The Dutch Masters returns from 11–13 March and will play host to the first Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major of the year. The three-day show will culminate with the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday, where the world’s best show jumping combinations, including seven of the world’s top 10 ranked riders, will be vying to claim the prestigious trophy and become the new live contender of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. The bright lights of the Brabanthallen will once again shine on the famous arena as crowds are welcomed back to witness world-class equestrian action.

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – Rider Watch

The current live contender Martin Fuchs will be looking to secure a win in the Rolex Grand Prix to continue his quest to become only the second rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Following his historic win at the CHI Geneva 2021, in which he was the first person to win back-to-back Rolex Grands Prix, the on-form Swiss will ride Chaplin. The bay stallion is an indoor specialist, has many Grands Prix wins under his belt already; and is armed with the agility and experience to succeed in the tight Brabanthallen arena. Fuchs will be joined by five of his fellow Rolex Testimonees.

The newest Rolex Testimonee Daniel Deusser is looking to secure the bonus for winning two Rolex Grands Prix out of four, after his win aboard Killer Queen VDM at CHIO Aachen in 2021. The German who has spent the majority of the year out in Florida competing in the Winter Equestrian Festival, will ride Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, who is an expert indoor horse. Deusser has previously won the Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters twice before, so will be looking to capture a third to secure the 250,000 Euro bonus. Following on from his victory at the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, Swiss rider Steve Guerdat will also be aiming for the same bonus.

Last year’s victor Max Kühner, returns with all the knowledge of how to win amongst a top-class field at 's-Hertogenbosch. The Austrian will bring a strong team of horses to The Dutch Masters, with either last year’s winning horse Elektric Blue P or Eic Coriolis Des Isles as his choice for Sunday’s Rolex Grand Prix.

Current reigning Olympic individual champion, and World No. 5 Ben Maher finished last year off in exceptional fashion with a win at CHI Geneva in the Rolex IJRC Top Ten Final aboard the infamous Explosion W. The British star who has also based himself out in Florida for the winter season, will return to Europe to contest The Rolex Grand Prix in 's-Hertogenbosch for the first-time aboard the striking chestnut gelding, who was born approximately 10 kilometres away from the world-renowned Brabanthallen. Compatriot Scott Brash, the only rider to claim the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, will be aiming to restart his quest to win the elusive title once more. The Dutch Masters is the only one of the four majors that has eluded Brash, so he will be sure to bring his top horse to win this prestigious class. Rounding off a strong contingent of British riders, is the up-and-coming Harry Charles, following a stellar end to the year in 2021, the 22-year-old is now the Under-25 World No.1, and will be looking to claim his first Rolex Grand Prix. Will one of these riders be able to become the first British winner since Robert Smith’s victory in 2003?

The home crowd will be hoping to see Harrie Smolders do one better than his second-place finish in the Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva in 2021. The Dutch fans will be sure to be alight with excitement when Smolders enters the arena. The Dutchman will be joined by 12 of his fellow nationals, including Maikel van der Vleuten and Jur Vrieling.

2020 team Olympic Games gold medallist, Henrik von Eckermann, will also be contesting the Rolex Grand Prix. The Swede won here in 2019 and will be looking to emulate his success as one of only two Swedish riders competing at The Dutch Masters, after World No. 1 Peder Fredricson withdrew from the competition.

As excitement builds for the first Major of the year, will Fuchs’s quest for show jumping’s most coveted prize continue or will there be a new live contender?

You are returning to ‘s-Hertogenbosch as the Rolex Grand Prix defending champion, does this make you feel added pressure?

No, not really. I suppose I now know that it is possible to win, but I am probably going to be competing on another horse, so there is less pressure than if I was riding Elektric Blue P. In our sport it is different every time you enter the ring, so that makes me feel less pressure.

Which horses are you planning to bring with you, and which one will you ride in the Rolex Grand Prix?

In the Rolex Grand Prix, I will either ride Eic Coriolis Des Isles or Elektric Blue P. Eic Coriolis Des Isles has been competing at Vejer de la Frontera, and is in very good form at the moment. I will also bring two younger horses with me to The Dutch Masters. I like to bring the less experienced horses with me, so they can be introduced to a show with more atmosphere – it is a very important part of their education.

Do you prepare for an indoor event differently to an outdoor one? Can you tell us the main differences?

I think that it really depends on the horse. Some horses need a little more training before they go to an indoor event. The most important thing for jumping indoors is that the horses are confident, especially as they have to jump fences right next to the fans, and the fences come up far quicker than in an outdoor arena. They also need to be used to jumping large oxers into the corners, so at home I like to practice with smaller exercises in the corners. We have a small indoor arena, so we like to prepare the horses for the indoor events in there.

The spectators at The Dutch Masters sit very close to the arena, does this affect the horses or make you more nervous?

