‘I just keep it exciting for everybody’: tense moment for Ben Maher in Olympic showjumping individual qualifier
Great Britain’s Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly did an impressive job of regaining their composure after collecting four faults at a tricky optical illusion fence to earn their place in the Paris 2024 Olympic showjumping individual final.
The 11-year-old mare, who Ben owns with Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright, looked on super form as she navigated the track, until the pair fell foul of the wall at fence 12, with Dallas Vegas Batilly’s back legs taking it down.
Fence 12 of the Paris Olympic showjumping individual qualifier. Credit: Martha Terry.
“I just keep it all exciting for everybody,” joked Ben Maher, following his round in the Olympic showjumping individual qualifier. “We’re in so that’s all that matters I guess. It can quickly go from close to pole position tomorrow to not being in [the final], but I don’t know what happened.
“She felt amazing today. She was very, very lively outside already this morning, and she’s very sensitive now. I don’t know why. Today she was on it and playing a bit in the warm-up but when I got in the ring she honestly was jumping as good, if not better, than the other days and to the point where I thought I’d just keep on [going for a fast] time.”
Ahead of his round Ben had made a “plan B” option, should anything have gone wrong.
“My target was 75sec with a fence down. I know that’s a little bit of a back to front way of looking at it, but a worst case scenario plan B. And I guess there’s a big shadow by the wall now, maybe I should have just gone in and taken her over [to look at it],” he said.
“She took a little bit of a look; she just rolled around the corner and as she took off, it just took her by surprise. Luckily I’m a little older and experienced and we made a quick recovery to get home.”
Ben said the courses in the Paris Olympic showjumping have “been incredible”, describing them as “fair” but “delicate”.
“They’re big obviously, but we expect that at the Olympics – but they are very fair and I don’t think taking too much out of the horses, and they’re ultimately our priority here,” he said.
“Today is always a difficult day, I think they got a fair amount of clear rounds but it’s very, very easy for the higher ranked riders to just slip on the wrong side of the cut-off mark here, but we are in the Olympics and I’m happy I’m in [the final].”
Tomorrow the scores go back to zero, meaning it’s all to play for.
“That I’m happy with right now,” said Ben. “I could have been second last to go, and now I’m going to be probably three or four in. Dallas she’s a very sensitive horse – but she’s a great horse. We’re earlier in the morning tomorrow and I ride my own plan anyway, so sometimes you’re better to go out from the beginning, do your thing, and let the others come behind. So I hope we’ve had our mistake this week today.”
Seventy-three combinations tackled the Olympic showjumping individual qualifier today, with 30 going through to tomorrow’s (6 August) final.
All three Brits will compete for an individual medal, with both Harry Charles and Romeo 88 and Scott Brash and Jefferson, both posting clear rounds today. They will be joined by showjumping heavyweights including Frenchman Julien Epaillard and Dubai Du Cedre – who top the standings and will jump last tomorrow – Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward, Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz and Daniel Coyle with Legacy, European champions Steve Guerdat and Dynamix De Belheme, and Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei for Switzerland.
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