McLain Ward & Sapphire Win $150,000 CN CSIO Grand Prix at Palm Beach
ROXANE THEIDEL/ Equestrian Sport Productions March 02, 2009
Photo: Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images
McLain Ward of the United States jumps on Sapphire during the CHIO Aachen 2005 Grand Prix on August 28, 2005. Ward, again with Sapphire, won the CN CSIO Grand Prix in Palm Beach on March 1, 2009.
WELLINGTON, Fla., Mar. 1--McLain Ward and his two-time Olympic gold medalist partner Sapphire claimed victory in the $150,000 CN CSIO Grand Prix at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center Sunday.
The field of 47 starters in one of the highlight events of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival included eight Olympic gold medal winners and riders from 13 nations.
Ward, of Brewster, N.Y. and the 14-year-old mare owned by Ward and Blue Chip Bloodstock, were one of two to go double clear. The pair posted a time of 46.37 secs.
Christine McCrea of Suffield, Conn. and Promise Land, owned by Candy Tribble and the Windsor Show Stables, the only other double clean, posted a time of 47.05 secs.
Lauren Hough of Wellington, Fla. and Naomi 152, owned by the Quail Run Partnerships, had the fastest time of 46.11 secs, but incurred four faults in the jump off.
Six horse and rider combinations made it through the first round of the course designed by Frank Rothenberger of Germany.
Double-digit faults were common in the first round. Two riders retired during their rounds and one rider was eliminated after falling off.
The triple at fence 5 proved to be a challenge for many.
"It was a popular triple with this course designer in Europe so I got to see it a few times before today," McLain noted. But he thought the design overall was "right on the money."
Ward said a win is "never a gimme" but Sapphire "was in good form today. I felt in the jump off she was coming right into form. She's a good horse and doesn't let me down unless I let her down."
Ward thought he had left the door open for someone to beat him.
But second place finisher McCrea said of her jump off round, "I tried to turn as sharp as I could, I ran where I could, maybe on a luckier day I could beat McClain."
Hunter Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of CN and former owner of Sapphire, was rooting for the mare.
"I thought the course could be tough for her. I thought she could have a little trouble today," Hunter said of the opening round.
"But the jump off was made for her. I was yelling for McLain at the end, people were telling me to quite down."
Although winds were high at times the weather didn't pose a problem for Promised Land.
"The weather helped my horse," she said. "When it's calm he doesn't rise to the occasion. When there's a crowd or weather he's better. He felt on in the warm up and it all worked out well today."
Both riders have their sights set on the FEI World Cup in Las Vegas in mid-April. For Ward, "I would like to win it. It has been my single vision since the Olympics."
The field of 47 starters in one of the highlight events of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival included eight Olympic gold medal winners and riders from 13 nations.
Ward, of Brewster, N.Y. and the 14-year-old mare owned by Ward and Blue Chip Bloodstock, were one of two to go double clear. The pair posted a time of 46.37 secs.
Christine McCrea of Suffield, Conn. and Promise Land, owned by Candy Tribble and the Windsor Show Stables, the only other double clean, posted a time of 47.05 secs.
Lauren Hough of Wellington, Fla. and Naomi 152, owned by the Quail Run Partnerships, had the fastest time of 46.11 secs, but incurred four faults in the jump off.
Six horse and rider combinations made it through the first round of the course designed by Frank Rothenberger of Germany.
Double-digit faults were common in the first round. Two riders retired during their rounds and one rider was eliminated after falling off.
The triple at fence 5 proved to be a challenge for many.
"It was a popular triple with this course designer in Europe so I got to see it a few times before today," McLain noted. But he thought the design overall was "right on the money."
Ward said a win is "never a gimme" but Sapphire "was in good form today. I felt in the jump off she was coming right into form. She's a good horse and doesn't let me down unless I let her down."
Ward thought he had left the door open for someone to beat him.
But second place finisher McCrea said of her jump off round, "I tried to turn as sharp as I could, I ran where I could, maybe on a luckier day I could beat McClain."
Hunter Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of CN and former owner of Sapphire, was rooting for the mare.
"I thought the course could be tough for her. I thought she could have a little trouble today," Hunter said of the opening round.
"But the jump off was made for her. I was yelling for McLain at the end, people were telling me to quite down."
Although winds were high at times the weather didn't pose a problem for Promised Land.
"The weather helped my horse," she said. "When it's calm he doesn't rise to the occasion. When there's a crowd or weather he's better. He felt on in the warm up and it all worked out well today."
Both riders have their sights set on the FEI World Cup in Las Vegas in mid-April. For Ward, "I would like to win it. It has been my single vision since the Olympics."
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