THE 2021 Olympic show jumping champion Explosion W will be retired at a special retirement ceremony at the London International Horse Show on Sunday, December 21st.

British team rider Ben Maher, a regular competitor in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup at the Show, will lead what is set to be an emotional farewell for the hugely popular horse.

The chestnut gelding, now 16, is one of the most successful horses in the world with remarkable consistency at the highest level of competition including at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where he and Maher claimed individual gold. The pair also won European individual silver and team bronze in Rotterdam in 2019.

Maher and Explosion also secured several CSI5* victories, including the Grand Prix at Royal Windsor Horse Show and the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Valkenswaard, both in 2021. They also won the prestigious IJRC Top 10 Final in December that year. By Chacco-Blue, Explosion was bred by Dutch breeder Willy Wijnen.

“Explosion has been the horse of a lifetime,” Maher said. “I always knew he had something special – an incredible will to win and a presence that captured everyone’s attention. We have shared unforgettable moments together, and it feels right to celebrate his retirement in front of a home crowd at London International Horse Show.”