A unique talent is embodied in the magnificent stallion United Touch S, whose ability was showcased with a resounding victory in the Rolex Grand Prix Sunday afternoon at the Dutch Masters.
The 14-year-old son of Untouched was the only entry in an 11-horse jump-off for the featured class at the Netherlands Indoor Brabant show to finish the tie-breaker route in less than 40 seconds. The Westfalen star was clocked in 39.42 seconds for a clean trip under the guidance of Germany’s individual European Champion, Richie Vogel.
Richie Vogel and United Touch S on their way to victory.
Second went to Belgian rider Thibeau Spits on another stallion, the Zangersheide Impress-K van’t Kattenheye Z, more than a second slower in 40.76. Third went to Pieter Devos, also Belgian, with Casual DVZ another Zangersheide, in competitor, in 42.95. It’s a reminder, looking ahead to the world championships in August at Aachen, that Belgium was the winning team in last year’s European Championships.
How did United do it? Richie has the answer: “I’m just delighted how everything worked out. He’s an incredible, amazing horse, the way he can jump those oxers out of tight turns. He’s probably the only horse in the world who can handle it like that.”
Ah, there it is. United was able to roll over the route designed by Louis Konickx in a breathtakingly agile style that made his distances into shortcuts and brought the 300,000 Euro winner’s share to his rider.
The victory is part of the Rolex Grand Slam series, where three wins in a row brings a rider who makes the triple play a 1 million Euro bonus. The USA’s Kent Farrington, winner of the Geneva Rolex Masters in December and world number two, made the jump-off with Toulayna but had two rails down to wind up tenth. So the scepter was passed to Richie, whose next challenge in the series will be at Aachen’s regular show in May.
“All the Rolex majors are the best shows in the world, the best riders with the best horses on the world compete here,” observed Richie, acknowledging, that being the next in line for a shot at the Grand Slam involves “A bit of pressure toward Aachen — but it’s a nice pressure to have.”
Dutch dressage legend Anky van Grunsven presented a trophy to Richie Vogel.
The best U.S. performance came from Lillie Keenan, the country’s other rider in the class in s’Hertogenbosch. She had a rail at the VDL oxer, the third fence on the shortened route, but claimed sixth place with Kick On in 40.82 seconds.
Scott Brash, the only rider ever to win the Grand Slam, will have his 2014-2015 record of consecutive victories in Geneva, Aachen and Spruce Meadows with Hello Sanctos standing for a while longer. The British star ranked world number one was first of 37 starters to go in the class aboard Hello Chadora Lady. But the winner of the Rolex Top 10 last December in Geneva caught the back pole at the seventh fence, the pink and white VDL oxer. He finished twelfth.
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