The mecca of the equestrian sport, the World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen boasts the world’s top athletes for competition in the five disciplines of jumping, dressage, eventing, driving and vaulting before crowds of 350,000 fans from July 14-23. Founded in 1898, Aachen is long-standing on the list of the top international events. In addition to elite equestrian competition, the event includes a folk festival and large party. Guests from the media, show business, and politics come to enjoy the exceptional atmosphere of the Soers showground, alongside families and fans from all over the globe.
The prestigious Grand Prix of Aachen, the Rolex Grand Prix, is the first of the 2017 Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping events. As successful Canadian show jumper Eric Lamaze said, “The Rolex Grand Slam integrates four successful shows into one big idea.” Searching for perfection, riders hold big dreams of conquering this difficult quest.
The Major tournaments of the Rolex Grand Slam include the CHIO Aachen, the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, the CHI Geneva and the recently added Dutch Masters (to premiere in 2018). These four exceptional events offer high prize-money at stake totaling 5 million Euros (Aachen: 1 Million Euros; Spruce Meadows: 2.1 Million Euros; Geneva: 1.1 Million Euros; ´s-Hertogenbosch: 800,000 Euros). This will be the first year a rider is able to benefit from the new, even more remarkable bonus system of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.
On top of the extensive prize-money offered at each event, riders are presented the chance to win a bonus. If one rider successively wins the Grand Prix at three of the four tournaments, they win the Rolex Grand Slam and another one million Euros in prize money. If that same rider then wins a fourth Major in succession, they will be rewarded with an additional 1 million Euro bonus. It is only the rider that counts, so it is possible to claim the bonus riding different horses. This system is infinite and is not limited to a calendar year – it is a never ending story.
In 2015 British show jumper Scott Brash wrote history when he became a living legend as the first rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Building on his 2014 CHI Geneva and 2015 CHIO Aachen Rolex Grand Prix wins, he secured the third consecutive Major victory after emerging as the only rider to jump both rounds clear in the “CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex” at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters.’ No other rider has yet to join Brash, but as the current ‘live contender,’ Pedro Veniss of Brazil is hoping to change that. He will challenge this weekend’s competition for a chance at a second successive Major win, building on his Rolex Grand Prix victory at CHI Geneva in December.
Aachen will also showcase the CSIO5* Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup on Thursday, July 20. The United States means business with a strong list of noteworthy riders, including the top two FEI World ranked riders. With an impressive lineup, Team USA is one of the favorites to win. The following athletes will make up the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team led by Chef D’Equipe Robert Ridland:
Kent Farrington (Wellington, Fla.)
Lauren Hough (Wellington, Fla.)
Laura Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.)
Beezie Madden (Cazenovia, N.Y.)
McLain Ward (Brewster, N.Y.)
The competition will culminate on Sunday, July 23, with the show’s highlight, the Rolex Grand Prix. The Main Stadium at Soers will see 40 competitors challenge Frank Rothenberger’s demanding course of 1.60m obstacles over two rounds of jumping, concluding with a jump-off.
You can follow all of the action on ClipMyHorse.TV. CHIO Aachen has also created a new app, offering news and entertainment where you can get active and judge some of the competitions as a “digital judge”! The CHIO Aachen app is available to download in the App Store or experience on Google Play.
Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Dates:
CHIO Aachen (Germany): July 14-23, 2017
Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ (Canada): September 6-10, 2017
CHI Geneva (Switzerland): December 7-10, 2017
The Dutch Masters (Netherlands): March 8-11, 2018
View the original article on Phelps Sports.