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Ben Maher

Show Jumping

Individual Competition, Team Competition

	Date of Birth:	30/01/1983
	Lives:	Bishops Stortford
	Born:	Enfield
	Country of Birth:	England
	Height:	183
	Weight:	68
	Club:
	Coach:
	Occupation:	Athlete

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Ben Maher, currently ranked ninth by the British Show Jumping Association (BSJA), has won various Grand Prix, Speed, Puissance and Derby classes across Europe. He has been a member of Pony, Junior and Young Rider teams on 5 different occasions and has picked up a Team Gold at each level. In January of 2006, Ben was awarded the 'Best Up And Coming Rider' award at the BSJA Awards ceremony in London, an award that is voted for by the country's top 100 Show Jumpers.

He has represented Great Britain on the Nation cup team on 6 different occasions over the last two years, but his selection to the 2008 Olympic team, with Rolette, will be his first appearance for a Senior Championship Team.

Ben was just eight years old when he decided that show jumping was to be his main passion in life. Starting on 12.2hh ponies, he began competing around Britain in pony classes while still at school, before pursuing a more serious career after finishing his GCSEs.

Upon leaving school, Ben began training with former top rider, Liz Edgar, before travelling to Switzerland where he spent two years riding for one of Europe’s most well known riders, Beat Mandli. Ben acknowledges that he learnt so much, “Although Beat wasn’t able to train me everyday, you are influenced by your surroundings, and you tend to ride like the person who trains you, and a lot of people have said that I ride in a similar way to Beat, which is a huge compliment”.

It wasn’t just in the training of horses that Ben gained knowledge; it was also general yard management, and the way in which to run a professional yard. Ben adds, “I would recommend to anyone wanting a career in show jumping to spend some time abroad in a professional yard, the experience is invaluable”. This valuable experience Ben gained abroad allowed him to begin setting up his yard at home, where he now rides and trains a number of horses for several different owners.

Ben has enjoyed great success at international level, including winning the Puissance at the Horse of the Year Show with Eperlan De Fouquet in 2004, and in 2005, becoming the youngest rider for 30 years to win the Hickstead Derby and only the second rider ever to win both the Speed Derby and the Hickstead Derby.

Although Ben has ridden a host of classy horses since beginning to ride professionally, his 12.2hh jumping pony, Bowes Springbok, remains his personal favourite. A great character, he gave Ben enormous fun competing in pony classes, encouraging him to pursue a professional career in show jumping.

Ben has great respect for the incredibly successful British Olympic rider, Robert Smith, as well as top German rider, Ludger Beerbaum, for his immaculate style.

Ranked: 9 on BSJA list 313: June 2007- May 2008

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Beijing 2008
5th
Show Jumping
Team Competition

Beijing 2008
Show Jumping
Individual Competition

Major Championship Achievements:

Team Gold European Young Rider Championships 2004
Team Gold Pony European Championships 1998
Team Gold Pony European Championships 1997
Ben was a member of the Junior Team in 2001 and the Young Rider Team in 2003
He has represented Great Britain on 6 different occasions

Recent Major Achievements:

2008:

CSI3* Nantes FRA, 1^stA4 (Rolette)

CSIO 5* La Baule:7^th Grand Prix (Rolette)

CSIO5* Rotterdam: 4^th Grand Prix (Rolette)

Member Super League Nations Cup Team: La Baule; St Gallen: Rotterdam(Rollette)

2007:
Toscana Tour: 1^st 2 Phase (Bob’s Diamond), 1^st 2 Phase (Akosie du Wonderland), 3^rd A4 (Onasis)
British Open: 1^st Puissance (Eperlan du Fouquet), 4^th Speed Stakes (Onasis) CSI3* Modena: 1^st & 4^th 7 Year Old (Akosie du Wonderland & Quainton Quirifino Z) Newark & Notts: 4^th Grade A class (Cavallo Z), 1^st HOYS Grade C (Time Out M)

South of England: 1^st Area Trial (Alfredo)

East of England: 3^rd Area Trial (Alfredo)

Great Yorkshire Show: 1^st Grade Competition (Rolette)

Welsh Masters: 3^rd Gents Championship (Rolette)

CSI4* Chantilly: 1^st A7 (Gem of India), 2^nd A4 (Rolette), 3^rd 7 Year Old Final (Quainton Quirifino Z)

Horse of the Year Show: 1^st Ann Martin Memorial Cup (Gem of India)

BSJA Stallion & Mare Show: 2^nd 1.40m Open (Quainton Quirifino Z)
CSI-W Mechelen: 1^st Grand Prix (Rolette)

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