Tag Archives: McLain Ward

Aaron Vale, McLain Ward and Ian Millar Top $50,000 Equine Couture/TuffRider Grand Prix

Aaron Vale and Quidam’s Good Luck. Photo by ESI Photography.

Ocala, FL – January 28, 2015 – Capturing the win in Sunday’s $50,000 Equine Couture/TuffRider Grand Prix at HITS Ocala meant besting an impressive lineup of riders the likes of McLain Ward, Margie Engle, Charlie Jayne, Candice King and Ian Millar. After a quick, double clear effort, Aaron Vale did just that aboard Quidam’s Good Luck, taking home the lion’s share of the prize money sponsored by Equine Couture and TuffRider.

“I know if we leave the jumps up, he’s got a good chance,” Vale said of the 9-year-old bay gelding owned by Troy Glaus. Vale said the horse has a jumping style that’s “fairly extravagant – the way he kicks his hind end up and flicks his tail at the same time.”

Vale, of Williston, Florida, is a HITS Ocala regular, racking up numerous grand prix victories there, but this year the show circuit is attracting a lot more than just the regulars. Both the second and third place finishers, McLain Ward and Ian Millar, made the trip from Wellington, Florida to Ocala to ride in the $50,000 Equine Couture/TuffRider Grand Prix before returning back to the Winter Equestrian Festival.

Ward clinched the second place spot aboard Double H Farm’s HH Ashley, while Millar earned the third place honor riding The Baranus Group’s Baranus.

Equine Couture and TuffRider provide top-of-the-line apparel, footwear and products, and the brands are proud to support top-of-the-line riders. “It’s exciting to be a part of the sport at its highest level,” Equine Couture and TuffRider President Timmy Sharma said. “We look forward to continuing to provide both innovative products and apparel and support for some of the world’s best riders.”

Emily Riden for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

MEDIA CONTACT:
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McLain Ward and Best Buy Speed to The Ridge at Wellington’s $15,000 1.40m Grand Prix Victory

McLain Ward and Best Buy.

Wellington, FL – January 23, 2015 – Set amidst lush pastures, voluminous trees and a cloudless sky, The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour ended the third of its 12-week series. Today, McLain Ward and Best Buy would ride to the top of the leader board, tripping the timers in an untouchable 37.911 seconds, a second and a half faster than second place finisher Beth Underhill with Viggo.

Riders were faced with 15 efforts in a challenging course designed by Nick Granat and Eric Hasbrouk. Granat has been a staple of The Ridge Farm for years, assisting course designers at the facility’s shows in New Jersey, as well as in Wellington. He has trained alongside such names as Conrad Homfeld, Alan Wade, Hasbrouk and studied at the Aachen School of Course Design where he worked with Arno-Gego.

“It is really nice because each week we are in a different venue. I think it is a good place to bring young horses along. There is a lot of exposure to different venues, environments and factors they may not see in the everyday ring,” Granat said of The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour. “George [D’Ambrosio] and Nona [Garson] have given me an opportunity to be part of their show. I assisted the designers last year and they let me step in this year and do a little more of my own work. I try to keep it simple, ask questions, but present the course in as friendly of a way as possible. I thought it went pretty well today; it was just hard enough to make the class fun, but for sure it wasn’t boring.”

McLain Ward had similar thoughts on the course, riding to one of only five double-clear rounds of the day. He tackled the track with Ansgar Holtger’s Best Buy, a young horse that he has been developing since she was a 5-year-old.

“She is exciting, but very careful, so we do these events to get her feet wet at a bigger height,” Ward explained. “The course was very good; it was nicely presented, and the jumps were beautiful. It is really nice for the horses; it is a great experience for them.”

Ward continued, “I think it is nice to have options. This series is great for producing a young horse or rider; it proves very beneficial.”

Kevin Crosby was the only rider to catch Ward’s pace, riding towards the end of the day to an extremely quick jump-off time of 37.476 seconds. He had a heartbreaking rail at the final fence, unfortunately plummeting him to the sixth place position.

Beth Underhill and Viggo rode to the second place in 39.455 seconds; while Miranda Scott and Quick Latinus rounded out the top three with their double clear posted in 40.754 seconds. Randy Johnson and Allegretta finished fourth, and Katelyn Hess completed the day in fifth with Watson.

The fourth week of The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour will be hosted by the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Both Wednesday and Friday’s events promise to be exciting, with the 1.30m-1.35m classes and the $15,000 1.40m Grand Prix running from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The turf will see low and medium schooling jumpers with two classes running concurrently offered at each height on both days. The schooling jumper classes will continue to be offered on Friday throughout the remainder of the Turf Tour.

For week five of the Wellington Turf Tour, Meadowbrook Horse Transport will provide a complimentary shuttle to and from the Wanderer’s Club in Wellington, FL. Parking and space is limited, so please arrange to make plans to jump on one of Wellington’s most prestigious turfs.

Meadowbrook Horse Transport will provide transportation to and from the horse show and other locations throughout Wellington for both the Wednesday and Friday events. The transportation is a nominal fee of $50 per horse, and will be calculated into the final show fees. To make a reservation for one of the three pickup times, 8 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m., please call Peter Tufano of Meadowbrook Horse Transport at (954) 415-7217, or call Nona Garson at (908) 500-0996.

For video of Friday’s rounds, please visit www.shownet.biz.

The Ridge at Wellington Horse Show Series Fast Facts

Events:
The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour offers their popular 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix for its third year, with an open in gate format taking place once a week at beautiful venues throughout Wellington. The Ridge at Wellington Grand Prix Finale will take place March 27, 2015.

The Turf Tour also will host 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers every Wednesday beginning January 7, 2015 and running until March 18, 2015.

Young Jumper Classes and both Children’s/Senior Jumper Classics will find their home intermittently throughout the Wellington Turf Tour, running concurrently with the 1.30-1.35m and 1.40m Jumpers.

The Ridge at Wellington offers Equitation Shows every Tuesday of the month from January 6 – March 23, 2015. There will also be a series of schooling shows at the Ridge at Wellington for all experience levels.

Two USHJA International Hunter Derbies will take place February 6, 2015 and March 20, 2015.

What:
The Ridge at Wellington series includes several weeks of competition throughout the Winter Season with USEF Rated Equitation Shows. This winter will also feature five two-day schooling shows. The Ridge at Wellington Turf Tour will offer 1.30m-1.35m Jumpers, 1.40m Invitational Grand Prix, Young Jumpers, Children’s/Adult Classics, Masters Jumpers, Junior/Amateur Classics, two hunter derbies and the Pre-Green Incentive Stake.

Information:
Before Show – (561) 791-1471, Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
During Show – Telephone: (561) 791-1471, Fax: (561) 791-1543
Text: (908) 500-0996

Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/359668144211383/

Management:
Nona Garson
14415 Palm Beach Point Blvd. East
Wellington, FL, 33414
(561) 791-1471 (show office)
(908) 839-3859 (show cell)
(561) 791-1543 (show fax)
Email: RidgeShows@aol.com
Website: http://www.theridgefarm.com

Media Contact:
Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd.
Suite 105
Wellington, FL 33414
561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
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McLain Ward and HH Ashley Win 1.45m Speed at the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival

McLain Ward and HH Ashley. Photo © Sportfot.

Wellington, FL – January 14, 2015 – The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) kicked off its second week of competition at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL with a win for two-time Olympic gold medalist, McLain Ward (USA), and Double H Farm’s HH Ashley. The pair was fast and clear to top the $8,000 1.45m speed class over Laura Chapot (USA) and Quointreau Un Prince.

The 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival hosts its second week of competition, sponsored by Wellington Equestrian Realty, from January 14-18, 2015. The week features the $50,000 Wellington Equestrian Realty Grand Prix CSI 2* on Saturday, January 17. The Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Series will also get underway with its first two competitions of the circuit. The $10,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix Welcome will be held on Saturday, January 17. The $25,000 Artisan Farms Under 25 Grand Prix, presented by Equine Couture/Tuff Rider, will be held on Sunday, January 18. WEF features 12 weeks of world-class competition through March 29, awarding over $8.2 million in prize money.

Luc Musette of Belgium is the course designer in the International Arena at PBIEC for week two competition. Musette kicked off the first class of the week with 29 entries and six clear rounds over his 1.45m speed track. McLain Ward and the 15-year-old Hanoverian mare, HH Ashley (Acorado x Chasseur), topped the class with a time of 67.57 seconds. Ward is also the co-owner of second place finisher, Quointreau Un Prince, with rider Laura Chapot. Chapot stopped the clock in 69.33 seconds. Mexico’s Nicolas Pizarro and Temascaltepec placed third in 71.29 seconds.

