SPRUCE MEADOWS, Calgary, Canada--Lillie Keenan had a spectacular week at the Spruce Meadows Master, concluding it by placing second on Fasther to Ben Maher in the $5 Million Grand Prix on Sunday, Sept.13.
Lillie Keenan on Fasther (File photo by Allen MacMillan)With almost every World top rated rider competing in the Masters, Keenan had previously won the Cana Cup on Kick On.
The $5 million CPKC ‘International, a part of the Rolex Grand Slam, was a two round event with courses designed by Leopoldo Palacios in which the top 12 from round one qualified for round two, carrying forward any faults they had incurred.
Under such a format, there is often no jump-off, but, in an historic and exciting first at Spruce Meadows, after round two there were none clean, but six had four faults to remain tied to go into the jump-off.
And one of them was Richie Vagel on United Touch S, going for his third Rolex Grand Slam win in a row and the $1 Million bonus.
FOLLOWING the first round, the top 12 advanced to Round Two, returning in reverse order of merit with their first-round scores carried forward.
Ben Maher on Enjeu de Grisien (Phhoto by Spruce Meadows Media)Seven had gone clean, while Nayel Nassar of Egypt finished on a single time fault and McLain Ward, Christian Kukuk of Germany, Steve Guerdat of Switzerland and Ben Maher of Grea Britain all carried four faults into the second round.
Vogel was among the seven athletes to jump clear in Round One, alongside Lillie Keenan, Katie Laurie of New Zealand, Sameh El Dahan of Egypt, Yuri Mansur of Brazil, Daniel Coyle ofireland and Roy Van Beek of Belgium.
After an exciting second round, six finished tied on four faults, sending the competition to a jump-off to determine the winner.
Maher was one of the first riders into the jump-off and delivered exactly what was required.
Riding Enjeu de Grisien, the British Olympian produced a brilliant clear round in 41.40 seconds, setting a target that would prove untouchable.
Vogel followed, but a rail in the double combination ended his hopes of completing the Rolex Grand Slam.
Keenan was last to go, but she finished in 41.85, so close, but a disappointing four tenths of a second back, she still finished an excellent second.
Maher’s time remained unbeaten, securing the 2026 CPKC ‘International’ title for the British rider.
Guerdat was third in 42.25, followed by Van Beek, the only other clean in the jump-off, fourth, Vogel fifth and Laurie sixth.
The 2026 CPKC ‘International’ delivered a thrilling conclusion worthy of the ‘Masters’.
“They’re (the Rolex Grand Slam Majors) tough competitions to win. We travel year-round to 5* events, but the Rolex Majors are the pinnacle of the sport and we keep coming back and we keep trying.” said Maher.
Maher had had a very bad fall in the Nations Cup the day before the Grand Prix and was competing with a very sore shoulder.
"One day you're on the floor and the next day you're winning," said Maher. "That was a bad mistake I made yesterday, and I paid for it. It was a long night, and I came close to not riding today."
The U.S.had finished fifth inn the Nations Cup over a very tough course.
Germany won with four faults, Ireland was second with 17 faults, Belgium third on 21, Great Britain fourth on 26, the U.S. fifth on 46 and France, eliminated in the second round, was sixth.
