We all prepare differently... Above, the 2025 European Champion Richard Vogel during the course walk for last Sunday’s CSIO5* 1.60m CPKC ‘International’, presented by Rolex at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ in Calgary, Canada.
The third Major of the year in the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – with an unprecedented prize pot of 5,000,000 CAD – saw 35 horse-and-rider combinations take on the first-round track set by Leopoldo Palacios. The seriousness of the challenge was clear from the get-go. With two liverpools at fence no. four and five, and an open water at fence no. seven, the course for the first round ended with a tricky triple combination as the penultimate fence before a stretch over the final CPKC oxer. Eleven pairs jumped clear, with the twelve best from the first round moving on to the second.
With these images, we take a look back at the action in Sunday’s first round at the iconic Canadian venue that this year celebrates its 50th anniversary.
All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping. No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply.
The heartbreak... Great Britain's Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette had the unforgiving position of being first to go. And although they jumped clear on the fences, they recorded four time penalties.
Germany's Daniel Deusser and Otello de Guldenboom posted a picture perfect clear as the second pair out...
...showing that the tight time allowed of 80 seconds was doable.
The face of dissapointment... Ireland's Bertram Allen and Pacino Amiro had an early fault when the black plank at fence no. three hit the ground.
Giving it their all... Mexico's Eugenio Garza Perez and Contago had a foot in the water and despite a huge stretch over the final CPCK-oxer, picked up eight penalties in total.
Great Britain's 2024 Olympic team gold medallists Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly picked up eight penalties in the first round.
For most of the week at the 'Masters', the riders had to look at this back – which belongs to France's Nina Mallevaey, who picked up two big wins ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix.
However, Sunday was not Nina's day, as Nikka vd Bisschop finished on a total of eight penalties.
Belgium's Thibault Philippaerts was competing at Spruce Meadows alongside his older brothers Olivier and Nicola. Riding Lyandro, the 24-year-old picked up 14 penalties in round one.
Germany's Jörne Sprehe and Sprehe Hot Easy delivered the second clear of the class.
All the credit to Hot Easy.
Nicola Philippaerts and the 15-year-old mare Katanga vh Dingeshof were the 11th pair out over Leopoldo Palacios' challenging course.
Veronique Philippaerts had a lot to handle on Sunday, with three of her sons competing in the CPKC 'International', presented by Rolex.
Nicola Philippaerts and Katanga vh Dingeshof posted the third clear of the class.
Ariel Grange and Vaclav Stanek watching Daniel Coyle and Incredible.
Richard Vogel and United Touch S arrived at Spruce Meadows as one of the favourites for the Major-title.
However, despite great jumping, a pole fell in the penultimate triple combination, leaving the 2025 European Champions out of contention.
It was indeed an unlucky rail...
USA's Aaron Vale and Carissimo picked up a single time penalty in the first round – leaving them just outside the second round, as no. 13 on the eventual result list.
Support on the side-line.
Yep, it's down... Markus Saurugg and Obora's Crunchy Nut collected eight penalties.
Meanwhile, Rosie entertained the audience – over 25,000 people attended Spruce Meadows on Sunday to watch the 5,000,000 CAD Grand Prix.
Also the 2024 Olympic Champions, Germany's Christian Kukuk and Checker 47, were caught by the time allowed of 80 seconds.
For Denmark's Andreas Schou and Napoli vd Nederassenthof, it was the Rolex Grand Slam-wall at fence no. eleven that shattered the dreams of a Major-win.
USA's Lillie Keenan and Fasther saw a pole on the floor at 9a, which dropped them out of the second round.
Following Keenan, Ireland's Billy Twomey and Jumping Jack van de Kalevallei faulted at 9b.
And then came Leone Jei...
All eyes were on Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei, who in addition to arriving at the 'Masters' as the Rolex Grand Slam Live Contenders, were chasing a hat-trick of wins as they topped the CPCK 'International' in both 2024 and 2023.
Delivering a walk-in-the-park clear, the two moved on to the second round, looking like they had all the chances of defending their title.
Willem Greve and Grandorado TN N.O.P. were just a fraction over the time allowed of 80 seconds.
Luckily for them, they made the cut for the second round.
Brazil's Yuri Mansur and the 18-year-old QH Alfons Santo Antonio proved that age is just number...
...by jumping clear and joining the second round.
A beautiful round from USA's Kyle King and the 10-year-old mare Kayenne Z...
...secured participation in the second round.
A happy Team King...
After two four-fault rounds in Saturday's BMO Nations Cup, Belgium's Roy van Beek, 23, and Cavoiro-H OLD...
...pulled a clear from the bag in Sunday's 5,000,000 CAD Grand Prix.
Not a bad Spruce Meadows-debut from the 23-year-old!
As the only Canadian entry in Sunday's Grand Prix, Tiffany Foster and Electrique had a lot of expectations to live up to. Despite finishing with 18 penalties, Foster was all smiles in front of her home crowd.
Sanne Thijssen and Cupcake Z were one of the seven pairs to finish the first round on four penalties.
In 2021, Steve Guerdat became the Rolex Grand Slam Live Contender when he won the CP 'International', presented by Rolex, at Spruce Meadows with Venard de Cerisy, and a year later the pair was back to defend their title – finishing as runners-up.
This time around, they delivered again – jumping clear and advancing to the second round.
Celebrations for Team Guerdat: Sabrina Cartossi, a loyal supporter and horse owner of Steve, hugs Emma Uusi-Simola, his long-time groom, to celebrate Steve and Venard's clear round.
Sophie Hinners and Iron Dames My Prins were the penultimate pair through the iconic clock tower in round one.
On a roll: After jumping double clear in Saturday's BMO Nations Cup with Iron Dames Singclair, Sophie delivered another clear with Iron Dames My Prins in Sunday's CPKC 'International', presented by Rolex.
Austria's Max Kühner and the 14-year-old gelding Elektric Blue P wrapped up round one with a clear within the time allowed.
Austrian ched d'equipe Angelika May celebrates with Kühner's long-time groom Mariella Offner, with round two approaching. Stay tuned for more photos from the CPKC 'International', presented by Rolex.
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