Ward and HH Ashley began the WEF circuit with a great start in week one, including a third place finish in Sunday’s $30,000 WEF 1 Grand Prix. They remained in top form this morning with an excellent speed round to take their first win of the season.

“She is a nice, experienced horse,” Ward described of Ashley. “She was great in the grand prix last week. She is just a really competitive horse.”

“She is dead easy,” he added. “You just kind of point and shoot, and she is very careful, so she is always trying to help you jump a clean round. She is a very fun horse to ride.”

With just one clear round before them and some very competitive horses and riders still to come, Ward went for the win with his round early in the class.

“In these classes at this place, you have to do the best round you can knowing that there are normally a lot of very good ones still to come,” he noted. “Especially when you go that early in the order, you can’t really judge off the early rounds.”

“We are just trying to win a few nice classes,” Ward said of his plans for the mare. “She has always been a very good horse and quality always tells through. She will move around a little bit. She will do some smaller grand prixs, some 1.45m classes and some ranking classes. She will do a little bit of everything.”

Ward also commented on Luc Musette’s first course of the week, stating, “I thought Luc’s course was great. His courses are always very smooth, which is nice for the riders. They make sense. It was difficult enough, but he is a great course builder, one of the best in the world.”

Ward was also pleased with the second place finish of Quointreau Un Prince. He owned the 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding as a five-year-old, and Chapot then purchased 50% ownership and brought the horse along.

“For a number of years we have owned him with Laura, and she has done a great job with the horse,” Ward explained. “She has been very successful, and it has been a nice partnership.”

As always, Ward is looking forward to the winter circuit with some of his veteran partners as well as some talented new mounts.

“I am always looking forward to Rothchild coming out, and we have a few new ones we will work with a little bit to give some experience and miles to, and we will go from there,” he concluded.

Also showing on Wednesday, the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m speed saw a total of 111 entries and was scored in a California Split, awarding two sets of prizes. Laura Chapot was the overall winner to take top prize in section A with Mary Chapot’s Zealous. Nicolas Pizarro was second fastest to earn top honors in section B aboard Jacobo Zaga’s Calvaretto.

In the $6,000 Spy Coast Farm 1.40m jump-off, Abigail McArdle and David McArdle’s Cosma 20 set the pace early with the fastest of eight double clear rounds in a 13-horse jump-off out of 55 competitors. Laura Chapot also finished second in that class aboard Mary Chapot’s Umberto.

Week two of the 2015 Winter Equestrian Festival continues on Thursday with the $34,000 Ruby et Violette WEF Challenge Cup Round 2 in the International Arena and hunters will compete for top prizes in the Wrenwood Farms High Performance Working Hunters. For full results and more information, please visit www.pbiec.com.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com
803.240.7488

Vote Now for McLain Ward and Barbara Crabo as USOC November Athletes of the Month

McLain Ward.

Wellington, FL – December 5, 2014 – The voting ends in a just a couple of days, so now is the time to cast your all-important votes for two world-class equestrians, in the running for U.S. Olympic Committee Athlete of the Month for November.

Cast your vote now at: http://twtpoll.com/kwldbvg3kizszij.

Barbara Crabo is a top level event rider based in the Southwest. Barb competes at three day events and horse trials from California to Maryland, including at the prestigious Rolex Kentucky CCI****. She has been the USEA Area X (Arizona, Nevada & New Mexico) Rider of the Year for six of the last eight years.

McLain Ward is one of the nation’s all-time winningest riders with two Olympic Gold medals to his credit, the team Gold at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and the team Gold at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. This year he was a member of the United States Bronze medal winning WEG team in Normandy, France and is second only to Margie Engle in career grand prix victories.

Most recently, Ward and Rothchild took top honors in the $100,000 Hickstead FEI World Cup Grand Prix, at CSI4*-W Toronto, The Royal Horse Show. He also won the $34,000 Jolera International on Opening Night of Toronto.

Each National Governing Body may nominate one female, one male and one team per discipline for USOC monthly honors. A voting panel selects the winners from the pool of nominees with online fan voting via Twitter accounting for 10 percent of the total vote.

Voting closes is just days, so vote now at: http://twtpoll.com/kwldbvg3kizszij.

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Wellington, FL 33414
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Madden Outguns Ward in Sensational Jump-Off at $250k CP World Cup Qualifier at NHS

Beezie Madden and Cortes ‘C’.

Shawn Casady Captures Inaugural $65,000 Sleepy P Ranch & Deeridge Farms Under 25 Championship with Twister

Lexington, KY – November 1, 2014 – In front of a pumped up Saturday night crowd at the 131st National Horse Show in Lexington, Kentucky, Olympic teammates Beezie Madden and McLain Ward did battle once again. In this skirmish it was Madden and Cortes ‘C’ edging out Ward and Rothchild by a single second to claim the title in the $250,000 Canadian Pacific Grand Prix CSI4*-W, presented by the Harrison Family. Madden had the advantage of going last and ripped across the finish line in a sensational time of 34.71 seconds to nail down the win. Just minutes earlier, Ward and Rothchild had posted the top time of 35.73 seconds, but ended up settling for second place. Georgina Bloomberg and Juvina finished in third in 39.46 seconds.

Thirty-eight starters went to the post and were faced with a solid World Cup test with 13 numbered obstacles and 16 jumping efforts, designed by popular Brazilian course designer Guilherme Jorge. He used a triple combination early on at 5abc and a double later at 9ab. The triple caused plenty of problems at the top of the order and then once the riders began to solve that dilemma, fence 6, the tall CP vertical and 12, the very wide CP oxer coming home, began to take their toll. All in all though, faults were spread throughout the course and a snug time allowed added time faults to a number of score sheets, but none more heartbreaking than the single time infraction that prevented Laura Kraut and Andretti S from advancing to the dash for cash.

Tonight’s top finishers all had praise for Jorge’s tough, but fair, test.

“Today he really ratcheted up the test,” Ward noted. “I think it was an appropriate test for a World Cup. Three of the best horses in the class, in my opinion, near the top. So I think that was a really good result for this level of competition.”

Madden agreed. “I think he made it a bit more difficult today. I think he was a little restricted in the height in the prize list for the other classes. In this one he had a little bit more freedom, and I think it made for a good jump-off and a good result. It was a good class.”

“Thursday was very much on the soft side, but he learned the footing is good here; there are good horses here,” added Bloomberg. “Today he did a really good test which is the most important thing.”

Overall, eight horse and rider combinations mastered the first round course, totaling seven women and Ward, and all of the riders were from the United States. In fact, the highest placed foreign rider tonight was Beat Mandli of Switzerland with Antares F in 10th place.

Although the jump-off would prove to be one of the best we’ve seen in a long, long time, it didn’t start out that way. Over the shortened jump-off track, the first three to return all rolled the rail in the same fashion, at that same problematic fence #6. Brianne Goutal, the first to go clean in the first round with Nice de Prissey, had that rail and then one more to finish with eight faults in 38.856 seconds.

Kirsten Coe and Baronez had only the troublesome rail at fence 6 down to move ahead of Goutal with only four faults on her scorecard, in 40.54 seconds. Local favorite, Reed Kessler, finished with eight faults, but was faster than Goutal to move ahead of her in the order with Cylana in 37.53 seconds.

And then the fun began.

Candice King guided Kismet 50 to the first double clear of the night, much to the delight of the boisterous crowd on hand. King was clean and concise in a time 41.66 seconds, but in the end she would be nearly seven seconds off the winning pace. But, she certainly got the crowd buzzing.

And Georgina Bloomberg got them going even more. Making some neat turns with Juvina, Bloomberg galloped home almost two seconds faster than King in 39.46 seconds. “For me, my aim with her is to go for a nice slow clear and hopefully have that be good enough for a good ribbon,” Bloomberg said. “Today, I felt I could be a little quicker and take a shot at it. I also knew that realistically, she at her fastest is always going to be a little slower than Beezie and McLain at their fastest. So I knew if they didn’t pull any rails, I probably wouldn’t finish behind them,” she said.

McLain Ward and Rothchild
McLain Ward and Rothchild

McLain Ward and Rothchild were the next to enter the ring and from the start, Ward never let off the gas. He was at high speed the entire way around the eight fence track. Meeting every fence almost perfectly, Ward raced home almost four seconds faster than Bloomberg in 35.73 seconds. “I didn’t think I left a lot out there, but I wasn’t confident I was going to win either with Beezie coming behind me,” Ward admitted. “I have to say though, if I was in that position 100 times I would have ridden the same exact ground. With her coming behind me, I think I would have ridden the same round. Maybe if I had gone after her, I would have tried to do the impossible, but I did about all that I could. My horse doesn’t have quite as big a stride, but he jumped super.”

“Rothchild just keeps giving and giving,” he said. “I would have liked to have won, but I really can’t second guess anything that I did.”

