Maher caps explosive season with LGCT Grand Prix victory in Rome

That was British show jumping star Ben Maher paying tribute to his nine-year-old gelding Explosion W on Twitter a few hours after the pair won the CSI 5* Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Rome and claimed the overall 2018 Tour title this past weekend. 

“No one deserved it more than Ben this season,” observed LGCT Founder and President Jan Tops about the rider from Enfield, London after Maher and his nine-year-old gelding pocketed the first-place prize of €99,000 at the picturesque Stadio dei Marmi stadium in the Italian capital. “He’s had three wins [Madrid and Rome with Explosion, St.Tropez with Winning Good, and second in Shanghai with Explosion]. He has two great horses in super shape and he’s the well-deserved Champion of the year. He managed his horses well, he had the goal to win this – it’s the most difficult [Championship] to win over 16 legs, against all the best horses and riders in the world. You have to have a good plan, great management and of course a bit of luck but he did everything well and it’s very well deserved.” 

Five horse-and-rider combinations had advanced to the jump-off after clear rounds on Uliano Vezzani’s course, including Ireland’s Michael G. Duffy on Castelfield Rubinus. And Maher raced his mount around the sand course to stop the clock in 37.45s, ahead of Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann on Cantinero in second (38.32s) and Belgium’s Jos Verlooy on Caracas in third (38.85s). Duffy was fourth in 39.68s, again clear, while Belgium’s Constant Van Paesschen and Jilbert van ’T Ruytershof had penalty points. The top Italian rider, Lorenzo de Luca, was sixth with Halifax van het Kluizebos, just missing out on the jump-off. 

“It has been an incredible season, I can’t quite believe it,” said a thrilled Maher. “It is great to be back in the top end of the sport. Explosion W is incredibly fast, I have never ridden a horse as fast without really pushing him. What a horse. Explosion is phenomenal for his age…. To finish early means I can relax a bit, rest the horses and go to Doha with goals in mind. GCL is very important for the London Knights.”

Indeed, Maher’s London Knights squad is leading the GCL standings in the lead-up to the Qatar competition and after the Rome stage, won by the Miami Celtics team of Denis Lynch and Jessica Springsteen. And while the British rider has secured the Tour title, the team trophy remains up for grabs. Doha will take place from November 8–10, followed by the inaugural Tour and League play-offs in Prague, Czech Republic in December.