By Megan Armitage

Olympic Champion Ben Maher believes that Team GB's 'sneaky' individual ratings were the key to their Paris 2024 success.

The 41-year-old from Enfield stormed to team jumping gold alongside Scott Brash and Harry Charles in Versailles, adding team victory to his individual gold from Tokyo 2020.

The trio were generally regarded as underdogs coming into the event but Maher noted that, despite not having much experience as a team, their own individual successes would have shown that Britain were always there to take gold.

"Winning in Paris was incredible," he said. "I've been very lucky to experience that in London as well but every event has a different emotion or feeling for personal reasons.

"This one was a great team with a big team spirit that is hard to emulate all the time. But it all came together on the day.

"The Brits always tend to be the underdogs but it's about peaking at the right time.

"If you had looked at our individual rankings and performances then our rating maybe would have been a bit higher than it was going into Paris, so we were a bit sneaky coming in the backdoor.

"Luckily for us, everything worked out."

Just two weeks after competing on the Olympic stage against the backdrop of Versailles, Maher was back jumping in front of the Royal Hospital Chelsea at the London leg of the 2024 Longines Global Champions Tour.

The Tour promises only the best riders and horses from all over the world, the event sets itself against iconic backdrops in some of the best cities in the world.

And Maher has likened it to the Formula One of show jumping with the ability to bring greater awareness to the general public.

"The Global Champions Tour is a big league now," he said.

"The best way to understand it is like Formula One, there are events all around the world and you have the biggest names in the sport and best horses bringing high level competition.

"It has really raised the awareness of being able to put these events in pocket locations all over the world.

"You usually wouldn't have a horse show in the centre of London but we have that and it showcases the sport to new people.

"Then with the prize money growing in the sport, it only brings more attention and sponsors."

Maher finished fifth as part of the Shanghai Swans team in the Global Champions League in London.

And with a style not seen across any other show jumping events, the ability to compete in teams with riders from other nations, Maher heralded it's unique selling point.

"Being part of a GCL team is tiring as there's a lot of travel involved but it's a real dream team scenario," he added.

"We ride with different team members from different countries which we never really get to do. It makes it a really unique and special event."

LONGINES Global Champions Tour. Unique and iconic locations in dynamic capital cities and breathtaking Riviera destinations. The best riders guaranteeing high octane top sport for fans at every event. Precision, power, and elegance combined in one spectacular championship series. For more information visit www.gcglobalchampions.com