Lillie Keenan and Pumped Up Kicks, in their race for tonight’s top prize, dislodged the rail at 8 on their way to a finish time of 38.82 seconds. She would end up fifth on the night.

That set the stage for Beezie Madden and her always ready to go partner, Cortes ‘C.’ Madden matched Ward’s track step for step, but Cortes, naturally, has the bigger stride. However, it was Madden’s approach to the final fence that really sealed the deal on tonight’s win. The pair raced home in 34.71 seconds, a second ahead of Ward and Rothchild. “I knew McLain was very fast. My husband John told me that. I knew that I would have to pull out all the stops. He also told me to take a risk and use his scope at the last fence. I think maybe I stretched it a little too far,” she laughed.

“He’s been amazing all year. I’m really happy that he came back and did well,” said the WEG Team and Individual Bronze medalist. “This is his first competition back in the states. I’m really happy he’s still on form and doing well.”

“He’s like a big puppy dog. He loves attention from people. He’ll put his head right in your lap. I think he’d love to be a lapdog in his next life,” she smiled. “He’ll let you know if he doesn’t like something though. He’ll make that very clear.”

Hunter Harrison, the CEO of Canadian Pacific and Chairman of the Board of the National Horse Show and sponsor of tonight’s event, said, “Let me congratulate Georgina and McLain and Beezie for an outstanding performance. It’s a pleasure for us to be able to sponsor a show of this prestige and for it to come off as well as it did. You can congratulate the course designer. He did a wonderful job because you see the cream came to the top here tonight. Three of the top riders in country and three of the top riders in the world,” he said. “We just feel very privileged at Canadian Pacific to be able to sponsor a wonderful event like this.”

Harrison then announced some very exciting news. “We made a commitment today to go through the 2016 National Horse Show as sponsors. We would probably go even further, except we have a policy that you cannot go beyond a CEO’s tenure. I’m out in 2017 and we’ll have to sell the new CEO that it’s a tradition that he should carry on,” he smiled.

Madden captured the Martha Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider award and the Audi Leading Rider award for her efforts tonight, but more importantly, she bankrolled some valuable World Cup points as everybody is fighting for a spot at the World Cup Finals in Las Vegas next April. “My first goal is to qualify. Even though I had a good score today, I really only have planned to do seven qualifiers unless I get desperate and start scrambling around,” she said. “Seven scores count, so I need all those to be good really.”

Tonight was certainly a step in the right direction.

Madden and Ward will head to Toronto next. For Bloomberg, it’s wait and see. “I’m right on the cusp for Toronto. So I’ll have my bags packed and ready to go if I get the call the night before,” she said. “I’d love to go. Juvina has had a little rest now, and she felt fresh so I felt like I could make a little shot at it. Hopefully, I get into Toronto. If not, Paris is the next stop.”

Not a bad alternative.

Shawn Casady Moves Up the Ranks to Claim Inaugural $65,000 Sleepy P Ranch & Deeridge Farm Under 25 Championship

The final day of the $65,000 Sleepy P Ranch & Deeridge Farm Under 25 Championship at the 131st National Horse Show ultimately came down to two demanding rounds and an upset in the ranks as Shawn Casady and Twister made a comeback to seal the victory. Casady jumped from the fourth position to the first with a double clear today, finishing on a total of 6 penalties to lead the victory gallop for the inaugural championship.

Casady’s consistent efforts in the first two days of competition put him just behind the 18-year-old Michael Hughes and MacArthur. Hughes and MacArthur, owned by Christina Fried, led the standings going into the final day of competition, with day one and two class winners Wilton Porter and Kalvin Dobbs sitting in third and second respectively. With zero penalties to his name, Hughes entered the competition with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

MacArthur, a horse known for his foot speed, unfortunately had one rail during the opening round and continued into the second round with four penalties. A rub at the front rail of the tenth obstacle dropped him from the lead, leaving Casady to take the championship with six penalties overall.

“MacArthur is usually a horse that thrives off going a lot more, so I was a little bit surprised the first night when he went so well,” Hughes recounted. “Usually he can be a little bit spooky the first night, but he was great every round. He tried so hard. We made a few mistakes the last couple of rounds, being a little bit nervous. But other than that he was amazing all week.”

Hughes continued, “Going into the second round, I knew I couldn’t have a rail. I could have time faults, but MacArthur’s naturally a fast horse so I didn’t think I would. I thought it was going to be a great course for him. I was a bit surprised by the rail we had. I couldn’t have asked any more from him all week.”

Casady, a rider recently turned professional, was thrilled with his win aboard Twister, owned by Cavallo Farms, LLC. He trained with Ken and Emily Smith of Ashland Farm during his junior years, and his transition to professional rider has been smooth as he continues his relationship with their operation.

“As a junior I was always busy, kind of like a professional, catch riding and working for different people,” Casady said. “I have been trying to do more, ride more and get more classes like this. It’s been a really smooth transition. I’ve worked with Twister for a couple years now. The Spoglis own him – huge thanks to them for the opportunity to ride a real grand prix horse like that.”

Casady continued, “He likes to be ridden together with seat and contact. He’s not a small catty horse. You have to worry a little about the time allowed, but he thrives off the pace of it and it works.”

Third place finisher Nicole Bellissimo made a huge comeback after initially placing 17th on the opening day of competition. Although she consistently rode VDL Bellefleur to four clear rounds, her opening day put her into a low rank when she incurred time faults for her tidy round.

Bellissimo described, “I’ve had her since the end of her 6-year-old year, so even though she’s 8 years old right now, I know her extremely well. We’ve been stepping her up and down. She’s done some grand prix, won a 1.50m class at Bromont and jumped clear at New Albany. We let her tell us how she’s feeling and try not to push her too much.”

Casady admitted that the quality of horses was unbelievable, with the top ranked riders in the nation, 25 and younger, vying for the first annual championship.

“This championship is great!” Casady said. “It’s neat that they started it this year, and I’m excited to see where it goes. It is a really great program. I don’t think there was a bad horse in the class. Every round, every horse, every rider – it was intense!”

The Under 25 Championship was brought about with the support of Suzanne Porter of Sleepy P Ranch as a way of closing the gap between the High Amateur-Owner and Junior Jumpers and the Grand Prix. Most of the riders have competed through the pipeline, whether it was pony jumpers or equitation medals.

Hughes is one of those riders, entering into his last equitation competition of his junior years tomorrow during the ASPCA Maclay Final. Although he felt the nerves during the championship division today, now that he has achieved a great result at this year’s National Horse Show, he feels a bit less pressure going into the Maclay.

“I’d say that today was a lot similar height-wise to an under 25 grand prix , but the level of pressure going in made it all bigger going around. You just had to make sure everything was perfect, so hopefully you could jump a clear round. Pressure made everything harder than usual today, but the jumpers are my first priority. I’m pretty relaxed going into tomorrow. I have a great horse, and hopefully it all goes well.”

The ASPCA Maclay Finals will conclude the 131st National Horse Show tomorrow, commencing at 7 a.m.

About the National Horse Show

Founded in 1883 at the original Madison Square Garden, the National Horse Show is America’s oldest indoor horse show, firmly established as a major fixture on the national and international sports and social event calendars. The National Horse Show Association’s primary activity is the annual production of the National Horse Show and all ancillary events. Over the years, the National Horse Show has provided financial aid to many worthwhile charities.

With $755,000 in prize money offered, this year’s National Horse Show offers an International Open Jumpers with $460,000 in prize money, while the top rated hunter sections have a total purse of $195,000. Meanwhile, $100,000 in total is offered to the Amateur-Owner and U 25 Jumper sections.

For the fourth consecutive year, The National Horse Show received a top ranking from NARG, the North American Riders Group and was named the Show Hunter Hall of Fame Horse Show of the Year in four back-to-back years.

For more information, go to www.nhs.org.

2014 National Horse Show Fast Facts

What:
The Alltech National Horse Show is a week-long championship event featuring “AA”-rated hunters, open jumpers, junior/amateur jumpers, and the ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals. The event will run October 28 – November 2, 2014, indoors in the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, site of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Parking:
The Kentucky Horse Park has waived the normal parking fee during the Alltech National Horse Show. Parking is free. While dogs are permitted at the Kentucky Horse Park on a leash, no dogs are allowed in the Alltech Arena during the ANHS.

Directions:
The Kentucky Horse Park is located at 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511. The KHP is 8 miles northeast of Lexington at Exit 120 on Interstate 75.

Information:
2245 Stone Garden Lane Lexington, KY 40513
Cindy Bozan
email: cindy@nhs.org
Phone: (859) 608-3709
Fax: (866) 285-9496

Email:
Cindy@nhs.org

Website:
www.nhs.org

Shopping:
Vendors offering equestrian equipment, apparel, jewelry and home furnishings are located in the Alltech Arena.

