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From being told he might never ride again to sit second on the current Longines Ranking, Great Britain’s Ben Maher – reigning Olympic Champion – has gone through a lot in the past fifteen months. “It was a difficult start to last year,” Maher recalls about February 2023 as we sit down to talk about his way back from an injury that could have been career-ending. 

It started well though, as Dallas Vegas Batilly kicked off last year with a Grand Prix win in Wellington. “She was quite a new horse for me back then, and when she won I felt like it was going to be the turning point for everything to start clicking into place. And then, three days later, I had my accident,” Maher reflects. 

“It was an unexpected, freak accident on one of the experienced horses and it brought everything to a halt,” Maher continues. “However, I was very lucky at the time to have the medical attention I did. If it wasn't for my wife, I probably would have had a replacement shoulder. Although we managed to get back to the sport within about 14 weeks, the initial prediction was six months and there was even a possibility that I couldn't ride again – so it was serious at the time, and it was tough working through it. On the positive side, it gave me time to think about the plan for the rest of the year, and – once the pain set aside – after having been forced to sit back and look at the action from the outside, the drive and the determination were there more than ever when I was ready to go again.” 

“I have always dreamt of being in a position where I could go and pick a specific horse that I wanted and I've been very fortunate in that sense in the past years,” Maher tells about the incredible team of horses he has put together with his generous supporters and horse owners Charlotte Rossetter, Pamela Wright and Jane Forbes Clark.

“However, it's not easy: It doesn't matter if you have money to spend, you still have to find the right horses and then produce them and create that close relationship with them. Both Faltic HB (Baltic VDL x Concorde) and Dallas Vegas Batilly (Cap Kennedy x L’Arc de Triomphe Bois Margot) came to me with a little bit of experience but what has been great is that I have had Point Break (Action Breaker x Balou du Rouet) and Ginger-Blue (Plot Blue x Royal Bravour) since they were youngsters and they've really developed into amazing horses. So partly, I have picked the right horses, but what has played a huge role in the success is the fact that I have a great team behind me.”

What has played a huge role in the success is the fact that I have a great team behind me

“The success comes from hard work, it's not always the glamorous side that we see when we win,” Maher continues. “With horses, you sometimes get to crossroads, and it can go one way or the other. I believe that I have been very fortunate with all our horses coming on exactly how I wished they would, and now I have a lot of strength and depth in my team.” 

However, bringing up talented youngsters also requires the ability to be patient. “Point Break was always very playful, very talented, and very advanced for his age,” Maher explains. “In the middle of the season last year, I felt that Point Break actually needed a little bit more time to mature. I have tried to treat each horse differently, as the individuals they are. There always comes crossroads where you might have to adapt the plan and be patient – sometimes more with some horses than others – and that's easier said than done. I'm lucky that I have a good number of horses so that I can go and compete while simultaneously giving each of them the time they need.” 

“I think it's underestimated how big of a role having a good team of people around you plays in the bigger picture,” Maher points out about another huge factor behind his success. “There are hundreds, even thousands of good riders in the world, and maybe a few less great horses, but it's our job as riders to understand the horses and try to get them to excel and be at their best. However, that is only possible with a team of people; it's a lot of work that goes on outside of the ring."

We win and we lose together

"First of all, I wouldn't be where I am right now without the support of my owners. And then I have sponsors for all of the equipment, there are all the grooms, the truck drivers – it's a whole package. I have quite a big group of people around me now, maybe more than other riders; there's a whole team of 10 to 14 people that make all this possible. They may not all be physically standing at the side of the arena when we come out of the ring, but they're all in there in their own way, cheering on from home or wherever they are, and we win and we lose together. My wife Sophie has played a huge role over the last ten years too; she's understanding and rides herself – she is very supportive. She helps me stay on the straight line and keep everything in order and she helps me make good decisions when we're looking at horses and her support is also something I rely on.”

“I had an amazing team for a long time through London, Rio and Tokyo and then we went through a little bit of a period where it was time for some people to move on and experience new things,” Maher continues. “We had a year where it was quite a new feeling for me; as a rider you feel lost when you're used to the same people around you the whole time. Now, I really feel that we've built back up and have strong relationships within the team. Also, some of the older team members have come back to me and brought that strength and depth in with their experience. I have two people that used to do the shows all the time that are now supporting the team at home. When we travel as much as we do, it's important that the horses are cared for and kept fit and when I'm flying in and out it's not so easy to keep on top of everything. Therefore, it is essential for me to work with a team I can trust to 100%. I try to surround myself with people that are ambitious and positive. This has to be their life – unfortunately it's one of those sports – but we try to keep a healthy balance with that.” 

You can't ask somebody to do something you can't do yourself

Maher himself is no stranger to the hard work this sport requires. “When I was young, I was a stable rider for Beat Mändli – so I know how to do everything myself,” he explains. “I mucked out and I clipped; I can do all of those things and I think that's important. Riders – especially younger riders – need to know how to do all of this and I think that's a little bit lost at the moment. Having this basic knowledge comes back to help you when you're trying to manage a stable, manage a team and your own staff. You can't ask somebody to do something you can't do yourself.”

