Following his victories in the Rolex Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters and TSCHIO Aachen, Germany’s Richard Vogel will travel to the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament as the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping live contender, with the opportunity to become only the second rider in history to claim the sport’s ultimate prize.

The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping brings together four of the sport’s most prestigious Majors: The Dutch Masters, CHIO Aachen, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament and CHI Geneva. Defined by precision, consistency and the ability to perform on the world’s greatest stages, the concept rewards the rider who can deliver three successive victories at the very highest level.

To win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, a rider must claim three Majors in succession. This remains the defining rule of the concept. While the cycle now includes four Majors, a rider does not need to win all four to be crowned the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping champion. A fourth consecutive Major victory carries its own additional reward, with a further €1 million bonus awarded to a rider who continues their winning streak beyond the three victories required to earn the Rolex Grand Slam title.

Having claimed the Rolex Grand Prix at The Dutch Masters in March, Vogel travelled to TSCHIO Aachen as the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping live contender. In front of an electric home crowd, the German rider delivered when it mattered most, producing a superb performance aboard United Touch S to win the Rolex Grand Prix at one of the sport’s most iconic venues.

The result marked Vogel’s second consecutive Major victory and placed him one step closer to claiming the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, a sporting achievement that has only been accomplished once before. Should he not win at Spruce Meadows, Vogel would still receive a €500,000 bonus for two consecutive Major victories. However, victory in the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, would see him crowned the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping champion and receive the full €1 million bonus.

It is a feat that has only been achieved once before. In 2015, Great Britain’s Scott Brash and Hello Sanctos completed an unprecedented sequence of victories at CHI Geneva, CHIO Aachen and the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament. Fittingly, Brash secured the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping at Spruce Meadows, the very venue where Vogel will now attempt to write his own chapter in the history of the sport.

For Vogel, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament is far from unfamiliar territory. The German rider has already demonstrated exceptional form in Calgary, including at the 2025 edition of the tournament, where he won the CSIO5* 1.55m Cardel Homes Cup with Phenyo van het Keysersbos, before claiming the CSIO5* 1.60m CANA Cup with Cloudio. His victory in the CANA Cup marked his third consecutive win in the class, underlining his ability to perform in the unique atmosphere of the International Ring.

The International Ring at Spruce Meadows is widely recognised as one of the most demanding and revered stages in show jumping. Its vast dimensions, technical tracks and exceptional atmosphere require courage, precision and complete trust between horse and rider. For any rider, victory there is a defining achievement. For Vogel, victory in the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, would carry even greater significance.

As the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping live contender, Vogel will arrive in Calgary with the eyes of the equestrian world upon him as he now has the opportunity to become only the second rider in history to lift the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping trophy.

Over ten years after Brash completed his extraordinary achievement at Spruce Meadows, the question now turns to Vogel: can history repeat itself?