The Dutch Masters returns from 9-12 March 2023 and will play host to the first Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major of the year. The four-day show will showcase some of the finest horse and rider combinations and will culminate on Sunday with the Rolex Grand Prix. Heading to this prestigious event and seeking to claim this pinnacle class will be eight of the world’s current top 10-ranked riders, as well as seven Rolex Testimonees.

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – Rider Watch

The current Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Live Contender McLain Ward makes the journey from America with two of his top horses – HH Azur and Contagious. The American, who wowed the crowds at CHI Geneva with his exceptional jump-off performance in the Rolex Grand Prix, has continued his triumphant form at the Winter Equestrian Festival this year, recently winning a CSI5* Grand Prix. Ward will travel to The Dutch Masters brimming with confidence and hoping to impress in Europe.

This year’s competition is set to be one of the toughest yet with numerous former Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major winners in attendance. Leading the way is Rolex Testimonee, Daniel Deusser, the defending champion of the Rolex Grand Prix held under the bright lights of the Brabanthallen. The German is a fierce competitor and knows how to perform at high-pressured Majors, having won two last year. The three-time Dutch Masters Grand Prix winner will be looking to restart his quest to become only the second person to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Deusser will be joined by compatriot, and winner of the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen, Gerrit Nieberg, who will be aiming to claim his first victory at this iconic show.

World No 1. Henrik von Eckermann adds to the impressive list of entries this year and is always one to be at the top of the leader boards. The Swedish rider ended 2022 with a sensational win in the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final held at CHI Geneva with his incredible gelding, King Edward. Von Eckermann is the ultimate horseman and has now held the World No.1 position consecutively for the past seven months. As a previous winner of the Rolex Grand Prix held at The Dutch Masters, having won in 2019 with the sensational Toveks Mary Lou, all eyes will be on the World No.1 when he rides into the main arena. Fellow countryman, Peder Fredricson, with whom von Eckermann won Team gold at the FEI World Championships last summer, will also line up in 's-Hertogenbosch.

Two of Switzerland’s most decorated show jumpers, World No.2 Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat, will also be in attendance. The duo, who have won six Rolex Grand Slam Majors between them, have never been able to claim this prized trophy; however, both riders understand the precision, bravery and athleticism required by horse and rider to be successful, and will be two of the favourites going into the class on Sunday.

France’s three representatives at the show will be Julien Epaillard, Simon Delestre and Kevin Staut. Epaillard, who is World No.3, won over 75 international classes last year, and will be tough to beat if he makes it through to the jump-off on Sunday. Delestre and Staut have strength and depth in both their talent and their string of horses and will no doubt be vying for the top spot in this esteemed class.

The home crowd will be delighted to welcome 14 Dutch riders to the Brabanthallen. At the forefront of the Dutch contingent is last year’s runner-up in the Rolex Grand Prix, Harrie Smolders. Smolders, who led the Dutch team to victory at the FEI Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona in 2022, will be hoping to go one better than last year, bringing the trophy back to the home nation. Other notable Dutch riders include World No.8 Maikel Van Der Vleuten and Willem Greve, the latter finishing third in this feature class last year.

The only winner of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, Britain’s Scott Brash, is never one to count out at a Rolex Grand Slam Major. Brash will be joined by two of his FEI World Championships bronze medal-winning teammates, Under-25 riders Harry Charles and Joseph Stockdale. Charles, who last year broke into the World’s top 15 is one of the most exciting talents in the sport, and will be looking to claim his first Rolex Grand Prix win .

Other riders to look out for at the first Major of year include Austria’s Max Kühner who won this coveted title in 2021, FEI World Championship Individual silver medalist Jérôme Guery, and the World No.7 from Brazil, Marlon Modolo Zanotelli.

Congratulations! You are the Rolex Grand Slam Live Contender, how are you feeling ahead of The Dutch Masters? Which horse do you plan to compete with in the Rolex Grand Prix?

I am extremely excited to attend and compete at The Dutch Masters. The four Rolex Grand Slam Majors are some of the most prestigious events in the show jumping calendar. These Majors have elevated the sport as they represent an opportunity to showcase the highest quality of jumping in the sport.

I am planning on bringing two of my horses, HH Azur and Contagious, both of whom competed at CHI Geneva. They have been performing very well on the winter circuit. For HH Azur, I have been adapting her training schedule to ensure that she is at her peak performance at The Dutch Masters. Hopefully we will have prepared correctly so that we execute a great performance.

