Richard Vogel triumphs in the Rolex Grand Prix at TSCHIO Aachen

The German rider and United Touch S claim the Rolex Grand Slam Major and keep the Grand Slam dream alive

The curtain fell on TSCHIO Aachen 2026 with a memorable afternoon for the home crowd as Richard Vogel claimed victory in this weekend’s Rolex Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious and demanding classes on the international equestrian calendar. In front of a packed Main Stadium bathed in afternoon sunshine, the German rider delivered a sensational performance aboard United Touch S.

The 2026 edition of the Rolex Grand Prix once again confirmed the extraordinary standard of competition in Aachen. Of the forty combinations entered, no fewer than twenty-one belonged to the world’s top 25 rankings, including Vogel himself, who arrived in Germany as the live contender for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.

The course designed by Frank Rothenberger proved particularly demanding.

The first rider to truly master the track was World No.1 Kent Farrington, flawless aboard Greya. He was soon joined by other major names of the international circuit including Henrik von Eckermann, Laura Kraut, Nina Mallevaey, Willem Greve, defending champion Martin Fuchs, as well as Sophie Hinners and Richard Vogel.

As the class progressed, José María Larocca Jr., Lillie Keenan and Daniel Deusser also secured qualification for the second round, bringing the total number of clear rounds in the opening phase to eleven.

Shane Sweetnam, Steve Guerdat, Luciana Diniz, Daniel Coyle, Ben Maher and André Thieme also progressed to the second round, keeping the battle for the Rolex Grand Prix title wide open.

Tension rose even further in the second round. Shane Sweetnam was the first rider back into the arena and maintained his total of four penalties. As the class unfolded, however, it became increasingly evident just how difficult it was to stay faultless over both rounds.

Only three combinations managed to achieve that feat: Sophie Hinners, Richard Vogel and José María Larocca Jr. The Rolex Grand Prix title would therefore be decided in a three-way jump-off.

Sophie Hinners was first to go, setting the benchmark with a clear round in 51.62 seconds — a highly competitive time that immediately placed pressure on the remaining contenders.

Richard Vogel entered next with the enormous stride and scope of United Touch S. The German combination attacked the jump-off with remarkable pace, making full use of the stallion’s huge gallop while maintaining exceptional fluency throughout every line. The result was astonishing: a time more than six seconds faster than that of his compatriot.

At that point, only Argentina’s José María Larocca Jr. remained with Chris. The South American rider also produced a superb clear round, but his time was not enough to challenge Vogel, who secured the Rolex Grand Prix title to the delight of the home crowd.

Thanks to this victory, Richard Vogel remains the live contender for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping and will continue his pursuit of the sport’s most coveted prize at the next Major, the CSIO Spruce Meadows “Masters” in Calgary. Should he also triumph in Canada, the German rider would become only the second athlete in history to win the Rolex Grand Slam.

Speaking after the class, an emotional Richard Vogel said: “It is a feeling that I simply cannot describe. Aachen is one of our favourite shows of the year, and to arrive here as the live contender for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, with the opportunity to compete in the Rolex Grand Prix, was an enormous privilege.”

The German rider then paid tribute to his team for their work in recent weeks: “We have worked incredibly hard to produce a performance like this and I have to say a huge thank you to my team at home. I have been away a lot recently with other horses at different shows, but they kept United Touch S in fantastic condition. I truly cannot thank them enough.”

Discussing the decisive jump-off, Vogel added: “My approach in the jump-off was simply to give everything. As the live contender for the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping, I knew I had to take every possible risk and make sure I was fast enough.”

Finally, the German rider already turned his attention toward the next major target of the season: “Calgary is obviously the next goal, but today we want to enjoy this incredible victory together with the whole team.”

Full results available here.

Photo credits: Rolex Grand Slam/Tom Lovelock

Source: Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping press release

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