Text © Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, edited by World of Showjumping

During a Rolex Round Table at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ 2025 in Calgary, Canada, media representatives had the chance to chat with Great Britain’s Scott Brash – the only rider to ever have won the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – ahead of Sunday’s 'CPKC International' Grand Prix, presented by Rolex.

“That makes me feel old – it feels like only yesterday that I won the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – not 10 years ago,” Brash reflected on the fact that this year marks a decade since his Grand Slam-title.

“At the time, I knew it was very difficult to achieve the sport's ultimate prize and win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. However, as time has gone on, I have seen how difficult it really is – and how challenging it is to win one Rolex Grand Slam Major, let alone three in a row. It makes me very happy and proud to have stood here, at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, 10 years ago and to have lifted the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping trophy.”

“Certain things stick in your mind,” Brash said about the memories of the day of winning the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. “For example, I remember coming to the first fence, and although the crowd was huge, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I remember cantering around to that fence and a girl ran down the bank and I really noticed it – it is funny what details stay with you. It was an incredible atmosphere, and that sort of eerie quiet before the round is something I will never forget – I still remember it like it was yesterday.”

“I do not think it is a surprise that no one else has won the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping again in the last 10 years,” Brash said about the fact that no one else has been able to replicate what he did in 2015. “I know just how difficult it is to have a horse capable of competing in the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, on Sunday, let alone being able to win here. Even when you have a horse that is capable of winning, to have them there in good health and at the top of their game, this does not always happen. Anything can happen with a living animal. Whilst I am not surprised that no one has won again thus far, I do think it is possible for someone to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping again, and that someone will do it one day. We are all trying hard to.”

In his predictions for Sunday, Brash opted for experienced pairs. “There are a few combinations that look very good this week and who have a great chance for Sunday in the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex,” he said. “Richard Vogel is in great form himself, and his horse United Touch S is jumping fantastically, Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei are also in excellent shape, as is Willem Greve and Grandorado TN NOP, along with Steve Guerdat and Venard de Cerisy. There are a number of horses who have been here and won the class before. Laura Kraut’s mare, Bisquetta, is a fantastic horse, however, I think it is actually quite rare for a horse to win here on its first time, so my prediction would be a horse with prior experience at Spruce Meadows. But of course, I could be wrong – there are always surprises. As for my own horse, Hello Jefferson, I feel he is in good shape. I am happy with how he is performing; it will just depend on the course. We will see how it plays out."

Brash’s Hello Sanctos remains one of the most celebrated horses in the history of the sport. “Hello Sanctos had so many fantastic attributes, but I think what was most special about him and what helped us win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping was how clever he was,” Brash explained about his loyal partner.

“He is still very clever today. Hello Sanctos understood how I was riding him, and I was always able to place him at the correct take-off point with balance and at the right speed. This trust strengthened our partnership, and meant we were to be able to jump even the most challenging fences.”

“I think it was the bond and partnership we had that that made us so successful,” Brash continued. “He is such a clever and unique horse – to be able to win at the different Rolex Grand Slam Major venues, all of which are so different, is quite incredible. Normally, if you have a horse that can jump well at Spruce Meadows or at CHIO Aachen for example, they might find it a little harder at The Dutch Masters or at CHI Geneva. For Hello Sanctos to be able to win all over the world at different venues, on different surfaces throughout his career shows how extraordinary he was.”

“I would not be sitting here today without my team,” Brash said, highlighting the importance of his support team. “You do not see them as much, but there are so many people behind the scenes. Starting with my owners, Lord and Lady Harris as well as Lord and Lady Kirkham, who are absolutely incredible. It was amazing that they were here, at Spruce Meadows, when Hello Sanctos and I won the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – and they are still amazing today. One of Lord Harris’ horses, Queensway Philco, actually won here at Spruce Meadows in 1981 with David Broome – which just really highlights how long they have been involved with the sport, and yet they are still as enthusiastic as ever about this week – they will definitely be watching the CPKC ‘International’ Grand Prix, presented by Rolex, on Sunday.”

“My staff is exceptional,” Brash continued. “David [Honnet], who is here with Hello Jefferson this week, has worked with me for 10 years now. He travels the world with me and looks after the horses so well. The horses have such strong relationships with the grooms – they are the people who are looking after them on a day-to-day basis. I get a lot of feedback from David, about how Hello Jefferson is, not only before I get to competitions like Spruce Meadows but throughout the week too. The grooms are so important, as is my team at home. We are constantly working to produce our next top horses, working hard to be able to come to Spruce Meadows and win the CPKC International ‘Grand Prix’, presented by Rolex, again one day – this process takes a lot of time. My home rider, Charlotte, for example, was competing at Hickstead today with a horse that could potentially do just that. There is a massive team – from farriers, to vets, to physios, I could go on and on. They are all incredible and we are a very close team, a bit like a family. “

This year, Brash has brought Hello Jefferson to Spruce Meadows for Sunday’s Grand Prix. “Hello Jefferson and Hello Sanctos are very different horses, but both have fantastic attributes,” Brash explained about the characteristics of his top horses. “Hello Jefferson has more natural scope than Hello Sanctos, but he is tricky. He gets a little bit more stressed. For example, usually by Sunday at Spruce Meadows, I feel like I have managed to get him relaxed, but then he might hear the band playing or something, and he gets wired up again. On Sunday particularly, there is more going on, and he is always a bit more on edge, so that brings its challenges and difficulties – but he is a very talented horse who has won a lot in his life.”