Additional Contacts:
Vendors – Matt Morrissey at matt.morrissey@stadiumjumping.com or call (941) 915-3457
VIP Table Sales – Cindy Bozan at cindy@nhs.org Phone: (859) 608-3709
Advertising and Program Sales – Dee Thomas at jmstables@aol.com Phone: 561-310-7679
Sponsorship – Mason Phelps at mpjr@phelpsmediagroup.com or 561-753-3389 or Susie Webb at webb_susie@yahoo.com or 301-520-6162

Hotels:
HILTON – DOWNTOWN – 859-231-9000 – Approximately 6 miles
CLARION HOTEL (formerly Holiday Inn North) – 859 – 233-0512 – Approximately 4 miles
FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES BY MARRIOTT – 859 -977-5870 – Approximately 4 miles
FOUR POINTS SHERATON – 859-259-1311 – Approximately 4 miles
LA QUINTA – 859-231-7551 – Approximately 4 miles
KNIGHTS INN – 859-231-0232 – Approximately 4 miles
EMBASSY SUITES – 859-455-5000 – Approximately 4 miles
MARRIOT GRIFFIN GATE – 859-231-5100 – Approximately 4 miles
RESIDENCE INN – 859-231-6191 – Approximately 5 miles
COURTYARD BY MARRIOT – 859-253-4646 – Approximately 5 miles
HOLIDAY INN GEORGETOWN – 502-570-0220 – Approximately 6 miles
RAMADA INN – 859-299-1261 – Approximately 6 miles
RED ROOF INN – 859-293-2626 – Approximately 6 miles
HAMPTON INN – 502-867-4888 – Approximately 6 miles
SUPER EIGHT – 502-863-4888 – Approximately 6 miles
MICROTEL INN & SUITES – 502-868-8000 – Approximately 6 miles

For further information on housing in the Lexington area, we invite you to visit www.visitlex.com and www.georgetownky.com.

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McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z Capture $125,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix CSI 4*-W

McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z. Photos © Shawn McMillen Photography.

Michael Hughes Masters WIHS Equitation Finals; Colvin and Porter Top Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classics

Washington, D.C. – October 25, 2014 – McLain Ward (USA) and HH Carlos Z raced to victory Saturday night in the $125,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix CSI 4*-W, presented by Events DC, at the 56th annual Washington International Horse Show (WIHS). Competing at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C., Ward will have his name etched in WIHS history for now winning the coveted President of the United States Perpetual Cup four times in his illustrious career. The Longines FEI World Cup qualifying grand prix was the highlight event of the week at WIHS as competition concludes on Sunday with the Pony Hunters, WIHS Pony Equitation Finals, and WIHS Regional Finals.

Also competing on Saturday, Michael Hughes won the 2014 WIHS Equitation Finals. Victoria Colvin and Chanel B 2 won the $15,000 SJHOF Ambassador’s Cup High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, and Lucas Porter and Psychee d’Amour topped the $7,500 Senator’s Cup Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic.

Course designer Anthony D’Ambrosio set the tracks for jumper competition throughout the week at Verizon Center. In Saturday night’s grand prix, he saw 26 entries and just four were able to clear the first round course without fault. Rising star Jessica Springsteen, two-time Olympic gold medalists McLain Ward and Beezie Madden, and young Olympian Reed Kessler made up the star-studded line-up of American show jumpers to jump-off to the thrill of a packed house in their nation’s capital.

Springsteen and Stone Hill Farm’s Davendy S were the first combination to jump clear in round one and set the pace in the jump-off with a clear round 34.30 seconds to eventually finish second. Kessler jumped next with Kessler Show Stables LLC’s Cylana and had one rail down in 35.50 seconds to earn fourth place honors. Ward and Double H Farm’s HH Carlos Z followed, and upped the ante with the winning round in 33.52 seconds. Madden and Abigail Wexner’s Simon were last to go and beat Ward’s time in 33.48 seconds, but dropped a rail to place third.

“I have been in a little bit of a post-WEG (World Equestrian Games) rut with four faults,” Ward admitted after his win. “I felt Carlos was going well, so I was really pleased to jump a clear round tonight. Jessica has been impossible to beat. I saw her go in the jump-off and I went back in the schooling area and thought, ‘This is a task,’ but he really responded great. He turned phenomenally, and he is such a careful horse. I was really excited. I felt the horse was due a win, and it was nice for it to come together at a great show like this.”

Saturday’s win marks the fourth time that Ward has earned the coveted President’s Cup after topping the competition with Goldika 559 in 2004 and twice with his superstar mount, Sapphire, in 2008 and 2010. The win with Goldika was for owners Double H Farm and after a few years apart, Ward has once again renewed his partnership with the Harrison Family. They are the owners of HH Carlos Z, the winning 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Chellano Z x Voltaire).

“Every win is a little bit different,” Ward said of his triumphs. “The two on Sapphire were, as always with Sapphire, always easy. She made life very easy. I remember winning it on Goldika the first time. I had had a couple of second (places) years ago when it was at the Capital Centre, and your first win is always sweet. I’m excited about the partnership with Mr. Harrison, this being one of his horses he flew in for tonight to watch. As everybody knows, I am always proud to ride a horse for him and it was nice to have a victory, so that makes it always special. It was a nice win.”

Jessica Springsteen and Davendy S
Jessica Springsteen and Davendy S

Jessica Springsteen’s second place finish concluded a phenomenal week of competition for the 21-year-old rider with wins in Wednesday’s $10,000 Welcome Stake, Thursday’s $20,000 Gambler’s Choice, and Friday’s $25,000 Puissance. Springsteen swept the show’s international jumper championship sponsored by Robin Parsky, earning the championship with Lisona and the reserve champion with Davendy S. She was also presented with the $15,000 Leading International Jumper Rider Award, sponsored by The Boeing Company, along with the Margaret Chovnick Memorial Trophy, and the $10,000 Leading Rider 25 Years of Age and Under Award, sponsored by Sleepy P Ranch. The Springsteen Family’s Stone Hill Farm was the Leading Jumper Owner sponsored by The Reid Family. Belgium’s Olivier Philippaerts was named Leading Foreign Rider after winning Friday’s $50,000 Speed Final.

Commenting on an unbelievable week, Springsteen smiled, “I am thrilled. My horses jumped so good all week. Every time I brought them out they felt super, and I am really thankful for that.”

Springsteen got Davendy S in August and this was the pair’s very first grand prix together, although they have had several great wins. “I took her to L.A. and jumped a pretty big class about the size of this, so I felt pretty comfortable bringing her into this grand prix,” Springsteen detailed. “She felt amazing, and I felt like I rode her a lot better today compared to the other days. She jumped great. She was so careful and brave. She is an incredible horse, and I am lucky to have her.”

Ward, Madden, and Springsteen all have their sights set on the Longines FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas in April 2015 and earned valuable points in Saturday night’s class. For Springsteen, it would be her first time qualifying. “I really want to go to Vegas. I have never been (to the finals) before, so it is my goal to go next year,” the rider stated. “I won one qualifier already and now I was second in this one, so I am happy I have the points.”

Ward agreed, stating, “Beezie and I are a little behind the eight ball on World Cup points. We were focused on the WEG and missed some early qualifiers. Being that it is in Vegas, which is a great event that we love going to on home soil, I know I for one am desperate to go. I was getting very, very nervous. Last week I didn’t get any points and knew if it didn’t happen in the next couple weeks I was in trouble, so it is a nice leg up and hopefully we’ll have one or two more good results and it will look better, at least.”

Madden, who won the World Cup Final in 2013 with Simon, is also looking to return to the event this year. “I would really like to go to Vegas and this is only the second qualifier that I have done as well,” she said. “I got a few points last week, but not great, so this is a good score, and I am happy to have it under my belt.”

Commenting on the night’s round with Simon, Madden noted, “I saw Jessie go and I knew McLain was faster than her, so I thought, ‘Oh, it’s not so easy.’ It was actually a good jump-off for me because it wasn’t too much running anywhere. I just tried to use his turning ability to be faster and that’s where I was fast was on the turn from two to three, and then spinning around at the other end of the ring as well. He was very fast there, but the eight stride got a little steadier than I thought it would. I thought I had it fit in, and his momentum carried me a little deeper than I thought there.”

Ward commented on the course, explaining, “I thought it was very good tonight because when I walked it, I thought it was a little on the soft side to be honest, which I think is a great sign. When you walk a course and it seems very complicated or hard, that is an obvious test, but when a course designer comes up with a course that seems smooth and fair and you get a limited number clear, I think that is always a sign of a good test. I thought Anthony did a good job.”

