Ben Maher wins $1.5M Spruce Meadows grand prix after Saturday fall

Ben Maher won the CPKC International grand prix at Spruce Meadows Masters on Sunday, claiming $1.5 million and one of show jumping's richest titles—despite falling from his horse during Saturday's BMO Nations' Cup.

Maher, 43 and ranked sixth in the world, rode Enjeu De Grisien to a winning time of 41.40 seconds in the jump-off. Six riders advanced to the playoff after clearing the course without faults. American Lillie Keenan, ranked 31st, finished second on Fasther at 41.85 seconds—within 0.45 of Maher's time. Steve Guerdat of Switzerland took third.

The fall Saturday tested Maher's resolve. He landed hard enough to worry about his shoulder—he has had multiple shoulder surgeries in the past—but passed medical checks and rode Enjeu extensively that morning to confirm he could compete. "In the end, our health and our safety is always paramount," he said. "I got checked and passed. I rode Enjeu a lot this morning and it felt very comfortable. We decided to go for it. Maybe it helped. Maybe I was a bit distracted on those things and just went in and did my job."

Enjeu De Grisien had come close before, finishing fourth at the world championships in Aachen, Germany. "It's starting to sink in," Maher said of the win. "Incredible to be part of winning one of the majors, starting that journey and winning what we consider one of the biggest grand prix in the world. I really felt Enjeu had a chance here; he deserved a big win."

Keenan, seeking her first major podium after multiple top-10 finishes, said the competition gave her momentum. "I would like to start by saying just being in a jump-off with this group of riders is massive," she said. "My goal is to be sitting there next year, but I'm that much closer."