What have you been up to since winning the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva, and how have you been preparing yourself and your horses for The Dutch Masters?

It is important to take time to yourself between seasons to reset and to feel prepared. Currently, I am competing on the winter circuit in Wellington, Florida as this provides a variety of classes that all my horses can compete in. In terms of the preparations for HH Azur and Contagious prior to The Dutch Masters, it is important for them to compete in the build-up to the show. HH Azur is 17-years-old now, so she does not compete as often anymore – instead we just aim her at the most important competitions. On the other hand, Contagious competes more often, I am planning on jumping with him this week at the 5* classes here in Florida. This will be his last show before we travel abroad.

You have had great success at the Winter Equestrian Festival over the past few weeks – how does that affect your confidence going into The Dutch Masters?

I have a lot of great horses thanks to my fantastic owners, who are very enthusiastic in supporting my goals. I am incredibly grateful to my grooms and my team within the stable, as they keep the horses fresh and healthy. However, in the lead up to these Majors, I can find myself internally questioning whether we have prepared correctly and made the right choices. You can never be certain of those aspects until the competition occurs, but it is important to try to have confidence in our methods and training.

You will be making the long journey across from America to The Dutch Masters, how do you ensure that your horses travel well so they can continue to perform at their peak?

My team and I have become very experienced at this, as over the years as we have attended numerous shows abroad. This has allowed us to develop an understanding of how to manage the logistics of travelling. I feel incredibly grateful to have an excellent team of people who support my horses and me. My grooms and stable workers are brilliant with the horses; it is clear that they are passionate about them and the industry.

As we are based in the United States, we have become used to travelling abroad to attend shows, as the best of the sport is based in mainland Europe. I have always wanted to compete against the very best show jumpers, so it is important that I attend Majors, such as CHIO Aachen, CHI Geneva, and The Dutch Masters. The horses that we select to compete have become accustomed to the travelling, and they now handle the changes very well. Travelling with horses always takes a substantial amount of planning and preparation ahead of the events, but my team are now experts at this.

What are your goals, dreams and ambitions for 2023?

My main goal for this season is to help the United States qualify for the Paris Olympic Games 2024. As soon as we achieve the qualification, we will then shift our focus to becoming the best national team who are ready for the world stage in Paris. This is the ultimate goal, as it is always such an honour to represent your country.

My personal goal is to remain in contention for the Majors in the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Every year, I place a great deal of importance on these events, as they are great Grands Prix – they are iconic in their own right. As a result, a considerable proportion of the year is focused on preparing for these events with the aim to execute a great performance. On the day itself, you need a certain amount of luck for your performance to go your way and to win. It is extremely challenging to win multiple Majors, and therefore to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, explaining why only one person, Scott Brash, has achieved this. 

You have had so much success with HH Azur – tell us about her and what it is about her that makes her so successful?

HH Azur has an incredible physical ability but what makes her truly stand out is her character. She is a warrior at heart. I use the term ‘Queen’ when referring to her, as she encapsulates every aspect of that term. Two years ago, I thought that it was the end of her career, as she had several injuries but she overcame them. At the beginning of the 2022 season, she was feeling better than ever, and we made the decision to keep competing her and then assess her later on in the season. She ended up having the best year of her career so far. You can directly notice that she is truly passionate and in love with the sport. As long as she is still in love with the sport and happy, we will continue competing. She handles both indoor and outdoor arenas really well; she does not get fazed by much. She is a very smart horse and understands a huge amount of what we do with her. I love spending time with her, whether that is hacking, training or competing – she is such a brilliant horse.

What keeps you motivated and hungry for success?

I am currently extremely motivated and I feel that I am in a good place in my life. I have a really wonderful support network, whether that is from my family or group of owners. I really enjoy my professional and personal interactions with my owners, as we are like minded, we have similar purposes and clearly share the same passion. I continue to enjoy figuring out new strategies to improve myself and the horses, as well as ‘playing the game’ well. I still feel like I am in great physical condition – competing against the younger generation keeps me on my toes and inspires me to constantly aim to be at my best.

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

Rolex’s involvement and the introduction of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping has elevated our sport, in particular the four Major competitions, to a superior level. Once you have represented your country on an international stage, such as at the Olympic Games, the next prestigious goal is to win these iconic Majors. They are the equivalent to The Masters and The Championships, Wimbledon, which gather the best sportsmen and sportswomen in the world.

