Germany's Gerrit Nieberg and Ben 431 (Sylvain x Quincy Jones) certainly beat the odds in Sunday's CSIO5* €1,500,000 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen. With Jumpr, WoSJ took a closer look at the data behind the top five horse-and-rider combinations in this prestigious Grand Prix – set at 1.60m and considered one of the most challenging in the world. 

Up until the week of this year’s edition of CHIO Aachen (28 June-3 July 2022), Nieberg and Ben 431 had so far in 2022 won €71,939 in prize money. Adding last week’s earnings, their total prize purse since January 2022 is now at €576,939. The victory in the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen was the pair’s first 1.60m podium of the year; making their win even more sensational when compared to the other horse-and-rider combinations in the top five. Additionally, Nieberg himself has only podiumed in a 1.60m class three times since 2018. In 2022, leading up to CHIO Aachen, Nieberg’s clear round percentage with Ben, over 25 finished rounds*, had been 44%. At 1.60m level, the pair jumped clear in 30% of the 10 rounds* they did from January 1-27 June 2022. 

In comparison, second-placed Scott Brash and Hello Jefferson (Cooper vd Heffick x Irco Mena) had prior to CHIO Aachen won €33,210 so far this year – increasing their earnings to €333,210 last week. While the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen was the pair’s first 1.60m podium of the year, Brash himself has since 2018 finished on the podium no less than 28 times in 1.60-1.65m classes. Before coming to Aachen, Brash’s clear round percentage with Hello Jefferson over 23 finished rounds* in 2022 had been 35% - on 1.60m level they had been clear in 40% of their 10 rounds*. 

Belgium's Nicola Philippaerts placed third in Sunday's Rolex Grand Prix on Katanga vh Dingeshof (Cardento 933 x Tornedo FCS). The Belgian pair has had a good year so far; they had won €120,046 prior to CHIO Aachen – increasing their 2022-earnings to €340,046 last week. This year, the pair had prior to Aachen been on two podiums in 1.60m classes. Since 2018, Philippaerts himself has podiumed 23 times at 1.60m level. Leading up to CHIO Aachen, the pair’s clear round percentage in 2022 had been 28% over 25 finished rounds* – upping it to 78% at 1.60m level, over the nine finished rounds* they had jumped this year. 

While Daniel Deusser and Killer Queen VDM (Eldorado v. Zeshoek x For Pleasure) had to settle for fourth place in the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen, the German rider has been on most 1.60-1.70m podiums since 2018 compared to the other riders in Sunday's top five: 57 times. Since January 2022, Deusser had won €30,389 with Killer Queen VDM, and increased that to €181,389 last week. Prior to Aachen, the pair had not been on any 1.60m podiums this year and had also not delivered a clear round on 1.60m level. In 2022, leading up to CHIO Aachen, Deusser's clear round percentage with Killer Queen VDM in their 24 rounds finished* was on 29%.

Fifth placed Mclain Ward and HH Azur (Thunder v. Zuuthoeve x Sir Lui v. Zuuthoeve) have the most impressing clear round percentage: In the ten rounds they finished* since January 2022, the pair had jumped 50% clear leading up to CHIO Aachen. From January 2022 to the start of CHIO Aachen, Ward had earned €141,780 with Azur, and been on one 1.60m podium with the mare. The American rider’s 1.60-1.80m podiums since 2018 count an impressive 40. Prior to CHIO Aachen, HH Azur had jumped one 1.60m class since January 2022, and was double clear, making her clear round percentage at this level 100%.

For more statistics, check the Jumpr app. 

*Includes initial rounds and jump-offs