McLain Ward came close to topping a historically strong show jumping field on Sunday, but a heartbreaking rail at the last fence in the jump-off gave the Rolex Grand Prix in Geneva to the Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders, who picked up a check for $419, 442 in the process.
It was the first-ever 5-star victory at 1.60 meters for Harry’s mount, Monaco, who had finished second 11 times outside of championships, according to EquiRatings.
The fastest time of 41.48 seconds in the 10-horse tiebreaker was recorded by McLain, riding his Olympic USA team silver medal mount Ilex, with whom he has partnered for a mere 10 months. His clocking would have beaten the winner’s mark of a clear trip in 41.74 seconds, were it not for that pole dropping from the Rolex vertical with a mere unlucky touch of a hind hoof.
McLain Ward and Ilex.
Harrie had the disadvantage of being first to go in the jump-off; McLain had the advantage of being last to go.
As it was, McLain finished fourth in a field that was the sport’s strongest grand prix in 14 years, ever since EquiRatings started keeping those stats. The contenders included two Olympic individual gold medalists, the European champion, the world-ranked number one horse and rider (who also hold the world champion title) and former European Champion Martin Fuchs, who had won the Rolex International Jumper Riders Club Top Ten Final Friday night at the Palexpo arena. (Click here to read this story.)
So fourth place in such a high-caliber class is impressive, but not much consolation for missing out on the big prize. “I’m always disappointed not to win a big event, but it was a brilliant way to finish off what I consider a great year with Ilex,” McLain told me.
“Only beginning to ride him in February and to be able to put together the season we have is a testament to his talent, and I am very appreciative to all of the people around us make that happen,” he said while also praising his Dutch-bred gelding.
McLain, who can now take a few deep breaths, added “I’m very much looking forward to a bit of a Christmas rest with my family and to a great 2025. I always remind myself I’m very fortunate to play a game for a living.”
As he accepted his trophy moments after his victory aboard his 15-year-old Holsteiner, Harrie enthused, “I’m extremely happy. Monaco really deserved this win. Fantastic what this horse has done for me.
Harrie Smolders takes the spotlight.
“To start the jump-off in a field like this I think it is nearly possible to go straightaway from the first rider to win this, all riders behind you can go faster. He’s (Monaco) in fantastic shape at the moment, he’s so smart, so experienced. What he showed today is outstanding.”
Harrie admitted to the situation being “nerve-wracking,” noting that the riders coming after him could watch what he did and figure out where to make up their time on the course so they could go faster
“I really took my chances. I didn’t know if it was enough,” said Harrie, “I really took my chances. I didn’t know if it was enough, especially in this ring horses with a bigger stride have a little bit of advantage in a jump-off.”
Monaco checks out his trophy.
Harrie now has the first segment of the four-leg Rolex Grand Slam to his credit and moves on in 2025 to the next, in his home town of s’Hertogenbosch.
All four Grand Slam grands prix must be won in a row, so Martin’s September victory at Spruce Meadows no longer counts toward the Grand Slam for him, and he must start over.
Second place went to Giulia Martinengo Marquet, who rides in the uniform of the Italian air force. Her clean ride on the Selle Francais Delta Del’Isle was timed in 43.75 seconds and kept her EquiRatings record for clean jump-off rounds at 100 percent, though this was only her third such trip.
Right behind her was the promising young Belgian rider Gilles Thomas, on the Selle Francais stallion Ermitage Kalone in 44.77. He is also rated by EquiRatings at 100 percent, though again, this only his third jump-off at this level with the horse.
The podium: Harrie Smolders still can’t believe he won; Giulia Martinengo Marquet was second and Gilles Thomas third.
The class wound up having as many twists and turns as the course designed by Gérard Lachat of Switzerland and Gregory Bodo of France, who also did the Olympic routes in Paris with Santiago Varela.
The course for the Rolex Grand Prix
And speaking of Paris, the Alexandre III Bridge jump from the Paris Games wound up being a big time troublemaker. World Number One Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden had a run-out there with King Edward, mirroring a run-out he had in the second round of Friday’s Top Ten at a narrow fence of white rails. That’s on top of a disappointing fall at the Olympics.
Henrik’s compatriot, Peder Fredricson, also experienced a run-out at the Alexandre bridge in the Grand Prix jump-off with Catch Me Not to wind up sixth. Martin Fuchs broke a rail there with Leone Jei, who then not surprisingly dropped a pole at the first element of the double combination that came next. At a different fence, Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca came off Denver de Talma when the horse couldn’t negotiate the distance to the Rolex oxer that was the second-to-last obstacle in the jump-off.
Peder Fredricson at the troublesome Alexandre III bridge.
Two-time Rolex Geneva Grand Prix winner Kent Farrington of the U.S., had a rail at the oxer that was the B element of a double in the first round, and missed out on the jump-off with Greya, but finished twelfth as the fastest 4-faulter.
The first round was quite something. The list of eight riders who retired there after knockdowns included the USA’s Olympic team silver medalist Karl Cook with Caracole de la Roque following three dropped rails, and European Champion Steve Guerdat of Switzerland with Dynamix de Belheme, as well as other big names, among them Daniel Coyle of Ireland and Germany’s Marcus Ehning.
Click here for results
The big show as the year comes to a close is the London International, set to start Wednesday, with dressage and driving as well as show jumping, and a host of exhibitions.
