Benjamin Richard MaherMBE (born 30 January 1983, in Enfield[1]) is a British show jumper. He represented Britain at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2009 European Championships in Windsor, 2012 London Olympics, 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He won the team jumping gold at the London Olympics with Team GB, their first team jumping gold medal for 60 years, and an individual gold for Great Britain at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.[2] He also won bronze at the 2011 Europeans Championships in Madrid, Spain. He has won many international Grand Prix, including the Olympia Grand Prix, the King George V Gold Cup at Hickstead and an FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix at Wellington with various rides.
Maher began riding at the age of eight. He was educated at Saffron Walden County High School, and after finishing school, he trained with Liz Edgar before travelling to Switzerland to further his education with Beat Mandli.[4]
He had success as a young rider, winning Team Gold with the British Young Riders Team at the European Championships in 2004. He is now a regular member for the British team, and has been ranked as high as 2nd on the Longines World Rankings.
International Championship results
Results
Year
Event
Horse
Placing
Notes
2004
European Young Rider Championships
Alfredo
Team
30th
Individual
2008
Olympic Games
Rolette
5th
Team
19th
Individual
2009
World Cup Final
Robin Hood W
7th
2009
European Championships
Robin Hood W
6th
Team
15th
Individual
2011
European Championships
Triple X III
Team
12th
Individual
2012
Olympic Games
Triple X III
Team
9th
Individual
2013
European Championships
Cella
Team
Individual
2015
European Championships
Diva II
4th
Team
23rd
Individual
2016
Olympic Games
Tic Tac
12th
Team
25th
Individual
2019
European Championships
Explosion W
Team
Individual
Longines Global Champions Tour
Explosion W
2021
Olympic Games
Explosion W
Team
Individual
EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew
Career
In 2005, CSIO5* Hickstead, Great Britain: Maher won the Hickstead Derby
In 2008, Ben competed at the Olympic Games with Rolette.
In 2010, CSI5*-W s'-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands: On 26 March, Maher and Wonderboy III took the top spot in the feature class of the opening day. This was the 1.50m Rabobank Prijs.
CSI5*-W London Olympia, Great Britain: Ben and Noctambule Courcelle won the Puissance.[5]
In 2011, CSI5*-W Basel, Switzerland: Oscar took 4th prize in a speed-class.
CSI5*-W Zurich, Switzerland: Maher and Robin Hood W came 2nd in the Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier.
CSI3* Lummen, Belgium: Tripple X III came 2nd.
CES5* European Championships, Madrid, Spain: The British team of Nick Skelton (Carlo) (1.04/0/0); Guy Williams (Titus) (7.01)/(12)/0; Ben Maher (Tripple X III) (2.76/4/4); and John Whitaker (Peppermill) (5.66/4/8) took Team Bronze. Ben and Tripple X III also took 12th position individually.
CSI5*-W Olympia Horse Show, London, UK: Ben and his home-bred Tripple X III came 1st in the Rolex FEI World Cup.
In 2012, CSI5*-W Basel, Switzerland: Tripple X III won the feature 1m55 class on Friday night.
Won the Rome Nations Cup with Tic Tac and teammates Jessica Mendoza/Spirit T, Michael Whitaker/Cassionato, and John Whitaker/Ornellaia
He won two consecutive Longines Global Champions wins in 2018 and 2019.[18]
Won the Individual Showjumping Gold Medal at Tokyo 2020 Olympics, riding Explosion W.
Owners
Ben Maher has formally ridden horses under several owners, most notably Jane Forbes Clark and Poden Farms, whom he used to also train the owner, Emily Moffitt.
He has been riding for American owners Charlotte Rossetter & Pamela Wright since late 2019. Their partnership began when they purchased shares in his Olympic Gold Medal partner, Explosion w, and Ben since gone on to ride exclusively for them with new horses.
Ben is currently ranked Number 2 in the World, according to the FEI Jumping Rankings.
He bases in Wellington, Florida each year from late December until late March, and Europe throughout the summer.
The All England Jumping Course at Hickstead, known widely as Hickstead, is an equestrian centre in West Sussex, England, principally known for its showjumping. It hosts two international competitions, the Al Shira'aa British Jumping Derby Meeting and the Longines Royal International Horse Show. The course was the first permanent showground for equestrian sport in the country, opening in 1960. The first Hickstead Derby was held in 1961.
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