“I have been lucky with the grooms and the team I have had, and it is the team that brings the success,” Maher points out. 

“I kind of have a bucket list and I was lucky to be world number one once,” Maher smiles when asked how important the Longines Ranking is for him personally and if overtaking Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann – currently only 100 points ahead of him – is something he is consciously going after. “Reaching the number one spot would maybe be more important if I hadn't achieved that one time already. Now, I'm close for sure, but it's not my main focus and the planning around my shows and which horses I jump is not designed around achieving maximum points. I rely on the fact that if I do my job right and the horses jump well, it happens organically – and of course that would be an amazing achievement and something my team absolutely deserves.” 

The planning around my shows and which horses I jump is not designed around achieving maximum points

“I think it's a very hard thing to get right from every angle,” Maher says about the format of the Longines Ranking. “I opted to be in Wellington at the beginning of the year, which maybe not everybody has the luxury to do as it is an expensive trip. It works for us for different reasons, but there's also not a five-star show there every week, and it can be as hard to win a three- or a four-star there as it is to win a five-star at another venue. However, I remember being that rider 20 years ago that didn't have a high enough ranking to get into shows and I can recall always waiting for my federation, begging for them to give me a chance. I don't think it's a perfect system at the moment, but I also don't think my view is going to change the politics of the sport; it takes everybody to come together and share their suggestions. Currently, the best 30 results are counting – and personally I think there maybe should be a way to limit the number of competitions a horse can jump annually.” 

“We have great riders in Britain, but as in many other countries, there are ups and downs when it comes to having the right horses at the right time,” Maher says when asked how he sees the British team’s situation in an Olympic year. “We are in a bit of a tight spot at the moment but when I think about Paris, even though we may look slightly weaker on paper, we might actually be stronger in reality than we look right now. As a team, we know what we are capable of, even though we don't have many, many options. Going forward towards Los Angeles, I think that as a country, to be in a better position than now, we have to start to produce and plan long-term as a team and not wait until the year before.”

“It's really important as riders to always plan far ahead, but that's easier said than done, both when it comes to finding the horses and having the means to do that,” Maher continues. “I'm very lucky that I have older horses to pick and choose for the biggest sport right now, but I'm already working on the next group of seven- and eight-year-olds as well. Every horse is different, but I believe in forward thinking and planning."

It's really important as riders to always plan far ahead, but that's easier said than done

"Normally I'm very strategic; I know exactly what's going on," Maher tells. "This year, I’ve done things a little differently. In the first quarter of this year, I have been saving the horses a bit because I had in the back of my mind that last year, I didn't do anything with them and they ended up having a great year. Therefore, I've tried to be a little bit quieter. However, they need the experience still, they're not the ready-made horses like Explosion was before Tokyo. Normally things will sort of play themselves out and we can start to make a plan for Paris later on this spring; I've just tried to not over-plan in the beginning of this year.” 

“My initial focus was Explosion W (Chacco-Blue x Baloubet du Rouet) for Paris, which now most likely will not be an option,” Maher tells about his feeling ahead of Paris. “He is in full work and looks amazing. However, we're doing our own plan with him and doing what's right for him and any decisions are to be made later in the year. That being said, I think if I had to choose a horse right now, it would be difficult. I'm very fortunate to have a few horses that can be considered as options and things can change around within the team. Right now, I would perhaps lean more towards Dallas Vegas, but I have made my plan until May and then I will start to make decisions – playing backwards from Paris.” 

Well aware of how quickly the tables can turn, the current world number two believes that overcoming adversity is something every top athlete needs to deal with. “There aren’t many people I can think of within the top ten or the top 50 in the world that haven't been through a very difficult time,” he points out. “It's a roller coast to do our sport and we never know what's going to happen when we get up in the morning. Anything can happen within the team, with the horses, the results can go up and down. Being able to deal with this uncertainty is what makes the top riders who they are. The drive and the determination which you're going to see in riders like Henrik, Steve and Scott, that's what it takes, and that’s why you can never underestimate these guys. They might not be a favourite to win every weekend, but there is no way that you rule out any of them, because they're always fighting to be better. As a rider, if you start to sit still and not push yourself and always try to be better, you're going to be overtaken very quickly.” 

It is important to ride happy and enjoy the sport

“The results always keep you going and make everything feel worthwhile,” Maher concludes. “However, I look at things differently now that I’m a little older and a bit more experienced. You can go on a good run where everything seems to just fall into place and you can go on a run where you're maybe riding well but nothing seems to come out right. I've learned that if you stick to the system, stay calm and do the right thing, it's always just a matter of time before the run turns good again. This also comes back to surrounding yourself with a team of people who are positive. I believe positive thinking can work wonders in the world, and it is important to ride happy and enjoy the sport. If you're riding feeling like you have no chance, like you can't win or improve, then you should take a step back and maybe make some changes. I believe in riding happy.” 

21.5.2024 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.