A dream came true for home hero Willem Greve at the 2024-edition of The Dutch Masters last Sunday, when he together with the wonderful Highway TN N.O.P. won Sunday's €1,000,000 CSI5* 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix – the first Major of the year in the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.
With only 0.04 seconds separating Greve from second-placed Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward, the Dutch rider recorded his biggest career win and can now look ahead to an exciting summer as the new live contender in the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.
While the track built by Dutch course designer Louis Konickx was demanding, nine horse-and-rider-combinations delivered clears – joining the deciding jump-off where Greve and Highway TN N.O.P. offered the crowds in the sold-out Brabanthallen value for their ticket money when snatching the win from the current world number one by the smallest of margins.
And with these images, we look back at the action in the first Major of the year.
All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
Second out in the jump-off, Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward set the time to beat to 33.74sec.
The current world number piled the pressure on those to come.
Von Eckermann and King Edward produced a time that looked impossible to beat.
"Sitting here being second is not the best feeling to have, but I am just grateful for my horse and the owners I have," von Eckermann said after being beaten by Greve by 0.04 seconds.
Harrie Smolders and Uricas van de Kattevennen jumped an impressive double clear.
"Uricas jumped fantastic and this is his first big show after a winter break so I am looking forward to the outdoor season," Smolders said after ending third.
The stunning Uricas van de Kattevennen and his groom Morgane Tresch.
Following his Rolex Grand Prix win in Geneva last December, Richard Vogel came to Den Bosch as the live contender in the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. However, this time it was not to be for the German rider.
Switzerland's Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei were the second pair out in the class and posted the first clear round.
Fuchs - a Rolex Testimonee - celebrating his clear in the first round.
Denis Lynch and Brooklyn Heights checking out the Rolex trophy after jumping a great clear in the first round.
Lynch and Brooklyn Heights went into flight mode over the last fence in the jump-off and they cleared it to take 5th place in the end.
Forever a fighter: The lovely Toupie de La Roque jumped double clear with Belgium's Pieter Devos, finishing 6th.
Germany's living legend Marcus Ehning and Priam du Roset delivered two beautiful clears to end 7th.
A treat for Ehning's Priam du Roset from Mel Jobst after a double clear.
Belgium's Gregory Wathelet opted to ride Ace of Hearts in the first Major of the year.
After an impressive clear in the first round, two poles fell to the floor in the jump-off - leaving the Belgian rider to the 8th place.
The current world number four, France's Julien Epaillard and Dubai du Cedre.
The hosts' Loewie Joppen and Havel van de Wolfsakker Z were kept away from the jump-off after recording three time penalties in the first round.
Germany's Christian Kukuk and Mumbai had an unfortunate fault at fence number one in the first round, finishing the rest of the course effortlessly.
The hosts' Kim Emmen and Imagine were the fastest four-faulters from round one.
A split second of hesitation inside the vertical-oxer-vertical triple combination at fence eight - with 7.90m and 8.20m in between the fences - kept the 2023 European Champions, Switzerland's Steve Guerdat and the lovely Dynamix de Belheme out of the jump-off.
Despite their four faults in the Rolex Grand Prix, Dynamix de Belheme looked in great form throughout the weekend, impressing once more with her effortless style.
Great Britain's Ben Maher and Enjeu de Grisien were one of the five pairs to finish Louis Konickx's first-round track with four penalties.
VDL Groep Iron Z and Leopold van Asten jumped an impressive round for the hosts, finishing on a score of four faults.
Thanks The Dutch Masters! We can't wait for next year's edition.
And a huge congratulations to the winners: Willem Greve and Highway TN N.O.P.!
Then