Germany Wins the Nations Cup at the Spruce Meadows “Masters,” and Ben Maher Claims His First Major Title

The German team, recently crowned world champion, won the BMO Nations’ Cup with four points, while the British team took home the CPKC “International” presented by Rolex with Enjeu de Grisien.

The CSIO5* Spruce Meadows “Masters” brought together much of the world’s show jumping elite in Calgary this past weekend. Germany claimed the BMO Nations’ Cup on Saturday, while on Sunday, Ben Maher and Enjeu de Grisien triumphed in the CPKC “International,” presented by Rolex, the third Major of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping season.

Germany Keeps Up the Momentum from the World Cup

On Saturday, nine teams competed on a 1.60-meter course designed by Leopoldo Palacios in the International Ring. The Nations Cup was contested in two rounds, and the top six teams from the first round (Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Belgium, the United States, and France) advanced to the final.

Germany entered the second round in a tight race for the title alongside Ireland and Great Britain, the defending champion from 2025. The team led by Otto Becker ultimately clinched the competition with a flawless second round by Daniel Deusser, Sophie Hinners, and Jörne Sprehe, who all completed their rounds without penalties. With the four points accumulated in the first round, Germany finished the competition with four points and claimed the Nations Cup.

The three riders had also been part of the German team that was crowned world champion in Aachen in August, confirming at Spruce Meadows the excellent form the German team is currently in.

“As a rider, it’s different, and I really enjoyed it. I love this place, but as a coach, everything changes. You can’t help them—you can only try. You provide them with the best possible conditions, and in the end, you hope it works out,” Becker explained after the victory.

Ireland finished second, while Belgium rounded out the podium. Great Britain was fourth, the United States fifth, and France sixth. The Netherlands, Sweden, and Canada brought up the rear.

Photograph: © Ben Maher & Enjeu de Grisien - Rolex Grand Slam/Ashley Neuhof

Ben Maher Earns His First Major Title

On Sunday, the CPKC “International,” presented by Rolex, took place—a 1.60-meter competition held in two rounds with a jump-off in the event of a tie. The Grand Prix brought together 39 rider-horse pairs. Among the riders competing in this Grand Prix was Richard Vogel, who arrived in Calgary with a chance to complete the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping following his victories at The Dutch Masters and Aachen.

The course for the first round was once again designed by Leopoldo Palacios. Seven pairs finished clear, while another five advanced to the second round with four penalty points.

In the second round, none of the seven riders who had started with a clear round managed to keep their penalty scores intact. Katie Laurie, Roy van Beek, Richard Vogel, and Lillie Keenan each had one knockdown. Guerdat and Maher retained their four points and earned a spot in the jump-off alongside the aforementioned riders.

Guerdat was the first to set the benchmark, with a clear round in 42.25 seconds. Maher rode immediately afterward on Enjeu de Grisien and beat the Swiss rider’s time by more than a second to take the lead.

Vogel, who started second-to-last, definitively lost his chances when he knocked down the second obstacle in the double. Van Beek finished the jump-off with a clear round in 47.88 seconds. The last threat was Lillie Keenan, but the American crossed the finish line 0.45 seconds later than Maher.

Thus, Ben Maher and Enjeu de Grisien claimed victory, and the British rider secured his first Major of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.

“It’s incredible to win one of the Majors of the Rolex Grand Slam and start my journey with a victory in what we all consider one of the most important Grand Prix events in the world, if not the most important,” Maher said after the victory.

The British rider, who has been competing at Spruce Meadows for years, also praised the work of his entire team: “We’ve been knocking on the door for two years, but lately things hadn’t gone as planned on the final day. I have an incredible team. My family, the owners, and everyone around me have supported me every step of the way, so they deserve this victory too.”

Speaking about Enjeu de Grisien, Maher highlighted the horse’s tremendous stamina: “He’s an incredible horse—he has so much energy and never seems to get tired. It’s fantastic that we’ve achieved this result together.”

With this victory, Maher joins the list of contenders for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, while Richard Vogel will have to wait for another opportunity to complete the Grand Slam after arriving in Calgary just one victory away from this historic milestone.