“I think what made Hello Sanctos stand out more than any other horse is how intelligent he is – he really was the whole package. When he was confident, he grew in his scope, and still he was always very careful. He really knew where his legs were, where the poles were, and he trusted me. Hello Jefferson takes a bit longer to work with, which can be challenging, but we have a very good partnership together. We have been together for numerous years, and we really know one another, but there is always more to learn. It is important to remember, every horse is an individual. It is our job as riders to try and understand them, to work with them and to try to achieve the best results.”

“There is a very big mental aspect to our sport, as with all sports, but I have always felt quite good in that sense – I feel like I am stable, and if we win, I do not get too high, and if we lose, I do not get too low,” Brash shared about his take on the mental aspect of the sport. “I try to keep grounded. There are many anxious moments and stressful times. In general, it becomes more stressful for me when one of my horses does not feel quite right, and I want to get to the bottom of why and what went wrong. There are lots of different aspects that can go wrong on a daily basis.”

“Building up to a big event like Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ with Hello Sanctos in 2015 went quite smoothly, to be honest. However, there have been other occasions where things were much harder. For example, before the London 2012 Olympic Games with Hello Sanctos, I had to jump in Rotterdam as my final chance to prove we were good enough to be on the team. He developed an abscess in his foot just before the show and we only just made the trot-up. That was extremely stressful, because if he had not jumped there, we would not have gone to the Olympics.”

“When working with horses, there is always something that can happen, but you have to keep focused no matter what the world throws at you,” Brash continued. “You have to keep your head down, keep working, and keep your end goal in sight. As for advice to my younger self, I have always been my own worst critic. As a young rider, I would get very down when things did not go right. I knew there would always be another day, but there’s not always another Hello Sanctos – but I have improved on this over time. Injuries used to affect me a lot, but horses are athletes, just as we are, and sometimes your goals have to change – especially for the well-being of your horses. The important thing is not to get too low when things go wrong, and to stay in tune with your horse.”

This year, Spruce Meadows celebrates its 50th anniversary as one of the most revered venues in equestrian sport. “The evolution of the sport here is incredible, every year, there is something new,” Brash said about his experiences at the Canadian venue. “When you think it cannot get any better, it gets better again the following year. There is also so much history behind the International Ring. Growing up, I watched Spruce Meadows many times and dreamed of just riding here, let alone winning a class, or winning the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. It was fantastic that Hello Sanctos and I won here on the final leg of our journey in 2015 – because it was extra special to win at such a unique show.”

Since its inception, the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping has redefined the standard of excellence in the sport, elevated the sport globally and inspired both riders and the Rolex Grand Slam Majors to reach new heights of performance and prestige. “It goes without saying, that Rolex’s support and commitment to the sport is truly showcased by developing the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping – the sport’s ultimate prize,” Brash said. “I believe this initiative has elevated the sport immensely. I think it has also really helped increase media attention, which is so valuable. The four Rolex Grand Slam Majors are what every rider wants to win, year on year. Even before the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping became a concept in 2013, riders always dreamed of winning a Grand Prix at one of these globally renowned events: The Dutch Masters, Aachen, Spruce Meadows or Geneva. They are the biggest competitions of our sport and riders target them every year. The Grands Prix you witness at the four Rolex Grand Slam Majors are the very top of our sport, with the very best horses and riders competing.”

“A lot has changed,” Brash reflected on how the sport of showjumping has progressed throughout the years. “Course building, for example, has evolved. The material used in the fences has become lighter, and the sport has become faster. I thought it was a brilliant idea to replicate the 1976 Grand Prix as a 1.50m class in Thursday’s ATCO Cup. It really showed how good the course builder was back then as it was a very challenging track. The time allowed in 1976 was over 120 seconds, whereas yesterday it was 88 seconds, even though the course was the same length – which really highlights how much speed has changed in the sport.”

“As courses change, the horses change too,” Brash continued. “A horse that was excellent in 1976 would probably not be as successful today, and vice versa. The whole sport has evolved, from breeding, to course building, to horse welfare. Horses today are looked after better than most human beings, with their nutrition and the vets, there are so many aspects that have improved and evolved. We are now looking for that last 1% advantage – we want our horses to be in the best possible condition and health to win."

"So many aspects of the sport have changed for the better and I am always excited to learn what the next development will be. I think more and more data will come into the sport – to be honest I think we, as a sport, are a little behind in that aspect. I also hope the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping will still be here in 100 years’ time – it would be incredible to see the tradition continue. I am excited for future of the sport. The level of competition is higher than ever, with more riders capable than ever of winning.”