Grand Slam Glory
BRITISH RIDER SCOTT BRASH CAPTURES ROLEX GRAND SLAM OF SHOW JUMPING
The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping continues the Swiss watchmaker’s decades-long tradition of associating itself with world class events such as Wimbledon, The Masters, the Open Championship and Formula One auto racing.
Like other major sporting events, the Grand Slam of Show Jumping honours the best. To take the top prize, and its one-million-Euro bonus, a rider must win in succession three Grand Prix show jumping events — the CHIO Aachen in Germany, CHI Geneva in Switzerland and the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’.
Spruce Meadows President and CEO Linda Southern-Heathcott recently commented, “This has been a fantastic exercise in innovation and co-operation, while also respecting the histories and traditions of each of our events. If the first three years is indicative of the excitement, quality and enthusiasm the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping has created, then 2016 ... again promises to be memorable.”
Indeed, 2015 was certainly memorable. It was also historic, dramatic, satisfying and rewarding. It was major.
The third full season of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping started against a backdrop of excitement and anticipation, but not without skeptics, too, who thought winning it was an impossible task.
But things got interesting in May of 2015 when world No. 1 Scott Brash of Great Britain jumped three clear rounds with Olympic gold medal partner Hello Sanctos to win the CSI Aachen. The triumph came six months after a stunning victory at the CHI Geneva for the rider at the top of the FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) World Rider Rankings.
With two-thirds of the historic Grand Slam journey complete, fans, media, organizers, officials and an audience that spanned the world started to think the achievement might just be possible; improbable, but perhaps possible.
In a packed media room in Aachen, following his victory and still glowing with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction, Brash commented, “I look forward to seeing you all at Spruce Meadows and continuing this journey.”
The world also eagerly anticipated the arrival of the understated Scotsman at the 40th Anniversary Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ as he tried to make history. He would not disappoint.
On Sept.13, 2015, a new precedent was set for excellence in the sport. In front of more than 60,000 fans on the final day of the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, Brash and Hello Sanctos reached perfection again!
Almost unimaginable, certainly without precedent ; seven consecutive clear rounds in Grand Prix competition helped Brash lay claim to the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.
The 29-year-old rider was almost speechless as the magnitude of his accomplishment sunk in during the media conference that followed.
“To win the Rolex Grand Slam is every rider’s dream. I did not actually think it could be done,” Brash acknowledged. “This means everything to me.”
The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping for calendar 2016 began anew at the CHIO Aachen in July when Philipp Weishaupt of Germany scored a stunning victory. Spruce Meadows will host the second leg at the ‘Masters’ while the final event of the 2016 calendar will be in December at CHI Geneva.
But the cycle of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is not confined to the calendar year. Indeed, reigning FEI World Cup Champion Steve Guerdat of Switzerland is also in play in 2016 because of his spectacular win at the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva last December.
Canada’s Eric Lamaze, the only rider to have previously won Grand Prix events at each of the three tournaments on the same horse, Hickstead, noted, “There are many great Grand Prix events on the show jumping calendar, but the three that comprise the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping are, without doubt, the ones that the riders all want to win during their careers. Winning even one leg of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is an incredible and career-changing achievement; to win all three in a 12-month period would create a legend of the sport overnight.”
Commenting on the concept and success of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping after just three years, Arnaud Boetsch, Communication and Image Director of Rolex SA, said, “Throughout our history, Rolex has been driven by tradition and excellence, so when these three tournaments approached us with the idea of the Grand Slam of Show Jumping, we quickly appreciated its global resonance and degree of difficulty, which would make it achievable by only the very best horse-and-rider partnerships.
“We have now witnessed this with the extraordinary performances and results of Scott Brash. As a long-term partner of these three events, we were delighted where the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping has taken its place on the world sports calendar. The remarkable achievement by Scott Brash and Hello Santos is truly historic.”
In just 40 months the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping has become the riders’ ultimate achievement, setting a new standard for the sport of show jumping.