The top ten riders in the world will go head to head on Friday, December 11th at the CHI Geneva in the 15th annual Rolex International Jumping Riders Club Top Ten Final.
As ordered from the Longines FEI Jumping Rankings, the top ten riders in the world are an elite group that hails from seven countries around the world. As World No. 5 and 8, the American riders Beezie Madden and McLain Ward did not attend CHI Geneva this year, the next available riders on the list moved up to fill their slots. Thus, World No. 11 and 13, Daniel Deusser and Luciana Diniz, fill out the top ten order.
2014 Rolex Top Ten Final winner Scott Brash is back with Hello Sanctos following his outstanding year of competition around the world. Brash, who has confirmed he’ll be gunning for a second Rolex Grand Slam title as well, has come to Geneva with his best horses in place and is ready to defend both titles.
But he’ll have plenty of the world’s best riders, who are coming off their own exceptional seasons, to contend with. Recent Longines Global Champions Tour 2015 Series Champion Luciana Diniz is in Geneva, as is World No. 2 Kent Farrington.
Find out more about each rider competing in the 2015 Rolex IJRC Top Ten Final, then vote for who you think will be this year’s winner!
Scott Brash
Age: 30
Hometown: Peebles, Scotland
Fun Fact: The first time that Scott went to an international show (driving from Scotland to Spain), he jumped out of the lorry to check on the horses at every single toll stop.
Best Horse: Hello Sanctos
Kent Farrington
Age: 35
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Fun Fact: A false wall in his tackroom at home opens up to reveal a floor to ceiling wall of bits.
Best Horse: Voyeur
Penelope Leprevost
Age: 35
Hometown: Rouen, France
Fun Fact: Penelope’s 11-year-old daughter Eden is a budding young rider herself.
Best Horse: Flora de Mariposa
Gregory Wathelet
Age: 35
Hometown: Huy, Belgium
Fun Fact: Gregory rode under the Ukranian flag for several years before returning to represent his native country of Belgium in 2007.
Best Horse: Conrad de Hus
Daniel Deusser
Age: 34
Hometown: Germany
Fun Fact: Daniel is a hands on dad – you can often see him pushing his young daughter Stella Deusser, whom he has with girlfriend Caroline Wauters, around in her pram at shows.
Best Horse: Cornet d’Amour
Bertram Allen
Age: 20
Hometown: Wexford, Ireland
Fun Fact: Just two years ago, Bertram made his first trip to Geneva when he was still too young to jump in the grand prix. He hoped that he’s be back to jump the Top Ten “one day.”
Best Horse: Molly Malone
Simon Delestre
Age: 34
Hometown: Metz, France
Fun Fact: He jumped the last part of a course at the 2012 London Olympics with a broken rein – and didn’t have a rail down.
Best Horse: Ryan de Hayette
Ludger Beerbaum
Age: 52
Hometown: Riesenbeck, Germany
Fun Fact: He keeps threatening to retire – but hasn’t come close to actually doing so, yet.
Best Horse: Chiara
Christian Ahlmann
Age: 41
Hometown: Marl, Germany
Fun Fact: Christian is one of the most well-known riders who competes every year at the Lanaken Young Horse Championships, and for good reason. The family of his partner Judy-Ann Melchior founded Lanaken and the Zangersheide Stud where the championships are held.
Best Horse: Taloubet Z
Luciana Diniz
Age: 45
Hometown: Brazil
Fun Fact: Her entire family is involved in the horse industry; her mother was a record-setting dressage rider, and her father and brothers are well known polo players.
Best Horse: Winningmood