D’Ambrosio explained his plan for the track, stating, “I thought I had a very good field and that I could build a real 1.60m World Cup qualifier, which I did, and I really like the way it unfolded. I had a nice number clean. I would have been happy if I had more clear, but it worked out well with regard to the number we had. We had a lot of four-fault rounds. I think a lot of riders felt really good about the way the horses performed. That means a lot to me, and I am pleased with that. It was a good competition.”

Rounding out a wonderful night of competition, Erik Moses, Senior Vice President of Events DC, remarked, “Events DC is the official convention and sports authority for Washington, D.C., so our job really is to help support and attract first-rate events like this to the nation’s capital, and we are so pleased to be able to support this. Having an equestrian event at such a high level in an urban city in North America in the nation’s capital I think says a lot of things to a lot of people. McLain was telling me he had a chance to go to the National Portrait Gallery and that’s good. We want people to see Washington when they are here and squeeze it in between competition. It was fantastic to watch tonight and see these riders compete at such a high level. I think it is great for our visitors and our residents who get to come out to such a wide array of events that we have in Washington, so we could not be more pleased.”

Hughes Wins WIHS Equitation Finals

The 2014 WIHS Equitation Finals concluded Saturday evening with a win for Michael Hughes (18) of Allendale, NJ. Hughes rode Jordyn Rose Freedman’s Finnick through the first two phases of competition, finishing with a score of 88.50 in the hunter phase and 90.25 in the jumper phase. Returning for the final work-off sitting in second place overall, his ride aboard Mckayla Langmeier’s mount Skyfall scored a 93.50, giving a three round total of 272.50 for the win. He is trained by Missy Clark and John Brennan at North Run along with Linda Langmeier.

For his win, Hughes was presented with the WIHS Equitation Classic Trophy donated by Mr. and Mrs. G. Ralph Ours, III. Finnick was awarded The Lugano Memorial Trophy donated by Stoney Hill as the winning horse of the night.

Hunter Holloway of Topeka, KS finished second with a 267.375 total. Holloway rode Hays Investment Corp.’s Any Given Sunday in the first two rounds with a score of 89.13 in the hunter phase and 89.75 in the jumper phase. Her final work-off round aboard Caitlin Boyle’s mount Loredo scored an 88.50.

Mckayla Langmeier of E. Granby, CT placed third with scores of 86.75 and 89.50 riding Linda Langmeier’s Skyfall in the first two rounds and a 90 in the final work-off aboard Michael Hughes’ mount Finnick to total 266.250.

Hughes had no experience with either of the horses he showed in the competition this week, but the rider’s talent and experience guided both of his mounts to great rounds. Finnick was a borrowed ride just before the final, and the seven-year-old Westphalian gelding (by Cayetano L) excelled.

“I didn’t really know my horse too well,” Hughes explained. “I have only ridden him about three times, but I have seen him go a lot and he is a fantastic horse. I was so lucky to ride him this week. I can’t thank Linda Langmeier and the Freedman family enough for letting me ride him.”

Langmeier explained that the gelding had never even been to indoors before. “He does the equitation for a 14-year-old girl who just started in Florida this past year,” she detailed. “The opportunity for Michael to ride him arose through the suggestion of Julie Welles and we just sort of pulled the team together to try and help Michael have the best opportunity possible. The family was so amazingly generous to allow us to use the horse. It was also a great experience for the horse to be here because he has never competed at indoors before, and he is only seven.”

Commenting on his rounds with Finnick and Skyfall, Hughes stated, “”The jumper phase was pretty basic. You got to see a lot of the lines all day. For the switch, I have seen Mckayla’s horse go a lot. I saw her go earlier, so I kind of knew what I had to do and Linda knows the horse very well and so does Missy and everybody. The biggest thing was just picking up the left lead. They said just right when you get in the ring, he is very easy and he was. He was really straightforward. I didn’t need too many jumps to get used to him because you really just sat there and let him do everything, especially since he had jumped the course already once.”

Hunter Holloway was on a horse that is new to the equitation ring with Any Given Sunday, who is usually her mother’s grand prix mount. Last week in Harrisburg was the horse’s first equitation show, and he has taken to the discipline easily.

“I just borrowed him for indoors this year, and he has been absolutely amazing,” Holloway acknowledged. “He is such an amazing horse just to come here. I did a grand prix on him a week before Harrisburg, and he came in and was perfect at Harrisburg. He came here and he was super yesterday and super today. I can’t thank my mom and Hays Investment Corporation enough for letting me ride him.”

Holloway also had a great round with Caitlin Boyle’s mount Loredo, who is owned by Micaela Kennedy. “He was super straightforward and super easy. It was a great round. I liked the course and the jumps came up nicely, so it worked out well. I have known Caitlin for a while and have seen him show multiple times and throughout indoors and watched her. I had an idea of what I was getting on.”

The judges for the class were Jimmy Torano and Linda Hough on panel one and Philip De Vita and Mark Leone on panel two. Torano weighed in on the judge’s decision following the competition, stating, “It is the same for all of these classes. You are talking about splitting hairs. All three of them rode super rounds and did an amazing job on the others’ horses. Not only the top three, the top six; they just came in and had some amazing rounds. Michael’s round on Mckayla’s horse was flawless. They are all super riders.”

Trainer Missy Clark spoke about her team’s preparation for the competition and her confidence in Hughes’ ability going into the final. He also won the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talents Search Finals in 2013 and has been very successful throughout his junior career.

“It is kind of a continuation to what we do all year,” Clark noted. “There isn’t any special prep necessarily, although Michael had a horse switch here, so we had a few lessons early in the week out at Prince George’s (Equestrian Center) so he could get to know this horse. Michael has ridden for years and he has had so much mileage that I knew it wouldn’t be a big issue for him to hop on at the eleventh hour and get along well with the horse. He is such a great rider and such a talent.”

Heading on to next week’s ASPCA Maclay Finals in Kentucky, Hughes feels good about his chances and was honored to win such a prestigious class. “I think it is going to give me a little bit of a boost of confidence going into next week,” he declared. “It feels amazing. It is my last junior year and hopefully I can come back next year and do the open jumpers or something. I haven’t come to this final as much as the others and there is a lot of history behind this. Some great riders have won, including McLain Ward, Julie Welles and others.”

Victoria Colvin and Lucas Porter Win Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classics

The $15,000 Ambassador’s Cup High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, sponsored by Ellen and Daniel Crown, saw a win for Victoria Colvin (17) and Karen Long Dwight’s Chanel B 2 on Saturday afternoon at WIHS. Colvin, of Loxahatchee, FL, rode the nine-year-old Mecklenburg mare (Cellestial x C-Indoctro) to victory to earn The Ambassador’s Cup Perpetual Trophy donated by Ambassador and Mrs. Marion H. Smoak.

The Ambassador’s Cup saw 21 entries with six to jump-off and only two double clear rounds. First to go over the short course, Colvin and Chanel B 2 set the pace at 33.96 seconds that would hold up for the win. Two riders were faster, but incurred faults along the way. Chloe Reid was the only other competitor to go clear in the jump-off with Chloe D Reid LLC’s Windbreaker and finished second in 34.52 seconds. Lauren Fischer and Offenbach du Granit had the fastest four fault round in 33.02 seconds to earn the third place prize.

After Saturday’s win and a second place finish in Friday’s jump-off class, Colvin and Chanel B 2 were also awarded the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper championship, sponsored by Ellen and Daniel Crown. They were presented the Greenberg Challenge Trophy donated by Mr. and Mrs. Hermen Greenberg. Colvin, who trains in the equitation and jumpers with Andre Dignelli, began riding the mare this winter.

“She is one of my new jumper rides. We got her at the end of WEF (Winter Equestrian Festival) and she is a different ride,” Colvin described. “She is a woman, so she is a little opinionated. She likes to have her hand held a little bit, so in the jump-off we try not to go too fast because she gets nervous. In the indoor she is a little funny with the crowd. On Barn Night she was like, ‘Oh my gosh, there are a lot of people.’ I thought today she might be a little star-struck too because of all the people, but she went amazing.”

Colvin went first in the jump-off and had to set the challenge for the other competitors, but wanted to keep her mare’s nerves in mind and give her mount a positive round. “I got the unlucky draw of first,” Colvin remarked. “I wanted to go fast enough, but I wanted to have a clean round because I watched the low juniors and they didn’t have a clean round until the middle. I thought a little slow and steady would win, but not too slow. That is what I tried. I don’t really like going first, but it worked out.”

Karen Long Dwight purchased Chanel B 2 for Colvin to ride at the end of the Florida circuit this winter. The mare had been with German rider Andre Thieme showing at the 1.45m level, and Colvin knew the mare had experience indoors with him.

