CHIO of Aachen, one of the greatest competitions in the world

Founded in 1898, the CHIO of Aachen has joined a long time ago the ranks of the top international events. Nowadays, the event is attracting 350,000 spectators annually. It becomes a major happening, a folk festival and a big party. The competition gathers five disciplines: jumping, dressage, eventing, driving and vaulting. Regarding the jumping, top riders will come to Aachen. Indeed, in addition to the prestige of the competition, the price money is also attractive. Aachen alongside with the CSIO Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’, in Calgary, the CHI of Geneva (Switzerland) and The Dutch Masters in Netherlands is part of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. The system is simple: Anyone, who wins three shows in a row, receives one million euros bonus prize. If that same rider then continues their success by winning a fourth Major in succession, they will be rewarded with an additional one million euros bonus prize. Scott Brash with his fabulous Hello Sanctos became the first rider who won the Rolex Grand Slam in 2015.

From all around the world, the crème de la crème of show jumping athletes will be on the start list. Numerous previous winner will be there like Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet, winner in 2017 on Coree, Canada’s Eric Lamaze in 2010 on Hicktead, Great Britain’s Scott Brash in 2015 on Hello Sanctos, America’s Beezie Madden in 2007 on Authentic, Germany’s Marcus Ehning in 2006 on Noltes Küchengirl and last year on Prêt à Tout, Philipp Weishaupt in 2016 on  LB Convall and Christian Ahlmann, winner last week in Paris on Take a Chance on Me Z and victorious in Aachen in 2014 on  Codex One. In addition to those athletes who already have their name ingrave on the hall of fame of Aachen, other brilliant riders will try to shine like Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels, Jérome Guéry and Gundrun Patteet, France’s Roger-Yves Bost, Kevin Staut, Guillaume Foutrier, Pénélope Leprevost and Oliver Robert, Great Britain’s Ben Maher, currently leader of the Longines Global Champions Tour, Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Ludger Beerbaum, Ireland’s Darragh Kenny, Cian O’Connor and Bertram Allen, Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca, Netherland’s Jur Vrieling, Marc Houtzager and Maikel Van Der Vleuten, Switzeralnd’s Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat, Sweden’s Peder Fredricson and Henrik Van Eckermann and America’s Kent Farrington and McLain Ward.

Start list: here

Full schedule: here