Again, I think it depends on the horse. However, usually the horses that we jump in big classes such as the Rolex Grand Prix are used to having the fans very close. In my opinion the atmosphere that the spectators create is very special, and I believe the horses can feel it. I always say that when a big crowd is behind you, it gives the horse wings.

How important is your team at home to enable your success?

My team is unbelievably important. It is crucial to me that I have a good plan with each of my horses I plan for the long-term development of the horse over several years, not just one show at a time, and without a great team this would be impossible. Everyone is involved in this plan, from the home riders, the farrier and the grooms. We think about what we want to improve with each horse, and how we can best work together as a team to achieve this.

I always say that our sport is more of a team sport than an individual sport, because without the team, I would not be able achieve anything. The home riders do the majority of the training with the horses as I am away competing so much, for example before The Dutch Masters, I will ride the horses that I am taking on the Sunday before we leave. I cannot change anything big, so the horses have to be perfectly trained and prepared to go to s-Hertogenbosch.

What qualities do you look for in a home rider?

We are always looking for good people. The people that have a good attitude, live for their job and think about the horses as soon as they wake up and when they fall asleep. I have learnt that it is not important how much experience someone has when they start, because so long as they are truly interested, they will learn quickly, and it will be easy for them to grow. This is because it is not a job to them, it is a passion.

Which of the four Majors that make up the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is your favourite to compete at and why?

I like each one – they are all so special in their own way. You really cannot compare them against each other, not even CHIO Aachen and CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’. Of course, they are both held in big grass rings, but the course building and fence design is completely different.

The one thing that is the same for all of the Majors, is that they have the toughest courses in the world. They are the most challenging, and therefore have the biggest prize money in the sport – they are the shows that every rider wants to win the most. At each of the Majors, there are more of the top-ranking riders than at the Olympic Games – it is something very special to be a part of.

Does the challenge of competing against the world’s top riders motivate you?

Absolutely. You learn so much competing against the best riders in the world. Even just watching them ride in the warm-up is so inspiring and motivating.

Which horse and rider combinations do you see as your biggest competition at The Dutch Masters?

It is a hard question as there are so many incredible combinations, but I think Martin Fuchs and Chaplin will be on top form. They won the World Cup™ at Lyon together, and I think Martin has been saving Chaplin for this competition, so I think they will be a very hard combination to beat. He has an amazing team, and he knows how to deliver a great performance at these important shows.

The sport has changed so much in the last 15 years, you used to only be able to name about three horse and rider combinations that could win – now there are about 20 who could win the Rolex Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters.

Do you ever have any downtime?! If so, what would you choose to do?

I try and spend it with my family – I have three children and I love spending time with them. If I have a bit more time off, I like to do some sport, I find that very fulfilling.

What do you enjoy most about being a professional show jumper?

I enjoy that there are so many challenging situations. It is not only just competing well in the ring – it is creating the right plan for the horses, getting a good team together and having great owners. There are so many things that have to work out in the right way in order to succeed, to me this makes being a professional show jumper very interesting.

What is your advice to younger riders who are just starting out in their respective careers?

Always stand up again!

Aside from show jumping, do you follow any other sports e.g., tennis or golf?

Unfortunately, I do not really have enough time. It is not that I am not interested in following other sports, but when I do have time off, I enjoy spending it with my family. They play lots of sport, so I watch them instead.

This year The Dutch Masters welcomes back spectators to the world-renowned Brabanthallen for the first time since 2019. The event runs from the 11-13 March and will follow a slightly adjusted programme to meet the requirements put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognised as one of the most prestigious indoor shows on the equestrian calendar, ‘s-Hertogenbosch will not only host the world’s best show jumpers, but also welcomes the elite dressage horse and rider combinations who will compete in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ on Friday and Saturday.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist and World No. 1, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, will be hoping to continue her 2021 success aboard her 15-year-old bay mare, TSF Dalera BB, with whom she became double Olympic and European champion. The winning partnership will be sure to treat the crowds to a masterclass as they compete in the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Grand Prix on Friday afternoon and the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Freestyle on Saturday.

In the build up to the Rolex Grand Prix which takes place on the Sunday afternoon, spectators will be entertained by the world’s best show jumpers competing in a packed-out programme of international classes. Highlights include the VDL Groep Prize on Friday evening – which was won by Rolex’s newest Testimonee Daniel Deusser (GER) in 2021 – and the Audi Prize on Saturday evening.

Aside from the sporting action, one further highlight will be a very special retirement ceremony for Maikel van der Vleuten’s Verdi TN, which will take place ahead of the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon. This retirement ceremony was originally planned for 2020, but the decision was made to delay until spectators were able to return to the stadium to enable Verdi TN to have the send-off he truly deserves. Throughout his career Verdi TN was a tough competitor and boasts accolades including a team gold medal at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 2014 and a team gold medal at the FEI European Championships in 2015.

Tickets are still available to book. Visit the website www.thedutchmasters.com for more information.