The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping returns to CHIO Aachen from 24 June – 03 July 2022, with the Rolex Grand Prix on the final Sunday providing a fitting end to two weeks of exceptional sport. Returning to it usual slot between The Dutch Masters and Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, the event often compared The Championships, Wimbledon will welcome 40,000 passionate equestrian spectators back the pristine Aachen Soers showground.

Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – Rider Watch

Daniel Deusser returns to the hallowed grounds as both the live contender of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, following his victory at The Dutch Masters in March, and the defending champion of the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen. The German, currently ranked World No.9 brings the talented mare Killer Queen VDM with him to defend their title and continue his conquest to become only the second person to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Deusser will be joined by six of his fellow Rolex Testimonees, as well as numerous talented German riders including Christian Ahlmann, André Thieme and Marcus Ehning.

World No.1 and winner of the 2021 Rolex Grand Prix at CHI Geneva Martin Fuchs will be looking to claim the non-consecutive bonus for winning two Rolex Grands Prix in a year. The Swiss has had an incredible first half the year securing the FEI World Cup Finals title in April and more recently winning the 5* Swiss Grand Prix. He has strength and depth in his string of horses and will be looking to carry his winning momentum into the main stadium of the Aachen Soers showground. Compatriot and fellow Rolex Testimonee Steve Guerdat will also be looking to build on his vast winning experience to claim his first victory in this respected class.

Tokyo 2020 Individual Olympic Games gold medallist Ben Maher will be looking to add a victory in the Rolex Grand Prix to his impressive collection of results. The Englishman finished in fourth-place last year on his impressive chestnut gelding, Explosion W. Long-term teammate Scott Brash, the only rider to have won the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, knows what it takes to take to win in the beautiful grass arena and will be hoping to restart his quest for a second Grand Slam. Joining the strong British contingent is the Under-25 World No.1, and World No.17 Harry Charles. Charles has had a meteoric rise through the senior rankings over the past year. The young British rider will be returning the iconic venue following his debut in 2018 and will be looking to cement his name amongst the best riders in the world.

2022 Rolex Grand Prix winners Ashlee Bond (World Equestrian Festival) and Gregory Wathelet (CHI Royal Windsor Horse Show), all know what it takes to win a Rolex Grand Prix and will be relying on this experience to help them claim one of the most prestigious prizes in show jumping.

Show jumping legend Rodrigo Pessoa returns to Aachen exactly 50-years after his father, Nelson Pessoa, claimed his second CHIO Aachen Grand Prix win. Marlon Modolo Zanotelli will also be vying to ensure the Brazilian flag is represented on the podium. Off the back of recent victories in in Paris and the Nations Cup at CSIO Roma Piazza di Siena, Frenchman Kevin Staut, will be full of confidence of his talented horses heading into CHIO Aachen.

Joining the list of world-class horse and rider combinations is World No.3 Peder Fredricson, who is always a fierce competitor and heading up the Irish contingent is World No. 5 Conor Swail who brings two of his top horses; Count on Me and Nadal Hero & DB. 

CHIO Aachen Chairman, Frank Kemperman, is set to retire following an incredible 29 years of service to the show. The Rolex Grand Slam team interviewed him to find out how the show has evolved and what he will miss most.

You have had 29 incredible years with CHIO Aachen, what have been the three main highlights for you?

My highlight has to be the FEI World Equestrian Games in 2006 – I had been involved in other championships before, but nothing will compare to those held at CHIO Aachen. It was a lot of hard work for our team, and I think I got my first grey hairs, but it was such a success. Even now people still talk about those Games, and I think we wrote an important part of history with them. It is difficult for me to choose two other highlights as we have had so many incredible shows and classes!

How has your career evolved throughout the years?

CHIO Aachen is steeped in history. In 2024 it will celebrate its 100-year anniversary and the club will be almost 125-years-old. I used to go the show as a child and there was always something magic about it – in my opinion it is the best show in the world. It is so important to keep the traditions that we have at the show, but also crucial that we continue to innovate and change with the world. Quality is also key, as a show we strive for the best of everything, and that combined with the traditions and innovation makes CHIO Aachen the best in the world!

