Rolex Series: The Ambition to Take Show Jumping into a New Era

There are sports whose popularity seems self-evident, and others that one must learn to appreciate. Show jumping undoubtedly belongs to the latter category. Yet all the ingredients of an adrenaline-fueled sport are there: a course that generally lasts no more than 90 seconds—sometimes less in the case of a jump-off—and where everything comes together: speed, trajectory, the strategies chosen to navigate an obstacle, the suspense of a rail grazed by just a few millimeters, and above all, that very special bond between the rider and their horse, who must believe in it together, at full gallop. There’s no shortage of television broadcasts, and the most recent World Championships—recently won by Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat—certainly captured people’s interest, but there’s still a whole world of equestrian terminology that most people don’t fully understand.

Today, the sport is striving to build a new image and reach new audiences. Federations, competition organizers, and riders are making great efforts to make show jumping more accessible.

In Wolvertem, nestled in the lush, residential countryside of Meise, about 20 kilometers north of Brussels, all the top riders on the circuit gathered in late August for this final event on the Rolex Series’ annual calendar. For five days, they competed in a series of events, culminating in the prestigious CSI5* Rolex Grand Prix presented by Audi on Sunday, August 30, won by Germany’s Richard Vogel riding Gangster Montdesir, ahead of Brazil’s Eduardo Pereira de Menezes on H5 Londontime and Germany’s Daniel Deusser on Pepita van’t Meulenhof BR.

While the Brussels Stephex Masters marks the conclusion of the seven events in the Rolex Series, it is also one of the most emblematic examples of the high-quality facilities the circuit strives to offer: the competitions take place on three grass courses—grass competitions are the hallmark of the Rolex Series—spacious stables owned by the Stephex Group are available to the teams, offering a particularly high level of comfort, and the areas reserved for the public are exceptional: restaurants, VIP hospitality, boutiques, children’s areas, and premium partners: Stephex feels as much like a chic, must-attend event as it does a traditional equestrian competition.

This new, highly experiential way of enjoying the sport is no mere footnote; it reflects the transformation currently underway in show jumping.

When Rolex launched the Rolex Series in 2024, the brand was already well-established in show jumping through the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping—the four most prestigious and challenging events: The Dutch Masters in the Netherlands, CHIO Aachen in Germany, the CSIO Spruce Meadows Masters in Calgary, Canada, and the CHI Geneva in Switzerland. With this new circuit of seven competitions, the goal was not to create a new championship, since the events are all independent of one another and do not result in a final standings list. The ambition is rather to bring together, under a single banner, standards of excellence—whether in terms of athletic performance, infrastructure, or the spectator experience. The idea is that each competition retains its own identity and history, but features the Rolex Grand Prix as the highlight of the event on the final day.

For the past two years, the Rolex Series has thus become part of the already busy show jumping calendar. The competitions are held primarily on the European continent: at Rome’s Piazza di Siena in Italy; at La Baule and Dinard in France; at Falsterbo in Sweden; in Dublin, Ireland; and in Belgium with the Brussels Stephex Masters. The only exception is Wellington, Florida, where the series runs for twelve weeks, from January through March. Particularly popular, its climate and extensive facilities allow riders and horses to train for several months at a time when conditions in Europe are at their harshest. The Wellington competitions conclude with the Rolex Grand Prix on the final weekend.

For Rolex, which has supported equestrian sports for nearly seventy years (Rolex entered the equestrian world in 1957 with British show jumper Pat Smythe, who became the brand’s first “Testimonee” for the discipline), the stated goal is precisely to set these events apart from other five-star competitions and enable them to provide even greater visibility for the sport. Steve Guerdat, a Rolex Testimonee, whom we met on site, explains: “Our sport has a unique characteristic that we all appreciate, but which may be difficult for the public to understand: there aren’t really any stars. There are two reasons for this: first, it’s not really in the riders’ nature. Contrary to common assumptions, we’re very down-to-earth people. We spend our time in the stables, in close contact with the horses and nature. The second reason is directly linked to the nature of our sport—namely, that in our sport, you don’t always win, even when you’re the best. There are competitions where we bring young horses that need to gain experience. Inevitably, the odds of winning a competition are slimmer. And that isn’t really understood. People come to see champions win, just like in tennis. And I think that’s also why the media takes less interest in show jumping. But I can assure you, everyone I meet who has made the effort to attend a competition finds the experience exceptional.”

This is one of the structural challenges of show jumping. Unlike tennis or Formula 1—with its Grand Prix races integrated into an immediately recognizable world championship—show jumping features a multitude of competitions, formats, and rankings. The result can be spectacular, yet the casual viewer may not immediately understand why one victory matters more than another.

The entire discipline is now striving to improve its storytelling. The FEI has revamped its former Nations Cup for 2024 to make it more understandable, allow the public to follow the same teams throughout the season, and appeal to both connoisseurs and new spectators alike. Other championships are trying to gain traction, as are new competitions. One such example is the upcoming project near Saint-Tropez called the Grimaud French Riviera Tour. It will take place at the Grimaud equestrian center, which has been taken over by Stephan Conter (Stephex Group) and Dutch entrepreneur Eric Berkhof. The Belgian businessman, who is also the owner and organizer of the Brussels Stephex Masters, explains: “Our ambition is to build facilities there that are just as exceptional as here in Wolvertem. We’ve purchased 17 hectares for several million euros, and we’re going to build permanent stables and hospitality facilities there. You won’t see a single tent. Every comfort for riders, horses, and the public will be top-notch. The idea is to create a competition that will take place over several weeks, similar to the one in Wellington. It’s a way to bring communities together, but also to engage everyone who spends time on the Riviera in the summer. Many big names attend the competitions. It’s a world that attracts a lot of top executives.”

In another effort to bring the public closer to the sport, an agreement has been reached between the FEI and Warner Bros. Discovery, which now allows several major international competitions to be broadcast in 75 markets across Europe and Asia, notably on Eurosport, Discovery+, and Max.

This evolution also involves the way stories are told about stables and riders. In this regard, the six-episode documentary series *Faultless*, launched in June 2026 and centered on the Rolex Grand Slam, perfectly illustrates this ambition. Produced by Brighter Frame Productions, Terminal B TV, and Spruce Meadows, in partnership with Rolex, the series takes viewers behind the scenes of elite show jumping. Filmed throughout the 2025 season, the series follows some of the world’s best riders and their horses at the most prestigious international competitions, including the major events of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping.

The popularity of “Faultless” remains to be seen. But its existence is indicative of an era in which audiences need to follow a rider or a team in order to identify with them.

But the best way to understand show jumping is still to attend an event in person. And a five-star Grand Prix event in the Rolex Series remains an experience in itself: first, the crowd, packed all around the course, in the stands, and in the hospitality areas; then, the riders’ course walk, half an hour before the start. It’s fascinating to watch them take long strides between the obstacles to gauge and analyze the number of strides the horse will need to take, all while memorizing the course. Then there’s the reverent silence of the crowd as the riders pass by, which erupts into cries of “oh!” and “ah!” at the slightest brush against a bar. This Sunday, August 30, at the Brussels Stephex Masters, the course designed by Gregory Bodo was particularly complex, featuring 14 obstacles and 17 jumps. And it was scheduled just one week after the World Championships in Aachen.

A favorite competition among many riders, Petronella Andersson—who had also qualified for the Rolex Grand Prix—puts it best: “It’s a combination of many unique elements, including the exceptional facilities provided for the horses, the caliber of the riders who compete there each time, and the atmosphere during the competitions and in the evenings. Ideal conditions for the sport and its development.”