The British may have been the dominant force throughout Royal Windsor Horse Show’s international five-star showjumping schedule, but the final day belonged unequivocally to Royal Windsor grand prix winner Victor Bettendorf.
The Luxembourg rider followed up on a triumph in the afternoon’s speed class, the Manama Rose stakes, by seizing the €125,000 (£109,000) Rolex grand prix.
Riding the 10-year-old Qwando Van De Rispen, he set a beautifully judged target in the five-man jump off that held its advantage from first draw.
It saw off threats from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Alsharbatly (Diriyah), as well as three British riders — Ben Maher, Sienna Charles and Matt Sampson — who continued their compelling form by occupying the next three spots on the leaderboard.
“I was happy that there weren’t too many clears, because when you’re first to go in a jump-off of 10 or 12, it’s not a nice feeling,” said Victor, whose horse was tackling only his second five-star grand prix.
“I didn’t make my first shot going to the combination and then I was thinking ‘Don’t make a mistake, because otherwise you’re going to lose everything’.
“I just kept the same rhythm and honestly, I was sure I would finish at best second or third, so I was lucky with the plan I did today and that it paid off.”
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Ben Maher second in Royal Windsor grand prix
It was Ben who came closest to toppling Victor’s round, finishing 0.85 sec adrift with Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s 12-year-old Point Break, who was on reassuring form following a six-month holiday.
“We were struggling on and off last year with him, so decided to give him a long rest,” Ben said. “I’m extremely happy he jumped double clear on Friday and today – the credit goes mostly to my team at home for getting him fit. Being able to produce a horse for this grand prix without leaving home is quite a feat.”
Ben set out “to win” but not without the memory of his fall here last year, while reaching for an ambitious distance to the last, influencing his strategy.
“I did everything I could today,” he said. “Victor was quick.
“I was trying hard to win here last year and had an accident and that was a little bit in the back of my mind, although there wasn’t really a lot more I could have done.
“I chose to do seven strides to the last, where Victor did six, to play to my horse’s strengths and not his weaknesses, and I was just the wrong side of the clock today — I could have just done with borrowing Explosion back for the last fence!”
British rising star third in Royal Windsor grand prix
Sienna Charles delivered a beautiful clear for third place, her highest five-star grand prix finish, made all the more impressive by the fact that her father Peter’s 12-year-old homebred Chawton was also returning from a break.
“I’m actually pretty lost for words, my horse was outstanding,” she said. “It’s our first five-star grand prix together in over nine months — he’s been injured since last year, so I didn’t really have much expectation today. He showed what a phenomenal horse he is, and I am so grateful for him.
“I’ve grown up coming to Royal Windsor and I have watched my dad and Harry here. You just think ‘Hopefully one day that will be me’ but you never really think it will be — so it’s very nice to be sat here today.”
Chawton demostrates his scope over an oxer with Sienna Charles.
(Image credit: Elli Birch/BootsandHooves)
Sienna’s plan had been to go quickly in the jump-off but she switched strategy after the first.
“He has a unique way of going, he is — there’s no other word for it — a bit ‘gobby’. I jumped number one but couldn’t quite get him turned, so then I thought ‘I’m not going to be as quick as any of the others today’, so I just tried to go for the clear.”
Matt Sampson had kept the crowd on the edge of their seats with a brilliant bid from last draw with the future superstar Un Secreto Z, who was making his five-star grand prix debut, just lowering the penultimate oxer for fourth place.
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