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“We wanted to create a storytelling experience for audiences outside of our sport, because we do believe that sometimes it can be seen as elitist and a bit unreachable,” Brighter Frame Productions’ Executive Producer Ben Asselin tells World of Showjumping about the six-part documentary ‘Faultless’. “’Faultless’ is an idea that my brother Kyle Koss and myself came up with,” Ben – a Canadian showjumper who has competed up to five-star level – explains about the project.

‘Faultless’ – produced by Brighter Frame Productions, Terminal B TV and Spruce Meadows, in partnership with Rolex – is narrated by the three-time Emmy nominated actor Walton Goggins. The series follows fourteen riders, their horses and support teams – and the drama that unfolds at the sport’s most iconic venues.

“Audiences are interacting with sports in a different way now,” Ben points out. “Obviously, we have a very close relationship to jumping; I competed at a very high level and understand the commitment, the dedication and the number of people it requires to be able to do that. The post-production side of things really is a testament to our co-production partner, Terminal B. They're a very experienced team that has had many highly regarded productions throughout the world and have worked with major distributors. We wanted to broaden the audience base for showjumping because we believe that the sport deserves it. The series premieres on Roku in the United States and Canada June 23^rd, and we are actively working on further international distributions. The aim and the goal is that the entire world will be able to be involved in this series.”

Ben and his team took inspiration from series like Drive to Survive and Full Swing. “Drive to Survive focuses on Formula 1, a very exclusive, elitist sport. Through the storytelling of the athletes and by giving an audience a chance to relate to them, the series did wonders for their respective sport,” Ben points out. “I think that we can do the same in showjumping; we have incredibly talented and very interesting characters within our sport. I really believe that the storytelling of the athletes, the horses and their teams – and by showing the commitment that they have, the struggles that they face, and the dedication and trust between horse and rider – will be a great way of allowing audiences to have a closer look into our sport.”

‘Faultless’ was mainly filmed at venues that are part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. “We wanted to facilitate more of a behind the scenes peek of what it takes to prepare for these major tournaments, especially the Rolex Grand Slam, and highlight the absolutely incredible dedication and passion that these athletes have,” Ben – whose family founded the iconic venue Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada – explains. “I have tremendous respect for these riders and their teams. I've had the honour and privilege of competing alongside many of them myself, and I wanted to share their stories with the world. My hope is that they will be deeply respected; they have dedicated their lives to their passion, and they do everything with the utmost excellence and detail.”

“We wanted to focus the series around iconic events and tournaments that have a long-standing history and heritage within the sport and venues that really share the same authenticity and respect for the sport that we do at Spruce Meadows. Also, we really wanted to highlight the fact that Rolex has been an incredible custodian of our sport and really supports the highest detail, excellence and precision that the sport demands. Therefore, we wanted to focus on events that are in partnership with Rolex, as well as the highest level of athletes.”

The six-part series took over a year to produce. “We started filming 14 months ago and our final episode concludes at the Spruce Meadows Masters, which was our 50th anniversary last year,” Ben tells. “It was also the biggest Grand Prix the sport has seen to date with the prize money of $5 million and the level of competition. We wanted to share the riders’ stories of how they got to that event and the results that unfolded at the Masters. We are incredibly proud of Spruce Meadows and what my grandparents started 51 years ago and what my aunt continues to lead. We look after the smallest detail and try to deliver the absolute best level of sport possible, and we really wanted to capture that in our series.”

“We are so grateful and thankful to the athletes that allowed us to come into their world and share their stories with a global audience,” Ben points out. “I think that our cast in season one is absolutely incredible. We have some of the best riders in the world; Rolex Testimonees like Steve Guerdat, Martin Fuchs, Richard Vogel and Sophie Hinners, and incredibly exciting rising talents in the sport with Lillie Keenan and others. We also wanted to share the contrast that sometimes I think it's generally thought that the sport is only accessible to those that have financial backgrounds. I believe that the series really shows the outside audience that anything is possible and we have characters within the story such as Kyle King and Daniel Coyle that have had very humble beginnings. Showing the contrast between these different lives and the various pathways to get to the top of the sport was a major factor of ‘Faultless’.”

“Over the last 10 years there's been an incredible influx of more five-star tournaments throughout the year, and it sometimes may seem hard to follow which one is which,” Ben reflects on the evolution of showjumping as a sport. “However, at the end of the day, I think growth is a fantastic thing for any sport. I do believe that the Rolex tournaments and the Rolex Grand Slam are the epitome of top sport. It's a dream of every rider to become a Rolex Grand Slam champion. The sacrifice, the dedication, and the skill set and partnership between horse and rider is tested to the very highest level, and you only witness the absolute best horse and rider win those events.”

“I think that the sport is in a very good place, growing exponentially. We have to provide audiences a chance to really understand the level of determination that these athletes and horses have for one another and the teams that go behind them. We focus a lot on the grooms and the entire care and dedication that go into these horses. The horses are really a part of these athletes’ families and their teams do absolutely everything in their power to make sure these horses are cared for properly, that they are loved, that they are respected – and that's something that we wanted to capture as well. You'll see in the series that it isn't all glitz and glamour. Showjumping is defined within seconds in the ring, but there are years of dedication, passion, setbacks and challenges that these riders face before they get to that certain point. I think that the more we can interact with our fan base and allow them to relate to characters, whether they're going through a challenge or whether they're having success, is the way that we can really grow the sport even further.”

“A large amount of trust was placed in us in order to tell their stories,” Ben reflects on the responsibility of sharing the stories of the riders featured in the series. “Sometimes different outlets and media seems to focus on the things that don't necessarily matter for the sport – the lifestyle or the glitz and glamour – but we really wanted to focus on what the true meaning of the sport is and what it requires to compete at the very highest level. I think that each of these riders represent our sport to the highest regard. They respect the venues, they respect their horses, and that's something that we really wanted to showcase.”

“We are incredibly thankful for the athletes that participated in the production of the series, and to all the venues that allowed us access to film,” he continues. “We're incredibly thankful for the support of Rolex; I believe that they understand the culture and the standards of the sport and bring a level of heritage and gravitas that aligns naturally with showjumping.”

The series is narrated by Walton Goggins – a three-time Emmy-nominated actor with a large fan base. “Walton expressed interest in the project when we approached him,” Ben explains about the process of getting the White Lotus-star involved. “He has a passion for horses himself. Bringing a celebrity status to help tell the story was a way of broadening our audience base and we're incredibly honoured and thankful for his participation. I really believe that he adds a layer and level of premium quality to the project that the sport deserves.”

While ‘Faultless’ premiers in Canada and the U.S. on June 23rd, Ben hopes to soon share the project with the world – and hopefully, a second season will follow. “We did continue to film in Geneva later in the year to have some content ready for a second season. It is our hope that the series does well and that we can prepare and get organized for a season two,” Ben concludes.

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