AACHEN, Germany--Richie Vogel of Germany on United Touch S won the 1.5 million Euro Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen in a three horse jump-off on Sunday, May 24.
Richie Vogel on United Touch S winning the Rolex Grand PrixThis was Vogel's second consecutive leg on the Rolex Grand Slam of Jumping after winning at the Dutch Masters, and you have to win three Rolex Grand Prix in a row to win the Grand Slam.
Only one person, Scott Brash of England, has ever achieved this amazing feat.
The next leg is at Spruce Meadows.
In the two round Grand Prix, the top 18 made the second round, and of the 18, four were German, three were American and three Irish.
Of those that made up the 18 for round two, six made it with four faults, one with a time fault and 11 were clean.
And, of those clean in round one, three were German and three American.
With the World Championships to be competed in Aachen in August, those results may well be an indication of the teams to watch in that Championship.
ONLY THREE were clean in both rounds, Vogel, Sophie Hinners of Germany on Iron Dames Singclair, and long shot Jose Maria LaRocco of Argentina, who is World Ranked 225, on Finn Lente.
Vogel, leaving strides out throughout the jump-off course on his huge striding stallion, finished clean in 45.57, LaRocca was second in 47.36, and Hinners, first to go in the jump-off, went conservatively and finished third in 51.67.
"This was a childhood dream come true," said Vogel. “You wake up in the morning knowing that today you could write history – or perhaps not. I was very happy with how amazing United Touch performed."
"When I went into the ring in the jump-off, I was a little confused in my plan because the Rolex oxer was still there. I thought it wasn't in the jump-off, but I hadn't seen Sophie go, so I wasn't sure."
Vogel pointed to the fence and asked a judge, and was assured that, no, the Roles fence was not in the jump-off.
"Then, I just tried to get in the zone," said Vogel. "United Touch's owner/breeder was here, so it's very special. "I'm still a little out of breath and out of words."
Kent Farrington on Greya, Laura Kraut on Bisquetta and Lillie Keenan on Fasther each had four faults in round two to finish respectively eighth in 71.45, 10th in 72.23 and 11th in 72.54.
Of the others with four faults. Ben Maher of Great Britain on Enjeu de Grisien was fourth in 68.14, Steve Guerdat of Switzerland on Venard de Cerisy was fifth in 68.96, Andre Thieme of Germany on DSP Chakaria was sixth in 70.76 and Shane Sweetnam of of Ireland on James Kann Cruz was seventh in 70.73.
McLain Ward on High Star Hero just touched the tape after the water for four faults to miss making it to round two, finishing 21st in 86.10, just one second too slow to make the final 18.
