Timing was in Ben Maher’s (GBR) favor on Thursday of Rolex Finale Week at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). His ride on Pamela Wright and Charlotte Rossetter’s stallion Point Break was intentional and successful, swooping in to take the win in the $116,100 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 12, a qualifier for the Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix on Saturday. Highlighted by 12 weeks of consecutive FEI competition, WEF continues through March 30 at Wellington International in Wellington, FL.
“Point Break just flew in this week,” the Tokyo Olympic Champion said of Point Break’s quick detour back to Wellington between the Dutch Masters and FEI World Cup™ Finals in Basel, Switzerland. “He arrived on Sunday and he flies back to Europe tomorrow, so he came, did his job and he’s leaving.”
Maher made it sound simple, but winning meant he bested 16 jump-off contenders, after a total of 24 jumped clear over Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) first-round course. Among the start list contenders were six of the world’s top 10, so Maher—ranked no. 5 in the world—was in good company.