However, there is an increased challenge in completing the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, as you are required to win three Majors in a row. In contrast to other sports, we have the variable of the horse; it is one thing to prepare yourself mentally and physically, but ensuring that the horse is in peak condition is a different challenge in itself. Winning the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is definitely doable, as it has been won before. Hopefully, this incredible feat will be achieved again. In terms of my horse, HH Azur, she was clear in the last three Grand Slam Majors, but unfortunately we were only successful in one jump-off.

The challenge of winning the Rolex Grand Slam brings out the best in our sport, as everyone is training and performing with the aim of being victorious. Last season, at CHI Geneva, we witnessed the greatest jump-off in the history of our sport, and it raised the bar on what is achievable.

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

I am lucky that, other than trying to find some headspace, I do not have this urge to get away from the sport. I love every single aspect of it. I am very lucky that I live on two beautiful farms, one in Florida and other in New York. My family enjoy, and are involved in, the sport, as well, so it has become a way of life for me. Of course, it is important to find balance and spend some time away from the horses to keep your head clear but I need to remind myself to do this.

If you weren’t a show jumper, what would you have been?

I imagine that I would have ended up building high-end houses and developments. I have actually built a number of properties and I truly enjoy it. I appreciate the challenge when building and renovating places; it allows me to be creative when I work with landscapes and designs. There are a lot of crossovers with show jumping, as in both you have to think creatively and forwardly.

Do you follow any other sports aside from show jumping?

I follow most sports in general; my eldest daughter is a sports fanatic so we enjoy following multiple sports together. We both enjoy the competitiveness that comes from watching different disciplines. I think it is important to watch other sports so you can observe and learn from the economics and politics and bring their learnings to our sport.

If you were stranded on a desert island, which three items would you take with you?

I would bring my three girls: my wife Lauren, and daughters Lily and Maddox.

The highly anticipated Dutch Masters returns this year from 9-12 March with a spectacular schedule of sport and entertainment. Hosting the first Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major of the calendar year, this iconic show will see some of the world’s best horse and rider combinations fight to claim one of the most prestigious prizes in show jumping, the Rolex Grand Prix. This year, The Dutch Masters will welcome the return of both a second arena and national competitions. This second arena, as per tradition, will host the majority of the national competitions taking place throughout the show.

The action in the main arena begins on Thursday 9 March with the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Grand Prix presented by RS2 Dressage, where elegance, precision and harmony will be seen in abundance. Crowds are sure to be in awe of these partnerships they ‘dance’ together. Britain’s Charlotte Fry and the stunning black stallion Glamourdale will surely be the favourites when they enter the arena. The double Individual gold medallists at the 2022 FEI World Championships have gone from strength to strength and have continued to impress judges and crowds alike since their victory in Herning. Rolex Testimonee, Germany’s Isabell Werth and the Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere will also be contesting the top spot on the leader board. Dressage fans will be treated to a masterclass from some of the world’s best in the discipline, including Charlotte Fry, Britt Dekker, Samantha Steenwijk & Anky van Grunsven later on in the day. Meanwhile, in the second arena, the national competition commences with two jumping classes.

With seven classes taking place across the main arena and the second arena, Friday in the Brabanthallen will be action-packed. First off in the second arena is the KNHS Para Dressuur Trophy, which will see para-dressage riders competing in a Freestyle to Music competition. The feature class comes later in the day in the main arena, where the world’s leading show jumpers will be looking to claim the VDL Groep Prize. Away from the dressage and show jumping taking place during the day, spectators will be treated to a vast variety of exceptional shops, bars and restaurants to enjoy.

Saturday sees the second half of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ with the Freestyle to Music taking place in the early afternoon. This class will be one of the last chances for riders to secure points to qualify for the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, taking place in Ocala, Florida, USA in early April. Saturday evening sees the return of the ever-popular Van Schijndel Indoor Derby, as well as the headline show jumping class of the day, the Audi Prize. Meanwhile national jumping and dressage classes take place throughout the day in the second arena.

All eyes on Sunday will be on one class, the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix. Here, 40 of the most elite show jumping combinations will take on Louis Konickx’s expertly designed course in the hope of becoming the new Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Live Contender. The competition is expected to be fierce, with numerous former Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major winners in the field, including last year’s victor and Rolex Testimonee Daniel Deusser, as well as the current Live Contender McLain Ward.