McLain Ward Wins the 382,800 Longines Masters!!

McLain Ward Olympic gold medalist has a new mare in the barn, and she just the $382,800 Grand Prix Longines Masters Of New York.

This was McLain’s third time showing his new mount Clinta, a horse he spent seven months trying to buy! “she won a nice 1.50-meter class where we went well in the jump-off. I didn’t run her earlier in the week, and we were aiming for the Grand Prix.”

Dutch course designer Louis Konickx’s placed a 1.60-meter course that truly tested every rider. Including ten riders who flew over from Europe to compete, meant that 14 horses almost half of the thirty-horse class made it to the short course.

One dramatic moment in the first round came when Laura Kraut and Curious George both showed off incredible ability and athletic gift after they chipped at fence number three, a vertical, but managed to leave the jump up. Laura kicked him forward, and Curious George rose to the challenge. They finished clear and qualified for the jump-off, eventually taking tenth place.

McLain Ward went all in for the jump-off but also had a tricky moment rolling back to the double combination. His new mount, Clinta stayed careful to leave the rails in the cups. “She’s so careful; she really doesn’t want to hit the fences. I kind of felt like we squirreled over it.”

Sure enough, the final two riders, Daniel Bluman (Bacara d’Archonfosse) and Fredricson couldn’t catch him. “It’s always difficult to beat McLain,” said Fredricson, who rides for Sweden. “He’s always quick. I was really happy with my round.”

McLain showed his sentiments about winning in New York. “It’s always nice to win on your home soil in the U.S. and extra special in New York,” he said. McLain truly is a role-model to look up to in the equestrian world showing younger generations that determination and hard work takes you exactly where you want to go.

We wish McLain good luck in all future competitions this season, looking forward to many more blue ribbons!