Ben Maher is on top of the world in London
Sunday 17 December 2023
Ben Maher and Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s talented Enjeu de Grisien raised the roof at the London International Horse Show with a stunning victory from last draw in the Longines FEI World Cup qualifier.
“It’s the class everyone wants to win, the atmosphere is amazing because it's a great time of year with everyone happy and enjoying it, and this was the best sport and as good a class as you’ll see in a long time,” said Ben, after receiving a standing ovation from the crowd of almost 10,000 as he galloped through the finish.
Thirty-six of the world’s best horse and riders – featuring some of the biggest names of the sport, six past winners as well as the reigning European and Olympic champions – came forward to face a 13-fence 1.60m track designed by Brazil’s Guilherme Jorge. And there were certainly some questions with problems at fence one, a seemingly innocuous oxer, the related line from double to the ‘Snowman’ vertical and the combination.
Despite a slow start at the beginning, 11 riders safely navigated their way into the jump-off – with 2022 winner Scott Brash and his fellow London 2012 Olympic team gold medallist and 2011 winner Ben Maher drawn dangerously at the end. It promised to be a cracking jump-off – and the riders didn’t disappoint; the spectators were on the edge of their seats.
Second-drawn flying Frenchman Julien Epaillard, winner of this class back in 2017, set an impressive target with Donatello D’Auge. Matt Sampson had the crowd on their feet with his 2022 London Grand Prix winner Ebolensky as he rode a gutsy round, setting the game 14-year-old mare alight with a gallop to the final two oxers. But he fell short of taking over the lead by 0.22 seconds and finished an eventual sixth.
However, Ireland’s Daniel Coyle hit top gear to take out a risky stride on the related line from double to vertical and made a remarkable run to the final oxer on Legacy to take over pole position by 1.30 seconds.
With three Olympic gold medallists left to go, victory was by no means secured. Sweden’s Peder Fredricsson came close, Hansson WL finishing 0.43 seconds off the time. It was down to Scott and Ben – and they gave it their all, much to the appreciation of the crowd.
Scott rode his customary beautiful smooth round, negotiating tight turns and putting in a brave gallop to the last but having to curb Hello Jefferson’s enthusiasm by taking a couple of checks, to cut 0.19 seconds off Daniel’s time. It left Ben a lot to do on a young nine-year-old relatively inexperienced at this level.
But the world number 2 stepped up and took on the challenge. He made one less stride from the double to the ‘Snowman’ vertical look easy with Enjeu De Grisien’s scopey stride and pushed on to gallop to the final oxer, trusting the mare to pick up and jump. They roared through the finish to a standing ovation from the crowd, 0.62 seconds faster to claim the top spot.
“It was always going to be a fast class with Julien going early, he’s a very fast rider and it was one of those classes where it was a huge advantage to go at the end of the draw. I had my plan regardless of what Scott or Daniel had done and I got fence two [vertical] at the angle I wanted,” said Ben. “The double is the hardest jump for him at the level he’s at right now but he showed his athleticism and huge stride to go on six strides [taking a stride out] from the double to the next fence. Everything came up right. I went wide to the second last fence to get my turn in for the last and everything went my way.”
Ben has ridden the Toulon x Andiamo gelding for the past 17 months.
“I’ve brought him along carefully since a seven-year-old and he had four months off at the beginning of the year when I wasn’t able to ride [due to a well-documented broken shoulder]. It’s about taking the opportunities when they are there and today, he was ready! He grew up in that ring. On the first day he didn’t feel great. He’s jumped a couple of big classes recently and I felt maybe he needed a decompression week but he was the horse I brought for the World Cup and today he felt at home and relaxed, he’d got the energy and the technique. I jumped fence one in the first round and he was on form and allowed me to do my job today,” added Ben.
Scott was nevertheless happy with his second place on Hello Jefferson.
“He’s been my main contender for the last two years at some big shows. He jumped fantastic in Calgary [in September] but after that I gave him a break and it’s probably the worst thing I could have done as he lost some muscle and took time to get back him back going,” said Scott. “But in Geneva last week he jumped good, maybe not as good as he can, but here he felt back on form, back to where he can be.”
The win has rocketed Ben to the top of the Longines FEI World Cup Western European League 2023/2024 season after the eight leg of 14 with 72 points and is guaranteed to qualify for the Final in Riyadh in April 2024. Harry Charles stands in second place on 55 points, 17 points behind.
Image: Ben Maher and Enjeu De Grisien Credit: Peter Nixon
.JPG "Sophia Rogers makes a winning return and Rachel Proudley claims a championship double at Pony of the Year Show")