When I started, I was doing shows all around the world, and then CHIO Aachen approached. Initially I thought it was a bit strange that the German’s were asking a Dutchman, but I was already heavily involved in the media centre at the show. I think they wanted to become more professional and modern. Together with the show I have helped to make the facilities better and lots of things have been changed and modernised, whilst ensuring the traditions and history of the show remain.

The show is now looking towards the future by trying to innovate and I think that that is something every show or event should try to do. I remember when I first started working at CHIO Aachen there were five or six people in the office, and now today there are around 35 people. Back then we did not have a single in-house professional for media, just had a lady from the local newspaper who would come by once a month to see if we had any news to share – now we have a specific media department with 10 people.

At the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games we had the use of the internet, but social media was not in existence. The world has changed so much, and we always tried to follow and adapt to these changes – for example social media is now a huge part of the show. I remember when I first came to the office, we had one electric typewriter and there were no computers. Today, people would not cope without the use of computers. I think this shows how much things have changed over the time that I have been Chairman. But, what is amazing about CHIO Aachen is how we always look towards the future and innovate.

What will you miss the most?

Of course, I will miss CHIO Aachen, but I am going to be part of the Supervisory Board, so I will still be involved. I think the change in routine will be difficult – every morning for the last 29-years I have gotten out of bed and gone to the office, but I do think that Covid-19 has made that transition easier. I think it is time for the next generation to take over. I am getting older, and so it is normal to let younger people take on the role. It was Father’s Day in Holland on Sunday [Sunday 12 June], and I got a very funny book about retiring. CHIO Aachen was here before I was the Chairman and it will be after – my name is not what is important, the most important thing is the show and the success of it going into the future.

What do you plan to do with your spare time?

I am still involved in The Dutch Masters and Maastricht in the Netherlands, and I am part of the Dutch Equestrian Olympic Committee as will as the Chairman of Grooms. Grooms are the most important people in the sport.

My wife is trying to make me become a gardener – but I really do not know the difference between weeds and flowers. But my most important job now is being a grandfather. I have a two-year-old granddaughter who lives in the same village as me, and I love spending time with her.

Who has been the most influential person you have worked with over the years?

I think the horses have been the most influential – we work in such a unique sport. We have to listen to the horses and understand what is best for them. The outside world is now more critical of our sport so we must ensure that the welfare of the horses is our top priority. We have to make sure that we can continue to do the sport we all love so much.

To name just one person is hard – but to be honest I think the most influential person would have to be my wife because without support from home you cannot do the job.

What does it take for an event to become a Major?

There are so many amazing horse shows organised around the world and of course you always want to be the best show in the sport. It is challenging to get people who are not horse lovers interested in the sport. The special thing about CHIO Aachen is the spectators and the number of them that come – they create the most amazing atmosphere. At many other shows, even if there are the top riders jumping the atmosphere is not the same – it is what makes CHIO Aachen so unique. We have two different types of people that come to the show. Firstly,  the horse lovers who go to shows every week and secondly  the fans who don’t have horses but come every year because they love the atmosphere and like to watch sport.

You don’t have to be a horse lover to have a fantastic day at CHIO Aachen. There are thousands of people who love the event, and they shop, have food and drink. It is the total atmosphere that makes CHIO Aachen great, and that is what we have to offer. We don’t just listen to what the horse people want and need. You must also have good relationships with the riders as well and understand what they need.

I have visited many shows, I think I have seen almost everything, but to be honest the events where I learnt the most are not equestrian ones.  We went to Roland-Garros, The Championships, Wimbledon and other big events to learn what they were doing and how they make their events unforgettable for spectators. In our sport, we must cater for a range of ages, as unlike football where 80% of the crowd would be male, the majority of ours is families, so we have to ensure that everyone is happy.

Everything around the sport should be spectacular to make it an unforgettable day and I think that helps make a show a ‘Major’. CHIO Aachen is one the best equestrian events in the world, but our goal is to be on the front page of every newspaper in the world and show that we are not only a horse event.

Which horse and rider combination has been your favourite to watch compete at CHIO Aachen?