“I am pretty sure Andre showed her a lot in Germany indoors, but I had never shown her in the indoor and this was one to start it off with, with the schooling ring this size,” Colvin noted. “She is a little afraid of traffic, so I wasn’t sure how she was going to handle that, but she was amazing and she didn’t care at all.”

Colvin had two very different rides in the class with Chanel B 2 and her other mount, Don Juan, who was unfortunately eliminated. “I ride her like a hunter,” she detailed. “Don Juan is the total opposite. You just sort of let go with her. You have to hold her at the base to keep her comfort because she gets a little like, ‘Where am I going?’ but she likes to put her head out and just stroke along.”

Hunter Holloway and Hays Investment Corp.’s I Love Lucy were the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper reserve champions after winning the first two classes of the division. Holloway was also presented with the 2014 SHALANNO Style of Riding Award. The award is presented each year to the Junior Jumper rider who best exemplifies the American style of equitation and the respectful, dignified manner of a true sportsman.

Earlier on Saturday, Lucas Porter and Sleepy P Ranch LLC’s Psychee d’Amour jumped to a redeeming win in the $7,500 Senator’s Cup Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Classic, sponsored by The Strauss Family. Not only is Psychee d’Amour coming back from an injury that sidelined her for two years, an unlucky rail yesterday left the duo with only one choice to secure Champion: win the Classic.

“This has been a really good show in the Lows for me and I knew going into today that if I won, I would be champion,” said Porter who approached the course from the final position in the order. “Last is the best position, but I feel the pressure to win when I go last. My focus was to stay calm in both rounds, get in a half seat and let her do her thing.”

Porter finished clear in 37.211 seconds. The Classic blue guaranteed them Champion honors and earned Porter the Foxbrook Perpetual Trophy donated by Joy Slater in honor of Space Citation. Saturday’s win combined with a first and seventh-place ribbon gave them a total of 25 points. For the Classic win, he was presented the Swan Lake Perpetual Trophy, donated by Beagle Brook Farm, in honor of the 1992 winner Swan Lake ridden by Jennifer F. Miller.

Porter was one of nine to return over the short course from an original field of 23 in the Classic. The first double clear came five trips into the jump-off when Yasmin Rizvi and Heritage Farm’s Vivell-C crossed the timers fault-free in 38.959 seconds. One of only two to best the jump-off, Rizvi finished second, while Sima Morgello and Zopala, owned by Double S Farm, were the fastest of the four-fault rounds to take third. Morgello also earned Reserve Champion with 12 points.

A sizable oxer set against the rail of the Verizon Center ring was the first fence of the jump-off and saw more than half the field bring down the front rail. Porter was one of a few to rise to the occasion. “I held her to the first rail but gave her enough leg to get over the back rail, and it showed up right out of the turn,” he said. “The line set up nicely and the rest of the course was smooth. She [Psychee d’Amour] is super-fast, careful and a winner. She loves to win just as much as I do, so we’re a perfect match.”

Psychee d’Amour, an 11-year-old Selle Francais mare, returned to work this spring after a ligament injury at Kentucky in 2012. However, two years of careful rehab have returned the mare to top form, according to Porter. “She’s the same horse she was before the injury. She’s spicy, but it’s all part of her winning personality,” he said. “She wants to be fast, clean and win. I was really disappointed when she was injured, so my focus now is keeping her sound.”

To that end, Psychee d’Amour will rest between WIHS and the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, while Porter’s other mounts head to The National Horse Show in Kentucky. This winter, Porter will focus her on the Medium Jumpers.

While showing full time, 17-year-old Porter is a junior in high school and attends classes through Stanford University Online High School. Coupled with success in the show ring, he is also making plans for his future. Considering coursework in Engineering and Architecture, he has his sights set on attending Stanford University, or following in the footsteps of his older brother to Vanderbilt. “They are my top two, but they are also really hard to get into, so I just have to study hard,” he concluded.

Porter hails from Texas, but now calls Wellington home under the direction of his parents, trainers John Roche and Chelsea Sundius, as well as groom Oscar Marin.

The Washington International Horse Show concludes on Sunday with a day full of pony competition as well as the WIHS Pony Equitation Finals and WIHS Regional Finals. The final day of competition will be live streamed, sponsored in part by The Nutro Company, at www.wihs.org and www.usefnetwork.com.

About the Washington International Horse Show
An equestrian tradition since 1958, the Washington International Horse Show is the country’s premier metropolitan indoor horse show. Each October, more than 500 world-class horses and riders, including Olympic medalists, arrive in Washington for six days of exciting show jumping and hunter competition. Highlights include the $125,000 President’s Cup Grand Prix (a World Cup qualifier), the Puissance (high jump) and the WIHS Equitation Finals, an important goal for top American junior riders. Exciting equestrian exhibitions, boutique shopping and community activities, such as Kids’ Day and Breakfast with the Mounted Police, round out this family-friendly event. WIHS is an official USEF Heritage Competition and recognized as a Top 25 Horse Show by the North American Riders Group.

Since its debut, the Washington International has been a Washington, DC, institution attended by presidents, first ladies, celebrities, business and military leaders, as well as countless horse enthusiasts of all ages. Washington International Horse Show Association, Ltd. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

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Madden and Cortes ‘C’ Final Four Bound at WEG

Beezie Madden and Cortes ‘C’ (SusanJStickle.com)

Caen, France – The United States sent two combinations into the d’Ornano Stadium for the Third Individual Qualifier of the FEI World Individual Jumping Championship, held as part of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, and came within a 3/10th of a point of qualifying both riders for the Final Four. Beezie Madden and McLain Ward were among the field of 29 that took on Frédéric Cottier’s 12-obstacle first round course, and came back along with 19 other competitors to contest round two.

On the strength of near immaculate jumping over the week with Cortes ‘C’, Madden (Cazenovia, N.Y.) will make her second career Final Four appearance on Sunday afternoon after finishing five rounds on a score of 4.16. In final competition of the 2014 World Championships, the Olympic Team Gold and Individual Bronze medalist will be joined by France’s Patrice Delaveau with Orient Express HDC (five round total of 4.08), Sweden’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson with Casall Ask (five round total of 4.34), and The Netherlands’ Jeroen Dubbeldam with Zenith SFN (five round total of 6.25). On Sunday, all four will start on a clean slate and jump a Cottier-designed course with their own horse, as well as with all three of their competitors’ horses.

Madden and Abigial Wexner’s 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding entered the d’Ornano Stadium for round one on Saturday afternoon looking to produce their fourth consecutive clear of the week, but it was not meant to be when the oxer came down at fence five.

“I still feel like my horse jumped fantastic,” said Madden of Cortes ‘C’s first round performance. “I thought I let him shift a little on take-off; I thought he jumped high enough. He just clipped it coming down.”

The 2013 Rolex/FEI World Cup Jumping Final champion came back in round two, knowing that a faultless effort over the 10-obstacle course would secure a spot in the Final. Cortes ‘C’ once again delivered with an immaculate performance to stamp their ticket into Sunday’s competition.

Madden is no stranger to Final Four competition after winning Individual Silver at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.

“It’s just an honor being in the final; switching horses anything can happen. It’s just adapting to those horses; I’ve seen these horses before and having done it before definitely helps,” said Madden. “For sure it’s a challenge and you can always be a little surprised which horse you get along with best.”

McLain Ward and Rothchild (SusanJStickle.com)
McLain Ward and Rothchild (SusanJStickle.com)

Ward (Brewster, N.Y.), who on Thursday won Team Bronze alongside Madden, jumped to an Individual fifth-place finish with Sagamore Farm’s Rothchild at the 2014 World Championships. The pair had proved unlucky with rails in the Speed Leg and the second round of Nations Cup when the slightest of rubs resulted in four faults. On Saturday, the pair left nothing to chance as the 13-year-old Warmblood gelding produced faultless efforts and was one of only three competitors to jump double clear.

Ward finished the five rounds of jumping in fifth place on a score of 6.56.

“He was amazing; he’s jumped amazingly all week,” said Ward of Rothchild’s performances in France. “I’m thrilled with my horse and my whole team; it hasn’t just been a week getting here it has been years. I think what we did was pretty remarkable.”

By Helen Murray

To learn more about the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, visit: http://www.normandy2014.com/2014-games/the-disciplines/1/jumping.

Follow the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team here.

McLain Ward and Dulien Van De Smeets Top 38 in $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix

©ESI Photography. McLain Ward and Dulien Van De Smeets fly to a win in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix.

SAUGERTIES, NY (July 26, 2014) – When McLain Ward climbed down from the tack of Dulien Van De Smeets after winning the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix presented by Zoetis, he didn’t look for congratulations, but marched straight to the mare’s owner, his godmother. Susie Heller stood clutching a winner’s trophy and was scooped up by Ward’s embrace.

