At Spruce Meadows, rails do not fall by accident. Under the Calgary sun, they caused trouble for just about everyone… except Abdulrahman Alrajhi. The Saudi rider claimed the prestigious $1,000,000 ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup thanks to the day’s only double clear. A display of composure in a Grand Prix that had plenty of bite.
The last man standing
When Santiago Varela designs a 1.60m track, no one turns up for sightseeing. The fourteen fences and seventeen efforts of the opening round, to be swallowed in 85 seconds, quickly turned the million dollars on offer into a proper Everest conquest.
a line-up worthy of a mini World Championship: defending champion Daniel Coyle, Richard Vogel, Daniel Bluman, Katie Laurie and Mark Bluman.
In the opening act, however, the cast was brutally cut down. Only two riders found the key: Abdulrahman Alrajhi with the powerful Ventago, 13 years old, and Daniel Bluman with Corbie V.V. Everyone else left at least one rail, or a few precious points, behind along the way.
Ventago, the perfect machine
In a second round where the pressure rose with every ride, Alrajhi did not blink.
Returning as the penultimate rider on Spruce Meadows’ International Ring, the Saudi rider delivered exactly the same score: precision, fluidity and zero faults. Not a rail, not a hesitation. The only double clear of the entire day.
Daniel Bluman, flawless until then as well, lowered a rail on his second round. An opening that Daniel Coyle, winner in 2025, immediately seized to take second place. Thanks to the combined times from the two rounds, Bluman nevertheless held on to the third step of the podium.
Spruce Meadows, the show that changes horses
For Abdulrahman Alrajhi, this victory goes far beyond a simple seven-figure cheque.
« Honestly, Spruce is a completely different sport. It is not a show like any other. Horses improve enormously after coming here. Sometimes, in the moment, we feel that it is extremely difficult, but afterwards we see just how much that experience helps them develop. »
A statement that perfectly sums up Spruce Meadows’ reputation. Here, courses do not hand out gifts. They build tougher horses and sharper riders.
A victory that counts
Winning the ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup has never been about pure speed. At Spruce Meadows, you have to survive both rounds, withstand the pressure and keep enough clarity of mind when the smallest centimetre can cost several hundred thousand dollars.
On Saturday, only one combination managed to solve that equation.
Abdulrahman Alrajhi and Ventago leave Calgary with the jackpot, one of the most prestigious trophies in world showjumping and, above all, the certainty of having tamed one of the most feared arenas on the international circuit.
Find the full results of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup here.
(Photos © Spruce Meadows Media/Mike Sturk)
