Scott Brash takes Second Place in the Rolex Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen.
Sunday 03 July 2022
The Rolex Grand Prix took place today on the final day of the World Equestrian Festival at CHIO Aachen. Scott Brash, from Horsham in West Sussex, ended the show on a high by taking second place in the €1.5 million competition with the 13-year-old bay gelding Hello Jefferson, owned by Lady Kirkham and Lady Harris, having already finished third in the Nations Cup Competition earlier in the week.
The 14 fence 1.60m track, designed by Frank Rothenberger (GER), proved difficult with only 13 of the 18 combinations who progressed to the second round jumping clear. Scott Brash and Hello Jefferson jumped a second foot-perfect clear to go through to the final jump off, having also jumped clear in the first round. Four other combinations jumped clear in the second round to join Scott Brash in the final jump off. From his mid-way draw, the combination jumped a third quick clear to retain the lead until the final rider jumped, where they were just pushed into second place by 0.61 seconds.
The win went to Gerrit Nieberg (GER) aboard Ben 431 with a triple clear in 38.63 seconds, while Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) took third place with Katanga V/H Dingeshof with a triple clear in a time of 39.92 seconds.
Ben Maher, from Bishop Stortford in Hertfordshire, jumped clear in the first round with the 12-year-old bay stallion Faltic HB owned by Oakingham Stud. but unfortunately had the middle part of the combination down in the second round, ultimately finishing in 10th place. Harry Charles, from Alton in Hampshire, with the 13-year-old bay stallion Romeo 88 owned by Ann Thompson, had the back bar down of the second part of the double in the first round but progressed to the second round where they retired after having the double down.
Full results can be found here.
Aachen forms the first leg of the four majors as part of The Rolex Grand Slam; Aachen, Spruce Meadows, Geneva and ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Simply put, any rider who wins the Grand Prix at Aachen, Spruce Meadows and Geneva will win one million euros in addition to the prize money on offer. An additional Grand Prix win at the fourth major, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, will increase that prize fund by another million euros.
Scott Brash was the first rider to win the Rolex Grand Slam in 2015. Aboard Hello Sanctos, he won the Grand Prix in Aachen, Spruce Meadows and Geneva, making history.
Image: British Equestrian / Jon Stroud Media
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