Martin Fuchs spent the night before Sunday’s Aachen Rolex Grand Prix reviewing the way he had ridden Leone Jei in the 1.5 million Euro class during previous years.
The Swiss rider explained he “really tried to see what I could improve today and try to be better than the last years.”
It worked. Martin and his 13-year-old Dutchbred firecracker soared as they flew along the jump-off course in the vast grass arena, while 40,000 spectators were riveted on the action. Martin had to watch four more riders before he could be assured that his time of 50.21 seconds would be fast enough to take the class won previously by his uncle, Markus Fuchs, and his godfather, the late Willi Melliger.
Martin Fuchs savors his victory gallop on Leone Jei. (Ashley Neuhof Photo)
“I was very focused for the jump-off and was like `Okay, today could be the day.’ I don’t want to let him down again,” Martin recounted.
“Last year, I made a rider’s mistake in the jump-off,” the former European champion admitted.
“Leone Jei is such an incredible horse. In all the majors, he’s always there and always present. When I do a good job, usually he leaves the poles up. In a ring like this, he has a huge stride, which allows me to leave out some strides and really go full risk and still usually jump the fences clear. To be riding a horse like this is very fortunate and lucky.”
The starting field of 40 who attempted the first course designed by Frank Rothenberger was cut down to 18 competitors for a second round, with 11 making the tiebreaker.
France’s Nina Mallevaey, who quickly has burst out of the U-25 ranks to the top level of the sport, actually managed a faster clocking than Martin by finishing the jump-off in 50.01 seconds with Dynastie de Beaufour, but she had a rail at the A element of the troublesome golden double combination, flanked by cathedral window standards, to finish fifth.
As Martin watched, no one else came close. The USA’s Lillie Keenan toppled a rail with Fasther at the same fence as Nina, while Richie Vogel of Germany had knockdowns at both elements of the double with United Touch S.
Martin explained why he was so hard to beat.
“I had a very good plan for the jump-off, leaving out a stride into the double, which was a hard task, because the golden double was hard to jump.
“I said, `Okay, we try it and we take the last risk.’ From then on, it was just the last fence in front of us and go as fast as we could.”
Leone Jei was very enthusiastic about winning the Aachen Rolex grand prix.
At the end, it was all down to another U.S. rider, Laura Kraut, the final rider to go, aboard her Olympic team silver medal mount, Baloutinue.
But she wasn’t taking any chances at the double and went wide to approach it safely, then took back to steady before the final fence, finishing fault-free in 52.41 seconds to claim the runner-up spot on her Hanoverian gelding.
“I am very happy with second place,” said Laura.
“When there are 11 in the jump-off, which is a lot, the fastest riders in the world, I thought `Ooh, this could end not so well.’ The golden double was the thing to jump, it was very difficult and many people were quick until that.”
She decided not to take all the risks Martin did, but rather, to “play it safe and not have it (the double) down.”
That worked, but there was “no chance” she realized, that she could go to the final fence as quickly as he had.
Even so, her careful strategy paid off.
“I was pleased to have gone as quick as I did,” commented Laura, who ended a great week for the U.S. on a high note after riding on the winning Nations Cup team Thursday.
Laura Kraut and Baloutinue, second in the grand prix. (Shannon Brinkman Photo)
Martin’s compatriot, European Champion Steve Guerdat, who went two rides before Martin in the jump-off, had a longtime goal to win the class. But was glad to end up third with the Selle Francais mare Dynamix de Belheme (0/52.59).
“I knew that I had no chance to win today. You needed a huge-strided horse, which my mare is not. I was lucky to end up on the podium,” he commented.
The 2012 Olympic individual gold medalist is known for giving other riders tips on how to improve their placings, but he was out of tips for himself.
“There was no tip to give because there was nothing to do,” explained the three-time FEI World Cup champion.
” `Hold your reins and kick as much as you can.’ There were no options. I knew before I started that it was not possible to win.”
After his victory lap, Martin took a ride in a carriage driven by Australian Boyd Exell, who won the show’s four-in-hand competition. He was in a position to give the driver a big gratuity–first prize amounted to 589,000 in U.S. dollars. Martin said the money will go to his horse’s owner, Adolfo Juri, and his parents. He noted his parents are very generous with him, and he was hoping his mother would cook an “exquisite” dinner to celebrate.
Two U.S. riders thought to have a good chance of taking the top prize were McLain Ward and Kent Farrington. But it didn’t happen.
McLain, a close second last year, had a rail in the first round with Imperial HBF and wasn’t qualified for the second round. Kent, the 20019 winner, and Greya came through among the top 18 but dropped a pole at the dock oxer, the third-to-last fence in that round, and finished fifteenth.
Britain’s Ben Maher, the Tokyo Olympics individual gold medalist, was leading international jumper rider and his mount, Dallas Vegas Batilly, earned champion horse.
Click here for grand prix results. Click here for four-in-hand driving results. To read about the dressage freestyle, click this link