionally, I’ve met many wonderful mentors and peers during my undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Colorado and Fort Collins.

What career achievement(s) are you most proud of?

I would say that my two board specialisation degrees, in surgery and sports medicine, would be the academic pinnacles of my career. I enjoyed the preparation for both of those. The modern, athletic horse has progressed so far and are treated like finely tuned Ferrari cars. To be able to work with them at the top of the sport, where it is so demanding, has been great and it’s all due to those two specialisations.

What do you enjoy most about being an equine vet?

While other may say their favourite part of the job is seeing horses compete at the top of their ability, the thing I have enjoyed the most through my career has been cultivating the relationship between clients and their horses. Being able to resolve illness, lameness, etc., and allow the client to resume their relationship with their horse gives me the most pleasure.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to become an equine vet?

Mentorship. I think the single most important thing is to spend time with established practitioners to develop an understanding of the industry. Of course, the love of the horse is the foundation of being an equine vet, but I think you need to spend time with people that are passionate about the profession to fully understand it. It is so important to also develop an understanding of the demands of the business. Horses are companions, and when we have catastrophic injuries in the ring it takes a huge emotional toll that is hard to comprehend unless you experience it first-hand. At the end of the day, these aren’t cars that you can take down to the automotive shop, they are precious animals in our care who have a huge impact on their owners’ lives – and I think this can only be fully understood through good mentorship.

What is a typical day for you like?

When I first started my career my schedule was very different; full of regular calls and referral surgeries, as well as tournaments. Now it is a little more structured, primarily focusing on mentoring and directing the practice. I'm an early riser, normally starting at 04.30, and I like to get most of my administrative work done early in the day, as well as my exercise. I normally have my workout and admin done by the time I head out the door at 07.30/08.00. As the owner of our current practice, my first job is to touch base with the teams, do the rounds on cases and see how the day sets up. At the moment we have all hands-on deck for the summer season; coordinating teams, treatments, our ringside responsibilities, and work with the veterinary delegates from respective tournaments. Every year, when busy season rolls along, we have to go on autopilot because the days are so full for everyone, so I have to be able to juggle back and forth and always give the job my undivided attention.

What do you like to do away from work?

My back's bothering me a little bit now, but I still play golf, tennis, hockey, badminton, and ski in the winter. I like to have a full range of recreational activities, as I think it's important for my fitness and health. For example, playing four hours of golf offers a real mental break, if I can turn my phone off!. If I can find some time to play a few holes during a tournament, it feels like I’ve had a full weekend off and gives me a chance to reset. That change of mental focus is really important to me, so I’m lucky to have a great spectrum of activities to enjoy.

Tell us a little bit about your team…

The ‘Masters’ is a step down in terms of the number of horses, but a step up in the quality – so we have both permanent and temporary staff involved annually. Every year we need to have at least three support staff and three veterinarians cover the ring responsibilities, as well as another team that maintains the practice. What we normally find during the ‘Masters’ is less individual medical cases, but the ones that come through are of greater importance – so it’s vital to have a selection of skilled individuals that can make hard decisions.

When you retire, what legacy would you like to leave in equestrianism?

I think my legacy probably aligns with the legacy of Spruce Meadows, in that the inception of Spruce Meadows was to provide training and bring our local population of riders to international status. When you look at the success at the Beijing Olympics, it’s clear we achieved the original goal, and it feels special to have been a part of the journey. Ron Southern would say “it's a very unlikely sport in an unlikely part of the world”, and it is a very rewarding feeling to have played a small role in the success of Spruce Meadows.

The welfare of the horse underpins what the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping stands for; how do you ensure this is upheld and veterinary standards are constantly improving?

Fundamentally, we always have to remind ourselves that these are treasured animals in our care. While we can push them to a certain degree, we can't lose sight of the fact that they aren't machines. We can’t ask them, “How are you feeling today? Would you like a day off?”, so we must be empathetic. No athlete can be expected to work on a year-round basis, so it’s important that we don’t just keep adding more and more tournaments and have the horses compete non-stop. They need a break. These horses are in our care, and it is vital we don’t forget that.

In your opinion, what more can be, and should be, done to improve the welfare of the horse?

As mentioned in my last answer, we just need to be mindful of the demands we’re placing on them and ensure that they're not treated as a disposable commodity. A horse can only withstand so many jumps and so much pressure, but it is impossible to legislate that. As long as we maintain good quality people that understand the horses, and owners that respect what trainers say, their welfare should be in good hands. The key is good communication at all levels, with the riders, trainers and even grooms not being afraid to voice concerns.