Every win is special, but this was divinely special. This week marked the one-month anniversary of James Heller’s passing. “Jimmy” was Susie’s brother, friend to Ward and part owner in Dulien Van De Smeets. For Ward, of Brewster, New York, there was no better way to honor him than to bring home a win.

“She [Dulien] won this for him,” Ward said. “He was a horse lover and the three of us had been looking for a jumper for some time. Finally, Dulien Van De Smeets came along.”

The 10-year-old mare was imported from Belgium by Ward and Heller in February, and had a banner spring and early summer. “Today, she picked up right where she left off,” said Ward. “The starting field was stacked and the course challenging, but this horse is powerful and did everything I asked her despite not being the most experienced.”

Dulien Van De Smeets jumped 1.30-1.40m in Europe and even had a couple foals, but has found a home with Ward as an up-and-coming grand prix horse. “Great horses make my job that much easier,” he added.

“McLain was outstanding, but the whole class was perfect,” said course designer Bernardo Cabral of Lisbon, Portugal. “It was all in the details. I don’t like races; I like courses that ask the riders to be smart.”

Cabral put every inch of the expansive Strongid® C 2X™ Grand Prix Stadium to use with 12 obstacles, including water, a vertical split to provide an inside-outside skinny option and a technical triple combination at the second-to-last effort. He will also set Sunday’s $75,000 HITS Grand Prix as the stakes continue to climb at HITS Saugerties. “The jumps will go up and oxers gain width,” he hinted. “Saugerties’ grand prix ring is one of the more beautiful in the world – the size is perfect and allows spectators a head-on perspective of the jumps from any seat.”

With a field of 38 competitive starters, ten made it to the jump off. Mary Manfredi of South Salem, New York returned first, setting the Great American Time to Beat at 50.39 seconds aboard Great Span, LLC’s Magnus Orfeo. The lead changed hands once to Peter Lutz of Golden Bridge, New York and Katherine Gallagher’s Carneyhaugh Manx before Ward took the stage. Channeling Dulien Van De Smeets’ speed and strength, Ward was gentle and patient without losing any time on the clock. They bested the field in 46.61 seconds for the win.

Lutz held tight to second while Christine McCrea of East Windsor, Connecticut and Wannick WH were third for owner Candy Tribble in 49.50 seconds. Manfredi was bumped to fourth while Cody Auer of Wellington, Florida rounded out the top five in 51.23 seconds aboard his own Zorana.

With Week V well underway, qualifying for the Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix at the HITS Championship September 7, is heating up. Grand prix qualifying opportunities will continue throughout the HITS Saugerties Circuit. This Sunday, the $75,000 HITS Grand Prix presented by Zoetis takes the stage in the Strongid® C 2X™ Grand Prix Stadium. The event will be live via webcast at HRTV.com or iEquine.com.

©ESI Photography. Laura Chapot and Umberto on their way to a win in the $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome
©ESI Photography. Laura Chapot and Umberto on their way to a win in the $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome

$10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome
Laura Chapot and Umberto were perfect together to win the $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome on Wednesday and kick off Week V at HITS-on-the-Hudson. Chapot of Neshanic Station, New Jersey and her 13-year-old KWPN gelding, owned by Mary Chapot, topped a field of 30 in the 1.40m win to cash a $2,800 check.

Hugh Graham of Reddick, Florida and Airborne, owned by Julie Firestone, were second with Amy Momrow of Wellington, Florida third in the irons of Monty Kelly’s Baldino Du Rouet. Ronan McGuigan of Far Hills, New Jersey jumped to fourth aboard his own Capall Zidane and Johnathan McCrea of East Windsor, Connecticut rounded out the top five with Aristoteles V for owner Candy Tribble.

Brook Ledge Horse Transportation will continue to present a weekly jumper class throughout the HITS Saugerties summer and fall shows. Aside from the winner’s purse, Brook Ledge Open Welcome riders also compete for the Brook Ledge Rider Bonus, which includes a $1,500 shipping credit for the rider who accumulates the most points in those classes throughout the circuit.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS: join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

HITS, Inc. • 319 Main Street • Saugerties, NY 12477-1330
845.246.8833 Tel • Media_Info@HitsShows.comHitsShows.com

Double H Farm Delivers Incredible Results in North America and Abroad

Daniel Deusser and Cornet d’Amour at the 2014 CHIO Aachen. Photo copyright World of Show Jumping.

Wellington, FL – July 25, 2014 – The horses and riders of Double H Farm have had great success in the last few months competing on different continents around the world. Quentin Judge (USA) and McLain Ward (USA) had great wins at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, AB, Canada, while Daniel Deusser (GER) continued a fantastic summer in Europe, specifically excelling at the CHIO in Aachen, Germany. Ward also recently had a great win in Saugerties, NY.

Owned and operated by the Harrison family, Double H Farm has locations in Wellington, FL and Ridgefield, CT. With riders Quentin Judge, Cayce Harrison, McLain Ward, and Daniel Deusser, the horses of Double H Farm show at the best competitions around the world, and have made owner Hunter Harrison incredibly proud in 2014.

“The sport of show jumping can be extremely rewarding for an owner, and when great horses come together with great riders, the results speak for themselves,” Harrison stated. “I congratulate all of the horses and riders at Double H Farm on an amazing season so far. I am very proud of everyone, and I look forward to seeing how the rest of the year plays out.”

Continuing a phenomenal year as the reigning 2014 Longines FEI World Cup Champion and back-to-back German Champion (2013-2014), Daniel Deusser traveled to the world-renowned CHIO Aachen to compete in July. Deusser and Double H Farm and Stephex Stable’s Cornet d’Amour, an 11-year-old Westphalian gelding (Cornet Obolensky x Damiani), finished fourth in the prestigious €1,000,000 Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen. Deusser was then presented with the award for best performing rider of Aachen, taking home the prize of the Federal Minister of the Interior.

Along with Deusser’s success, Double H Farm congratulates Lauren Hough (USA) on her fifth place finish in the Grand Prix of Aachen riding Ohlala as well as her clear round contribution in the Nations Cup. The incredible little mare is by Double H Farm’s great stallion Orlando.

McLain Ward and HH Cannavaro. Photo copyright Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
McLain Ward and HH Cannavaro. Photo copyright Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

While Deusser enjoys success in Europe, McLain Ward has had a great summer showing many of Double H Farm’s talented horses in North America after returning to his partnership with Hunter Harrison this year. Most recently, Ward guided the 14-year-old Hanoverian mare HH Ashley (Acorado x Chasseur) to an exciting victory at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, NY. The pair made some very impressive turns in the jump-off to win the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix presented by Zoetis. Ward also finish third in the class with HH Fleur.

Ward and HH Carlos Z proved to be a fantastic pair right from the start this winter in Wellington, FL, and fans have not been disappointed. The duo was on fire in Calgary, winning three big classes and finishing second in three more. HH Cannavaro also had his time in the winner’s circle and had great success.

Ward kicked things off during the National Tournament with back to back wins on the same day. First, HH Carlos Z won the $33,500 Back On Track Cup 1.45m. Later, HH Cannavaro won the $33,500 Bantrel Cup 1.50m. ‘Carlos’ followed that up with a second place finish later in the week in the $40,000 ATCO Structures & Logistics 1.45m.

During the North American Tournament, Ward and HH Carlos Z finished second in the $85,000 Progress Energy Cup 1.55m, then jumped to victory later in the week in the $85,000 TD Cup 1.50m winning round competition.

The pair concluded a wonderful summer in Calgary with the Pan American Tournament, where they won the $33,500 Ashcor Technologies Cup 1.55m, then finished second in the following day’s $83,000 Investors Group Cup 1.50m.

“I’m just thrilled with the way this horse is going,” Ward said of the 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Chellano Z x Voltaire). “Carlos has always been a horse thought of as the utmost in quality. We were really, I think in the end, very lucky to be able to purchase him in the beginning of this year. I think with a little luck, the next few years are going to be really a lot of fun with this horse because I think he is going to do this week in and week out.”

HH Cannavaro proved his talent this summer as well. He followed up his win in week one by jumping with Ward in the $125,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ presented by Scotiabank during the Continental Tournament, where they finished second with team USA. The stallion also finished eighth in the $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup during the North American Tournament.

Ward has only ridden HH Cannavaro, a 10-year-old Holsteiner stallion by Caplan x Caretino, since March, but they have connected quickly. They won the $100,000 Empire State Grand Prix at Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show in May, and Ward has been teaching the talented horse to be faster in jump-offs.

