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Ben Maher

Ben Maher is one of the world's top show jumpers. He has represented Britain on numerous occasions, including the 2008 Olympic Games, and the 2009 and 2011 European Champions, winning team bronze at the latter.

His current top horses include Robin Hood W, Oscar XI, Tripple X and Tackeray

Ben starts 2012 with his biggest win so far

Screams of delight from the whole crowd coupled with skillful riding made the moment of the win a dream come true for Ben. Now with the Olympic selection firmly in his sights Ben is having a two week well deserved break from the compeitions.

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First Day Win at Olympia

Ben had a great start to the show at Olympia The London International Horse Show, winning the Christmas Pudding Speed Stakes with Peter Ward's Milena. Using tights turns and taking a stride out to a late double enabled him to steal the top prize by over a second from fellow Brit Scott Brash.

"We were very quick coming down to that double, but were also fast the whole way round the course," said Ben, who was the day's only British winner.

"All of my horses [Milena, Tripple X and Tackeray] and I am pleased with all of them. Tackeray was just a bit unlucky to have one down in his class."

Preparing for Olympia..

Olympia is one of my favourite shows. It is at a great time of year and I enjoy seeing owners, family and friends who are able to come along and support. This year, I am taking Tripple X,Tackeray, Milena 8 and Noctambule Courcelle for the Puissance.

All the horses have had a good preparation and hopefully will jump well in front of their home crowd. The fans and audience at Olympia are always great and make for such a good atmosphere and great fun.

Ben claims Swiss win..

Ben started his 2012 international campaign by winning in Basel's Preis der LGT with his Olympia World Cup winner Tripple X, who is owned by his rider and Emma and Mike Phillips of Quainton Stud.

He claimed victory from Portugal’s Luciana Diniz, who had held the lead for most of the class with Winningmood. However, a late charge from Ben in the speed competition enabled him to pinch victory with the 10-year-old stallion. “A bit of a holiday had caught out my horses on the first day,” said Ben. “But they got back into the swing and Tripple X jumped brilliantly in this competition.” Ben also took fifth in the Swiss event’s Preis der Emil Frey with Peter Ward’s Milena 8, before heading off to compete at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida. He will be commuting between the USA and Europe during the winter months.

Next Stop, Florida

At present all the preparations for Florida involve my computer, phone, loads of emails, paperwork and quotations - not a horse in sight! Flights and travel arrangements for horses, grooms, owners and myself all have to be planned and booked along with all the normal "holiday" bits - car hire, accommodation etc. etc.

I am planning on taking 8 horses, including Robin Hood and Tripple X although they will also compete at on the European circuit during February, March and April. Some of the less well known horses are also coming - the newly acquired grey stallion owned by the Cook's called Cloud 9 and Quainton Stud's Quiet Easy who has been so successful with Jessica Botham. Here's hoping the weather will be hot!

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BEN STARTS THIS YEAR WITH HIS BIGGEST WIN

WORLD CUP VICTORY

Ben Maher gave his Olympic selection hopes a boost with a magnificent World Cup victory at Olympia on Sunday. This victory is surreal - I am still trying to take it in. Ben, former British number one and his horse Tripple X III defeated a top-class field of London 2012 contenders. Ben lifted the £27,000 first prize after an 11-horse jump-off that included British riders Robert Whitaker (USA Today) and Guy Williams (Titus). The combination's time of 38.71 seconds sent experienced German challenger Marcus Ehning (Sabrina) into second, with Ireland's Dermott Lennon (Hallmark Elite) third.

"I don't claim to be an expert breeder, but then I get one that turns out like that," said Maher, in tribute to his champion horse. "The problem is also that he has got to get experience. He has got to prove he is good enough to make the team."

The World Cup class is widely regarded as an Olympics dress rehearsal but Maher, who also won the H&M Speed Stakes on Milena on Sunday, believes there is still work to be done. He said: "Even here, I am changing small things the way I ride. That is an important part of the process between now and the 2012 Olympics.

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"Ben is the epitome of the modern day athlete. He is dedicated, determined and hardworking. These qualities coupled with natural talent make Ben one of the world's leading showjumpers."

Rob Hoekstra, Team Manager and Team GB Chef d'Equipe.

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Olympia World Cup WIN

Ben leaves Olympia as leading rider

After a phenomenal week at Olympia, The London International Horse Show, Ben was crowned the H&M Leading Rider. Top spot in the Rolex FEI World Couple qualifier with Emma and Mike Phillips of Quainton Stud's Tripple X and two wins with Peter Ward's Milena secured his victory as the top performing rider at the event.

"It's been an amazing week," said Ben. "I couldn't have asked for a better way to end the year. I have an amazing team behind me and I am so happy for them to get the results."

"I'll be having a few weeks off now, so the horses will have a nice rest, too. Then will start working towards next year's major goal of the London Olympic Games."

World Cup win for Ben

The penultimate day of Olympia, The London International Horse Show, couldn't have gone any better for Ben. He started off the day by winning his second class of the week with Nick Wards's Milena 8. Then, he went on to secure the event's most prestigious competition, the Rolex World Cup Qualifier, with his homebred Tripple X, who is owned by Mike and Emma Phillips of the Quainton Stud.

Lifted by the rapturous applause he was given when he entered the arena for the World Cup jump-off, Ben made a series of exceptional manoeuvres to beat Germany's Marcus Ehning (Sabrina) into second place.

"It is the perfect end to the year," said Ben. "Tripple X is still quite a young horse, but he has proved he can jump big courses. I knew he was special from the very first show I went to on him."

Ben's working towards a big weekend at Olympia

Although he didn't claim any winner's rosettes on day two at Olympia, Ben was nonetheless pleased with his horses' performances on the second day of the London Olympia horse show.

An unlucky fence with Tripple X in the jump-off of the Earls Court Olympia Christmas Cracker but in a fast time gave him a sixth placing, and a third place in the Talk Talk Mistletoe Stakes with Milena 8 boosted his winnings for the week.

Ben was favourite for the Alltech Christmas Puissance with his 2010 winner Noctambule Courcelle, but the first fence en route to the wall fell. And although he cleared the big red wall itself, it ruled him out of progressing further in the competition.

"It's just one of those thing that can happen," he said. "But I think all of the horses are going well and that's good looking forward to Sunday."

Ben scores sole British win on Olympia opening day