By Jean Llewellyn
Photography: © Peter Llewellyn
During the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, its CEO and President Linda Southern-Heathcott – herself a Canadian Olympic showjumper (Atlanta 1996) – made the announcement that for their 50th anniversary year (1975-2025), the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, will offer a prize purse of CAD$5,000,000, an increase of $2,000,000 and a showjumping world record.
Naturally, this will heighten both the pressure and the chase with riders seeking to pocket the richest prize ever offered in showjumping. Those hoping to guarantee their ticket to Spruce Meadows, Calgary, in 2025 will first need to conquer the other three Majors in the Rolex Grand Prix series, CHI Geneva at the Palexpo Arena (December 11-15, 2024), the Dutch Masters during the Indoor Brabant Horse Show in Den Bosch, (March 13-16, 2025), and finally, the CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival (June 27-July 6, 2025).
The most recent past winners of the Rolex Grand Slam Majors include André Thieme (GER) riding DSP Chakaria (CHIO Aachen 2024); Willem Greve (NED) and Highway TN NOP (The Dutch Masters 2024); Richard Vogel (GER) with United Touch S (CHI Geneva 2023), and Martin Fuchs (SUI) riding Leone Jei at the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ 2023. Three of these, Thieme, Vogel, and Fuchs were all present during the recent Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ which enjoyed perpetual sunshine and some of the hottest ever temperatures – unlike the few years when overnight snow dusted their hallowed turf, although Calgary has never allowed weather conditions to impact one of the world’s greatest horse show venues.
Back to back wins for Martin Fuchs
The CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament – the third Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Major of the calendar year – once again played host to one of the toughest competitions in the sport, the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex. Held in the iconic International Ring, the world’s most elite horse-and-rider combinations were all hoping to etch their names into the history books as they pursued one of the most coveted titles in the sport... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
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