The Grand Prix of Rotterdam delivered everything a five-star show jumping spectacle should: world-class sport, a lightning-fast jump-off and tension right to the very end. In front of an enthusiastic crowd, Britain's Ben Maher emerged victorious aboard Point Break, while Dutch fans had plenty to celebrate as Willem Greve secured a brilliant podium finish with Grandorado TN N.O.P.
Ben Maher once again demonstrated why he remains one of the sport's biggest stars. Riding Point Break (Action-Breaker), the British ace produced two flawless rounds and then laid down an unbeatable jump-off performance. Stopping the clock in 42.98 seconds, Maher secured an impressive victory in one of the most prestigious classes of the weekend.
For winner Ben Maher, the victory was a particularly meaningful one after coming close to several major wins in recent months. “I’ve learned that I need to ride a jump-off that suits me. If that’s good enough on the day, then it’s good enough,” said the British rider. Maher was also full of praise for Point Break. “He’s one of the best horses I’ve ever ridden. His athleticism and his mindset are exceptional.”
New Zealand's Luke Dee came incredibly close to taking the win. In the saddle of Gangster WW (Grand Slam), he delivered a faultless jump-off in 43.14 seconds, finishing just fractions behind Maher. The result marked a standout performance for the New Zealand rider in an exceptionally competitive field.
The loudest cheers of the afternoon were reserved for Dutch rider Willem Greve. Partnering the experienced Grandorado TN N.O.P. (Eldorado vd Zeshoek), Greve thrilled the home crowd with two superb clear rounds. His jump-off time of 43.97 seconds secured a fantastic third-place finish and a coveted spot on the podium in front of his home fans.
Switzerland's Martin Fuchs narrowly missed out on the podium aboard Fortjump du Beaumenil (Cornet Obolensky). The pair crossed the finish line in 44.04 seconds after another flawless effort, finishing just seven hundredths of a second behind Greve. Germany's Richard Vogel completed a stellar top five with Cloudio (Casall), stopping the clock at 44.20 seconds after producing a faultless jump-off of his own.
The battle for the remaining top-eight positions was equally competitive. Switzerland's Jason Smith steered Picobello van't Roosakker (Kassander van't Roosakker) to sixth place with a clear jump-off in 44.41 seconds, while American rider Katherine Dinan finished seventh aboard Out of the Blue SCF (Verdi TN) after producing a faultless jump-off in 55.77 seconds. France's Nina Mallevaey rounded out the top eight with Destine to Be (Diamant de Semilly). The pair reached the jump-off but incurred four faults despite a quick time of 42.42 seconds.
Louis Konickx was satisfied with the outcome of the Grand Prix. The Dutch course designer intentionally created a demanding test for the world-class field and was rewarded with eleven combinations returning for the jump-off. “I tried to put enough challenges in the course, and with eleven through to the jump-off, I'm very happy with the result,” he said.
