He made himself the best birthday present: McLain Ward won the CSI5* Grand Prix with 340,000 dollars at his 51st birthday in Tryon. On the 13-year-old High Star Hero (v. Zazu), the American completed a perfect round in the show jumping competition, which he finished after 42.68 seconds. Six pairs had qualified for the show jumping competition after flawless first rounds. As the first pair, the German champions Christian Kukuk and his ten-year-old Akarad Tivoli Z (v. Akarad Hero Z) mastered the challenging course. Consequently, they had to compete first in the show jumping competition. The pair also remained faultless in the show jumping competition, but on the finish line the Olympic champion had some time left with a time of 44.30 seconds. On Attack, the Irishman Shane Sweetnam and his partner James Kann Cruz (v. Kannan) also struggled. However, a rough throw in the show jumping competition dropped the pair to fourth place.
And then McLain Ward and High Star Hero impressively demonstrated how to win this steeplechase. Christian Kukuk finished second that evening, followed by Mark Bluman with Genial de B’Neville (v. Kapitol d’Argonne). Again, the double zero was the result.
Stechen Kent Farrington had almost won with his wonderful horse Greya (v. Colestus). However, with a super fast time in the course, they still placed seventh. Similarly, Richard Vogel and Quizas van’t Hulsbos (v. Emerald) finished the jumping competition in 15th place.
The whole result: HERE