More top 10 riders for The Dutch Masters

The Dutch Masters can now count on the participation of even more top 10 riders. Britain's Ben Maher (2), the USA's Kent Farrington (3) and Switzerland's Martin Fuchs (5) will start at the Brabanthallen from 7 to 10 March.

World number 2 Ben Maher needs no introduction. The 41-year-old Briton was Olympic Champion in 2021, won team gold at the London Olympics in 2012 and twice won the individual silver medal at the European Championships: in 2019 (Rotterdam) and 2013 (Herning). He has several top horses at his disposal including Faltic HB, a 14-year-old KWPN stallion (Baltic VDL x Concorde) with whom he finished 4th individually at the 2023 European Championships in Milan and also fourth at the 2023 World Championships in Herning where they also won team bronze. 

American Kent Farrington first set foot on Brabant soil in 2012 during the World Cup finals. In 2018, he would start at The Dutch Masters as the live contender after winning the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva. Unfortunately, a broken leg threw a spanner in the works. In 2019, he won the Major at CHIO Aachen with Gazelle. A formidable opponent who has won many major Grands Prix and medals, such as team silver at the Rio Olympics in 2016, team bronze at the World Championships in Caen in 2014 and most recently team gold and individual silver at the Pan Am Games in Santiago.

Rolex testimonee Steve Guerdat (SUI) is the only rider to have competed in all Majors from the very first edition in Aachen in 2013. The reigning European Champion managed to win a Major in Geneva (2013 and 2015) and in 2021 he won the Spruce Meadows 'Masters' Major. In 2023, he won the Rolex IJRC Top 10 final in Geneva, among others. Three times he managed to win the World Cup final and in 2012 he became Olympic Champion in London. He has two absolute top horses at his disposal, Venard de Cerisy and Dynamix de Belheme.

Earlier, the world number one Henrik von Eckermann and the highest-ranked Dutchman Harrie Smolders were already announced.

The full programme is published here. Order your tickets now and don’t miss anything of this edition of The Dutch Masters!

Photos: TDM/Digishots