Great Britain’s pathfinder Ben Maher has jumped a copybook clear with his mare Dallas Vegas Batilly in the opening round of the Paris 2024 Olympic showjumping on Thursday (1 August).
The defending Olympic gold medallist from Tokyo, who made a last-minute change of horse, from Point Break to this year older Cap Kennedy daughter in the run up to the start of the team jumping, rode an absolute masterclass to come home clear inside the time providing a crucial early zero score for Great Britain.
“That was perfect,” said Ben. “That was a great start and it’s good just to get going; there’s a lot of waiting around and not knowing what’s coming on the first round, but it’s a big enough test today and Dallas Vegas was listening and really on point for me.”
There were huge smiles from Great Britain’s chef d’equipe Di Lampard and the British support team as Ben left the arena.
“Going first for the team there’s always a bit of running around before you go in – should we be doing this or should we be doing that,” said Ben Maher, already a double Olympic gold medallist. “But Tilly, as we call her in the stable, has a very big stride. We allow her to use that stride to her advantage and I think that helps play a part in me keeping the round very smooth today.”
The athletic 11-year-old Dallas Vegas Batilly, who is jointly owned by Ben with Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright, is an exceptional talent, who Ben has always pinpointed as having championship potential. They sailed stylishly over the first round track set by Santiago Varela and Gregory Bodo, which has produced faults all over, but in particular at the water jump on a tricky dog leg at fence nine and the flimsy vertical in the middle of the treble combination on the home straight.
“The course is big enough – I don’t know what the other riders are saying, but there’s no second chances this week,” said Ben. “So I’m sure we’re going see everything throughout the week. But things are coming quick enough today. It’s quite careful jumping. I’m sure scope will play more of a part as the days go on. She found it testing, but very manageable today.
“She can be temperamental, but she feels very on it and focused this week. From day one, when we got here, she’s been very settled, very calm in her head. I’m not having to do much warm up at all, which is helping a little bit in the heat. So she feels really ready and confident and that gives me as a rider, a lot of confidence.
“She’s ready and experienced, she’s won grands prix in the past and she’s fit and she feels very on form. Hopefully her experience will help carry us forward this week.”
Twenty teams are in action today (Thursday 1 August), with the top 10 teams progressing to Friday’s team medal decider. The individual showjumping contest at the Paris 2024 Olympics begins on Monday 5 August with the medals decided the following day.
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