The Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ puts Calgary back at the centre of international show jumping. The competition, which began yesterday and runs until 13 September, features the participation of Olympic champions, world medallists, five-star Grand Prix winners and some of the most prominent rising stars on the international scene.
World number one Richard Vogel heads a line-up that also features Scott Brash, Steve Guerdat and Ben Maher. Briton Brash returns to a venue particularly close to his heart, as he remains the only rider to have won the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Meanwhile, Guerdat arrives as the reigning individual world champion, while Maher's list of achievements includes the individual Olympic gold medal from Tokyo 2020, among other honours.
The group of leading individual figures is completed by Piergiorgio Bucci, Daniel Deusser, McLain Ward, Martin Fuchs, Thibeau Spits, Christian Kukuk, Daniel Coyle and Nayel Nassar. All of them bring experience from Championships, Olympic Games, World Cup finals and top-level Grands Prix.
Canada is represented by Amy Millar, Kyle King, Kyle Timm and Nicole Walker, while the United States is fielding Aaron Vale, Lillie Keenan, Spencer Smith and Elena Haas. The North American teams are looking to take advantage of their knowledge of a course characterised by its large dimensions, natural obstacles and technical demands.
France relies on Kevin Staut, Olivier Robert, Nicolas Sers and Emeric George. Belgium, one of the current powerhouses in show jumping, is fielding Thomas de Wit, Thibeau Philippaerts, Emilie Conter and Roy van Beek. Germany's representatives include Sophie Hinners, Jörne Sprehe, André Thieme and Leonie Peeters.
British participation includes Tim Gredley, Jessica Mendoza and Jack Whitaker. Ireland, meanwhile, is represented by Darragh Kenny, Denis Lynch, Conor Swail and Jordan Coyle, four riders with extensive international experience and numerous victories in Grands Prix and World Cup classes.
The Netherlands features Harrie Smolders, Logan Fiechter, Sanne Thijssen and Mathijs van Asten. The Swedish representation is made up of Carl-Walter Fox, Angelie von Essen, Douglas Lindelöw and Thomas Ryan, completing a list with participants from some of the leading nations in the discipline.
Some of these pairs are competing in defence of their respective countries in the BMO Nations’ Cup, one of the main events on the schedule. Others are focusing their goals on the individual events, during a week that promises to bring together top-level sport at one of the most important venues on the international scene.
