Aachen. That arena where nobody gets away with bluffing. Packed grandstands. Perfect grass. Heavy silence before the starts, then that unmistakable Aachen murmur rising through the stadium when the crowd senses something is happening. The second qualifier for the Rolex Grand Prix had all the ingredients of an elegant trap: 1.55m, jump-off, 48 combinations, and course designer Frank Rothenberger clearly not in the mood to hand out free souvenirs.
Rails fell everywhere. Not carnage, but definitely no Sunday stroll either. The entrance to the final line reminded everyone that, in this stadium, even the very best can suddenly look like they’re searching for the emergency exit. By the end of round one: 13 clears, 12 back for the final showdown.
Brash lays it down, Guéry blows it open
Scott Brash came out first in the jump-off aboard Hello Mango (Untouchable 27 x Numero Uno) and set the initial benchmark: 42.56. Clean, sharp, serious — but not yet fireworks. McLain Ward gave it a shot with Lestro vd Valckenborg (Stakkato Gold x Animo): four faults in 44.40, and the podium was already slipping into the regret box. Sophie Hinners wouldn’t improve either.
Then came Jérôme Guéry. And suddenly, the channel changed.
With Quito de Mariposa, the 10-year-old BWP stallion by Comme Il Faut out of Air Jordan Z, the Belgian wasn’t here to “gain experience.” He came to shake the stadium awake. The stallion had only discovered Aachen two days ago? Fine. Thanks for asking. He didn’t look impressed in the slightest.
Guéry opened the stride, kept the rhythm flowing, and let Quito’s enormous action do the talking. The pair devoured the lines as if they had rehearsed the jump-off fifteen times at home. Except they hadn’t. Quito is only just stepping into top-level five-star company. Clear round. 40.63. Boom.
« “This is Aachen: either I don’t make the jump-off, or I go all in,” Guéry told us. “The horse has an enormous stride. I opened the rhythm a bit in the jump-off — six strides, then five, then nine to the last. I just missed one turn before the second-last fence, but I’m really happy. A ten-year-old horse, very little experience, together for such a short time… it’s incredible.” »
Quito: a gamble already paying off
Guéry wasn’t hiding his excitement. “The horse has only been with us for a month and a half. He’s a horse we’ve known for a long time and had in the system for years. He always showed quality, first with Virginie Thonon in the young horse classes, then with Seppe Wouters over the last two seasons. We all knew he was good, but now he’s taking another step. He’s gone from three-star to five-star level. This is only our third show together. To finish fourth here, in Aachen, the biggest show in the world, is fantastic.” »
Then came the reality check only seasoned riders know how to deliver: Of course, you always want more, but I don’t think I’ll jump the Grand Prix tomorrow. The horse doesn’t deserve that yet. We’ll stay with this great result in the second qualifier and look ahead. »
A wise decision. Because horses like that don’t get burned for one extra photo.
Abdel Saïd answers like a boss
Ben Maher tried to answer with Point Break, but stayed over a second behind. Same story for André Thieme. Then Abdel Saïd entered with Bonne Amie. The other Belgian in the jump-off. And he’d clearly understood the assignment too: after Guéry, there was no room left for hesitation.
His 13-year-old mare has mileage, power, and that rare way of covering ground that makes fences seem smaller than they are. Abdel attacked. Bonne Amie answered. The clock stopped at 39.59. New leader. At that point, it felt done.
Saïd himself had read the situation perfectly: When I saw Jérôme, I thought: OK, this actually makes things easier, because now there’s no doubt anymore. There’s only one option: go forward. I knew it would be a very fast jump-off. Jérôme gave everything and it worked. They’re still a young partnership, so I knew I could maybe shave a little bit off. Honestly, after my round, I thought it would be hard to beat. But Lillie beat us. »
And when he talks about Bonne Amie, the admiration is obvious: What she gives, with her size, elasticity, heart, and her desire to leave the rails up, is unbelievable. If every horse tried half as hard as she does, we’d all go a long way. »
Then Lillie Keenan boarded the high-speed train
And then came Lillie Keenan. With Kick On. Even the name sounded like instructions.