There have been so many! Of course, there are some riders that you know more in your private life, and it is always nice to watch them be successful. Last year, it was incredible to watch the young American team win the Nations Cup™ - they were so happy to win such a big event. It was a fantastic moment in the sport, and so great to watch the next generation of show jumpers loving the sport. It is also amazing to watch Isabell Werth be so dominant in the dressage; and of course, an amazing moment was watching the father and son combination of Rodrigo and Nelson Pessoa come first and third in the Rolex Grand Prix in 1994. Moments like those are unbelievable, and hopefully in the future I will have more time to watch them!

How do you think the Show can evolve over the next 10 years?

CHIO Aachen is so special – it provides the best sport in the world and has the incredible grass arena. They have some traditions that I think they should not change, but they should also try to innovate and look at what can be done better. The show is all about ensuring high quality, and making sure that the welfare of the horses, the spectators experience and the media response are the best that they can be. It is like making a cake; you need all of the right ingredients to make it delicious and in CHIO Aachen’s case that includes sponsors, riders, media, horses and so on. The show needs to try and make sure that all of the key stakeholders are happy to have the best show possible. So many things have changed over the last 30-years, but the quality is still there, for example with the Rolex Grand Prix on the final Sunday. Overall, I think if they keep the traditions of the sport but also look to innovate then CHIO Aachen will continue to be the best in the world.

You are the Rolex Grand Slam live contender once again, how are you feeling ahead of CHIO Aachen?

I am very excited! It is always very difficult to win the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen, so to win it two years in a row would be phenomenal. I think that being the Rolex Grand Slam live contender definitely makes it more interesting. Even without being the live contender the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO is always one of my main aims each year.

CHIO Aachen is one of the biggest stages in equestrian sport, and in your home country, do you feed off the energy and support from the crowd?

CHIO Aachen is such an incredible show. It is one of the biggest shows in the world, and on Sunday during the Rolex Grand Prix there are 40,000 people sitting in the stadium – it creates the most amazing atmosphere. I definitely think that both me and my horse feed off the energy from the home crowd – they add so much to the show. CHIO Aachen is very special and unique – all the best riders in the world want to win there.

How have you been preparing and which horse are you hoping to compete with in the Rolex Grand Prix?

I am planning on competing with Killer Queen VDM in the Rolex Grand Prix. She has competed at CHIO Aachen and in the main stadium for a number of years, and she feels really relaxed and comfortable there. She has also won there a lot; in 2018 she won the Sparkassen Youngster Cup, in 2019 she won the RWE Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia and then obviously the Rolex Grand Prix last year. I think that the arena really suits her – she has big stride and is a big forward mover and so having more space is better for her.

She did a couple of outdoor shows very early in the season. When we came back from Florida, she did one or two shows, but I have now given her about four of weeks off. CHIO Aachen will be the first show back after her break but I am still riding and training her at home. My plan for CHIO Aachen will be do a small warm-up class early in the week, then do a big class to get into a rhythm and prepare her for the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday.

Have you also been thinking ahead to the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’?

I would love to take Killer Queen VDM to CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’. However, the problem is it is the week after our home show, the Brussels Stephex Masters. If I have enough horses at the right level then I will try and go to CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, but I will have to see a bit later in the year.

You travel a lot for competitions - which is your favourite country to travel to and why?

I really like Spain. I think it is a really welcoming country that has great weather and delicious food. I always have a great time when I am there. I have been there a couple of times for the holidays and obviously for shows – I really like Spain.

The equestrian calendar is very full! How do you decide which shows to enter and which horses to compete with?

It really depends on the experience and preferences of the horses. For example, Killer Queen VDM prefers and performs the best in big grass arenas. So that is one way I choose, I look at which horse would best suit a show and then we will plan to go there. There are also some shows that are always in my calendar and that I go to every year – CHIO Aachen is one of those shows, and so I try and make sure that I have my horses ready for this show. Often, I will look at how a horse performed at the shows last year and whether they like smaller indoor arenas or bigger outdoors ones and I will plan according to that.

Do you watch other sports or follow other athletes? If so, how do they influence you as a professional sports athlete?

I was invited by Rolex to go to Roland Garros two weeks ago. I saw the quarter final between Nadal and Djokovic. I have to say it was inspiring to watch the way they cope with the atmosphere and their fitness. As an athlete, when you see that kind of atmosphere it inspires to get better and train harder. Our sport is very unique because the horse is also the athlete so you have to ensure that both you and the horse are fit enough and can cope with the atmosphere.