“He’s a big jumper, and he really likes to take his time,” Ward pointed out. “Just like Sapphire years ago, they have to learn to be a quicker horse. But he really allows you to ride him. He’s older than when I had Sapphire at first; she did the [Olympic] Games at nine. I got him as a 10-year-old. He had a lot of experience and was ready to be pushed a little bit. We’re thrilled with what he’s doing now.”

Ward was happy to be back at Spruce Meadows with a top string of horses under the renewed partnership with Double H Farm. “Spruce Meadows is an incredible event, and the prize money is fantastic. We’re really excited about all our horses, and being back together with Hunter Harrison is very exciting for us,” he confirmed. “He really provides us with some great stock. The results always show. When you have the best horses, it helps.”

Quentin Judge and HH Copin van de Broy. Photo copyright Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
Quentin Judge and HH Copin van de Broy. Photo copyright Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Along with his own success, Ward was ringside for several great top finishes with Quentin Judge throughout the summer. Judge is riding better than ever and had a summer that he will never forget.

The highlight of Judge’s summer was his biggest individual win ever in the National Tournament’s $210,000 CNOOC Nexen Cup Derby with HH Dark de la Hart, an 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Nonstop). The pair also went on to finish second in the North American Tournament’s $210,000 Cenovous Energy Classic Derby a few weeks later. Both derbies are an incredible test of endurance and stamina for horse and rider.

During the CNOOC Nexen Cup Derby, Judge and HH Dark de la Hart won the competition with the fastest double clear round in a jump-off against Angel Karolyi (VEN) and Indiana 127. That day, they had each completed the first round course with the best scores of eight faults to result in the tie-breaking round.

In a remarkable turn of events, Judge and Dark ended up in the same two-horse jump-off against Karolyi and Indiana a few weeks later in the Cenovous Energy Classic Derby. The two riders completed rarely seen clear rounds over the difficult derby track to advance to their second head-to-head jump-off. In the 29-year history of the derby competition at Spruce Meadows, Karolyi and Judge were only the 18th and 19th riders to ever go clear over the course out of 615 entries overall.

In the jump-off, the two riders returned in the same order as week one of the Summer Series. This time, Karolyi and Indiana jumped double clear over the short course while Judge and Dark had eight faults. The pair settled for second, but were still enormously thrilled with their success and two incredible derby finishes.

Judge had been working on Dark’s fitness this year and felt his horse was more than ready for the derby the first week out. With the second great finish, the pair solidified their derby talent.

“He’s really fit right now. I had a really good feeling about it for the last couple of weeks,” Judge said after week one. “I had never done a derby on him, but he’s playful and he’s brave, and he really seems like he enjoys what he does. We’re lucky enough at home on our farm to have a slide bank, double liverpools, all those things. I tried to school him out there a couple of weeks ago, and he was pulling me down to everything. I thought if I was looking for a good derby horse, this might be the one.”

HH Dark de la Hart has been “unbelievable” for Judge. The pair won the $35,000 Husky Energy Cup 1.50m in the Meadows on the Green at last year’s ‘Continental’ Tournament, and they have been on two winning Nations Cup teams for the United States. The CNOOC Nexen Cup Derby was Judge’s first International Ring win at Spruce Meadows.

“For sure, it’s my biggest victory. That horse is really special to me,” Judge said.

In addition to their derby talent, Judge and HH Dark de la Hart showed their skill with a fourth place finish in the $35,000 PwC Cup 1.50m during this year’s North American Tournament. They also finished seventh in the $85,000 Husky Energy Classic 1.50m during the Continental Tournament.

Judge had a great summer competing with his other horses for Double H Farm as well, including his newest mount, HH Copin van de Broy. The 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (Darco x Brownboy) had lots of experience jumping with Germany’s Marcus Ehning, and things went even better than hoped as he and Judge got to know each other.

The pair finished third in the prestigious $210,000 ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup during the North American Tournament with just four faults in a big jump-off. They also had a fourth place finish in the $400,000 Pan American Cup presented by Rolex on the final day of the summer series, once again qualifying for a difficult jump-off, and jumping double clear. They began the summer with a ninth place finish in the $400,000 RBC Financial Grand Prix presented by Rolex, and improved with each round from there.

Judge rode HH Donnatella to a fourth place finish in the $33,500 Duncan Ross Cup 1.50m during the Canada One Tournament. They also placed seventh in the $85,000 TD Cup 1.50m during the North American Tournament. He and HH Whiskey Royale had a great sixth place finish in the $50,000 LaFarge Cup 1.50m during the North American. Judge and HH Casallo also finished fourth in the $8,000 Friends of the Meadows Cup 1.45m during the Continental Tournament.

The horses and riders of Double H Farm look forward to continuing a wonderful 2014 season around the world. For more information, please visit www.doublehfarm.org.

Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.
info@jenniferwoodmedia.com
803.240.7488
jenniferwoodmedia.com

McLain Ward Takes a Chance on $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix

©ESI Photography. McLain Ward and HH Ashley were the top pair in Friday’s $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix.

SAUGERTIES, NY (July 19, 2014) – McLain Ward was wearing his poker face Friday at HITS Saugerties and gambled his way to win the $25,000 SmartPak Grand Prix presented by Zoetis on new mount, HH Ashley.

Second to go in a five-horse jump-off, Ward chased down speedster Todd Minikus of Loxahatchee, Florida, who posted an immediate Great American Time to Beat at 37.15 seconds aboard Two Swans Farm’s Arino Du Rouet.

Ward and HH Ashley landed off the sixth fence of the short course a fraction slow, but made a right-hand turn where Minikus had turned left to roll back to a tall plank vertical. For a moment it appeared Ward had gone off course, but two lead changes and what looked like a cutting-horse impersonation got the pair to the seventh fence in six fewer strides, stopping the clock at 36.53 seconds.

“It was a huge chance,” said Ward who hails from Brewster, New York. “I knew I didn’t have the speed on the ground to catch Todd – his horse is fast and mine is careful – it was the only way to win.”

Watch the turn that won it all on the HITS Horse Shows Facebook Page.

Finally all smiles, Ward seemed impressed as he exited the in-gate after laying down an unbeatable round. “Ashley’s handy and she knows her job – today she proved that again,” he noted, of the 13-year-old Hanoverian mare – a ride he took over from Rodrigo Pessoa at Double H Farm.

Pessoa had formerly piloted HH Ashley to a list of accolades, highlighted by Team Silver in the 2011 Pan American Games before she was sidelined by injury. “She’s been phenomenal since coming back to the grand prix level,” added Ward.

Contesting Minikus and Ward in the jump off were Peter Lutz of Golden’s Bridge, New York; Ronan McGuigan of Far Hills, New Jersey and Laura Chapot of Neshanic Station, New Jersey over Florencio Hernandez’s (Mexico City, Mexico) technical but fair course

Lutz followed Ward and appeared to have him beat aboard Carneyhaugh Manx for Katherine Gallagher, but crossed the timers in 36.62 seconds – a tenth off the lead. He finished second, bumping Minikus to third. McGuigan and his own Capall Zidane settled for fourth after a rail, while Chapot rounded out the top five with eight faults in the irons of Mary Chapot’s ISHA Dual Star.

Ward’s win kicked off summer qualifying for the Zoetis $1 Million Grand Prix at the HITS Championship September 7, which will continue throughout the HITS Saugerties Circuit. This Sunday, the $50,000 Horze Grand Prix presented by Zoetis takes the stage in the Strongid® C 2X™ Grand Prix Stadium. The event will be aired live via HRTV and iEquine – tune in at HRTV.com or iEquine.com.

©ESI Photography. Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane on their way to a win in the $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome
©ESI Photography. Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane on their way to a win in the $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome

$10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome
Ronan McGuigan and Capall Zidane are making themselves comfortable at the top of the Brook Ledge Leading Rider Standings. After pocketing two 1.40m wins during the HITS-on-the-Hudson Spring Series, they made it three this week, topping the field in Wednesday’s $10,000 Brook Ledge Open Welcome.

Todd Minikus and Arino Du Rouet were second and Laura Chapot third with Mary Chapot’s Zealous. Callie Seaman of Greenwich, Connecticut jumped to fourth in the irons of her own Baldev, while Peter Lutz rounded out the top five aboard Don’t Stop O for Libertas Farm, LLC.

Brook Ledge Horse Transportation will continue to present a weekly jumper class throughout the HITS Saugerties summer and fall series. Aside from the winner’s purse, Brook Ledge Open Welcome riders also compete for the Brook Ledge Rider Bonus, which includes a $1,500 shipping credit for the rider who accumulates the most points in those classes throughout the circuit.

For more information and a complete schedule of classes and events, visit HitsShows.com. Stay connected with HITS: join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

HITS, Inc. • 319 Main Street • Saugerties, NY 12477-1330
845.246.8833 Tel • Media_Info@HitsShows.comHitsShows.com