The American had watched Abdel on the big screen. She knew exactly what needed to happen. She also knew that Aachen crowds don’t want calculators — they want sport. Real sport. The kind that makes people rise before the final fence is even jumped.
So she barely touched the brakes. She let her horse travel, breathe, attack. Kick On flew around the track like a train at full speed. 38.21. Astronomical. This time, yes. Game over.
« I saw Abdel on the screen ” Keenan explained. “ I was planning to do the stride numbers, and when I saw him do them, I realised it was possible. His horse is bigger than mine, but mine gives me so much scope and heart. I thought: I’ve got nothing to lose. As long as I didn’t get in his way, he’d give it to me. And that’s exactly what he did. »
She added: Abdel had already done everything. He took all the big options. There was nothing left to do except try never to take back. »
Ward the proud mentor, Keenan on the rise
McLain Ward, beaten earlier in the jump-off, still had every reason to smile. Because the winner is also part of a long-term project he helped build.
« I’m very proud to be part of the careers of these young riders, who are now becoming young adults ,” Ward said. “ Lillie is an incredible talent. If I can be a small part of her success, I take a lot of pride in that. »
And when asked whether Keenan could one day become the best rider in the world, Ward didn’t hesitate: Absolutely. What I always try to remind her is that, in my opinion, her talent is as good as anybody’s. It’s simply about believing that, having confidence, and letting it exist without trying to be something else. »
As for Keenan’s chances of making the American team for the World Championships? Ward wasn’t exactly subtle: “I think she should be on the team. I hope to be there myself too. That’s clearly our goal this year.”
And at Aachen, where everyone is already positioning themselves for the sport’s biggest appointments, those words carry weight. For Keenan, this wasn’t just another victory on the résumé. It was a message to the American selectors: the New Yorker isn’t here to learn the lyrics anymore. She already knows the chorus.
Keenan, meanwhile, paid tribute to the man behind the scenes: McLain has been my mentor for probably seven years. He really changed my life. When I first came to him, I didn’t really believe in my ability to do this. He changed so many things for me, in the best possible way. I think he’s the best rider in the world, so getting advice from him is pretty cool. Before I went in, he told me to ride like the best version of myself. Today, that was true. »
Larocca steals the podium, not the promise
José María Larocca Jr would eventually slide in with Chris, pushing Jérôme Guéry off a podium place that had briefly looked within reach. Tough? Yes. Unfair? No. This is Aachen. Here, every half-second has teeth.
Still, Belgium leaves with plenty to smile about: Abdel Saïd second, Guéry fourth, two fearless jump-offs, and two horses that say a lot about what might come next. Saïd now turns toward the Grand Prix with Quaker: My real goal was to qualify. Last year I didn’t, and I was very disappointed. We worked hard with the whole team to come here strong. Twelfth yesterday, second today, we’re moving in the right direction. »
Guéry leaves with Quito and one certainty: the horse is ready for big things, but there’s no need to rush them.
« I learn about him every day, and he learns about me too. What we’re already able to do together after only six weeks is very impressive. He’s so generous, so respectful, and he wants to do well so badly. He proved that again today. »
That fourth place also carried another emotion. The day before, Qartouche de la Pomme d’Or had left the ring under worrying circumstances.
« The plan was to ride Cartouche in the qualifiers,” Guéry explained. “ He had two faults that are very unlike him. He came out of the ring and the horse wasn’t right. We did X-rays and ultrasounds with the vets. We can’t see anything, but the horse is clearly uncomfortable. The whole weekend plan was disrupted. So yes, getting a result like this after yesterday’s incident gives the whole team a lift. »
Aachen can be brutal. But sometimes, it gives a little light back too.
Find the full results of the second Rolex Grand Prix qualifier here.