HISTORY BECKONS BENEATH THE ROLEX CLOCK TOWER AT SPRUCE MEADOWS

Anticipation is building for the 2026 CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament, the third Major in the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping calendar.

Next week, from Tuesday 8 to Sunday 13 September, the world’s finest horse and rider combinations will step under the Rolex Clock Tower and into the expansive grass arena to begin their competitive journeys. Held near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Calgary, Canada, the event culminates with the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex – an uncompromising test of scope, endurance and precision. This year, the pinnacle class could produce another moment of historic achievement.

Following wins at The Dutch Masters and the TSCHIO Aachen, German equestrian Richard Vogel will have the opportunity to complete the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping, the ultimate challenge in the sport. No rider has won three consecutive Majors since fellow Rolex Testimonee Scott Brash’s victory with Hello Sanctos in the same arena in 2015.

Vogel is set to rekindle his exceptional partnership with United Touch S, whose powerful stride and even temperament appear naturally suited to this environment. Vogel says:

“I love the Spruce Meadows arena. It gives you a truly unique feeling. Horses like United Touch S really love it and can grow in that environment but for a less experienced horse, or a horse that is a bit more on the shy side, it can be very challenging. The size of the obstacles and the length of the pole is totally different than anywhere else.”

Renowned for its delicate combinations, with fences up to 1.70 metres high and more than 4.5 metres long, North America’s premier showjumping event is an examination of skill and courage. The smallest of margins are crucial to gaining a winning advantage, in particular during the jump-off when competitors race against time. Meanwhile, standing sentinel over the arena as each defining moment plays out is the three-metre-high Rolex Clock Tower, a symbol of the Swiss watchmaker’s enduring relationship with the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ Tournament. This was the first showjumping competition Rolex partnered with, in 1989, before it became Presenting Sponsor of its showpiece Grand Prix in 2014.

Brash is one of the most successful riders to have graced the Spruce Meadows turf, winning in 2015, 2016 and 2025. His victory last year with Hello Jefferson returned him to the top of the podium a decade after he became the first and only rider to complete the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping. Brash says:

“Spruce Meadows holds so many incredible memories for me and the Rolex Clock Tower is iconic. It’s really part of the history of the event. For a rider entering the arena with your horse, it’s one of the few entrances where you really feel the enormity of the occasion. A round might only last 60 seconds, but those 60 seconds can live with you for a lifetime.”

Martin Fuchs will seek to equal Brash’s record in this competition, after achieving back-to-back wins aboard Leone Jei in 2023 and 2024. His Swiss compatriot Steve Guerdat arrives fresh from securing the individual World Championship crown in Aachen, while fellow Rolex Testimonees Vogel, Daniel Deusser and Sophie Hinners claimed team gold for Germany.

As the latest chapter of the competition plays out at Spruce Meadows, timing will be everything for the Rolex Testimonees, with a momentous milestone firmly in sight.

PREVIOUS WINNERS OF THE CPKC ‘INTERNATIONAL’ GRAND PRIX, PRESENTED BY ROLEX

2000 Rodrigo Pessoa – Gandini Lianos (BRA)**

2001 Rodrigo Pessoa – Gandini Lianos (BRA)**

2010 Jeroen Dubbeldam – BMC Van Grunsven Simon (NED)**

2014 Ian Millar – Dixson (CAN)

2015 Scott Brash – Hello Sanctos (GBR)

2016 Scott Brash – Ursula XII (GBR)

2017 Philipp Weishaupt – LB Convall (GER)

2018 Sameh El Dahan – Sumas Zorro (EGY)

2019 Beezie Madden – Darry Lou (USA)

2021 Steve Guerdat – Venard de Cerisy (SUI)

2022 Daniel Deusser – Killer Queen VDM (GER)

2023 Martin Fuchs – Leone Jei (SUI)

2024 Martin Fuchs – Leone Jei (SUI)

2025 Scott Brash – Hello Jefferson (GBR)

Note: Rolex Testimonees in bold

** Rolex Testimonees who won the Grand Prix before Rolex became Presenting Sponsor of the class

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Photo of Richard Vogel by Rolex