USA rider McLain Ward wins in Geneva

USA rider McLain Ward and the 16-year-old mare HH Azur triumphed within the Rolex grand prix on the CHI Geneva horse present on Sunday (11 December) to turn into the contenders for the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping.

Shedding a couple of tears within the aftermath of his unbelievable first victory in a Main grand prix, McLain mentioned: “This has been 30 years coming. It’s been an extended and tough story, however I feel that’s what the game does for us, it’s the battle mirrored in life, the combat, the perseverance, the making an attempt to do higher, and that’s one thing I’m very happy with. My profession has been not all ups – though I’m lucky to have had a lot – however there have been some very tough ones, some right here in Geneva [where McLain was disqualified from the 2010 World Cup Final], however this has all the time been a really particular place for me and someplace I’ve wished to have excellence.

“That is the mecca of our sport so I’m proud to be right here, proud to win.”

From final draw, McLain simply pipped dwelling rider Martin Fuchs (Leone Jei) into second and Eire’s Shane Sweetnam (James Kann Cruz) into third in an exciting 13-way jump-off in entrance of a passionate and vocal crowd.

A coveted rug for the brand new Rolex Grand Slam contenders

The US mixture have been in great type this 12 months and got here to Geneva on the again of a podium end within the Tremendous Grand Prix at Prague a fortnight earlier. HH Azur, who’s owned by Double H Farms, left Geneva adorned within the coveted inexperienced and gold Rolex rug which indicators the beginning of McLain’s subsequent journey as Rolex Grand Slam contender.

The double Olympic staff gold medallist revealed the pep talks he all the time offers his unbelievable companion of the previous seven years.

“At this level in her profession I all the time give her a pat on the neck and say ‘You don’t owe anybody a fence, but when we may leap one other clear spherical at this time it might be good,’ he mentioned. “I actually have that feeling for this glorious mare.

“Once I obtained on her for the jump-off, I really mentioned to her, ‘It’s just one extra spherical – give me what you’ve obtained and when you don’t have sufficient it’s OK too. She jumped out of her boots, which was fairly exceptional.

“This story is especially very particular – Azur is owned half by Hunter Harrison and his household, who was an incredible mentor and supporter of mine, however is now not with us, and Francois Mathy, who is sort of a father to me and was right here at this time in order that’s very particular.

“On the finish of final 12 months I assumed her profession was most likely coming to an finish, she didn’t really feel in nice type and it felt like she was within the sundown of her profession. However she has been reborn this 12 months. She feels extremely wholesome and has jumped seven main grands prix, three of which had been Grand Slam occasions, and he or she was clear in all seven – aside from a time-fault, which was the rider’s fault! So sure, I used to be emotional, I wished to win, to beat these guys is a superb feat, to not let the horse down – it’s an incredible day.

“For all of us within the sport, we aspire to win these very particular occasions – Geneva, Aachen, Calgary, Rome. These are the occasions I grew up dreaming of, leaping in my again yard pretending to win. I first got here to this present almost 30 years in the past – I nonetheless assume I’m one of many youthful ones, however I’m not! That is our life, that is what we reside, that is the dream.”

‘I took all of the dangers to win the hat-trick – however McLain had different concepts!’

There was a standing ovation for Martin Fuchs, who had bid an emotional farewell to his different nice gray Clooney 51 earlier within the afternoon. His dazzling jump-off efficiency on Leone Jei can be crushed, simply denying him a report third win on this class, however the Swiss rider was thrilled nonetheless.

“It was a fairly emotional day with the goodbye of Clooney,” mentioned Martin. “Leone Jei all the time jumps nice on this ring and I knew that the course suited me nicely. Within the jump-off I attempted to take all of the dangers I may to make the hat-trick, however McLain had a unique thought for at this time!”

Drawn sooner than the highest two, Shane Sweetnam had achieved all he may with the nine-year-old Irish-bred James Kann Cruz (Kannan x Cruising) in solely his first season at five-star stage, and punched the air in delight after taking the lead.

“I obtained him final 12 months as an eight-year-old,” mentioned Shane. “We’ve had an incredible partnership from the beginning. The usual on this class is unbelievable, however I really feel with this horse I can actually compete with these guys. Within the jump-off I went as quick as I may and I used to be profitable popping out of the ring which is all you may actually ask. Then the fellows Martin and McLain took one other step and took the category, it was nice sport.”

Better of the Brits within the Rolex grand prix was jump-off trailblazer and reigning Olympic champion Ben Maher driving the nine-year-old mare Dallas Vegas Batilly, in the identical possession as Explosion W -Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright. They set off with the mare’s beautiful large, swinging stride actually overlaying the bottom, however they stalled barely on the flip again to an oxer at fence three and hit the again rail to put up a rating of 4 faults in 42.76sec.

Within the first spherical we misplaced British hopes Joe Stockdale (Equine America Cacharel) who was competing in his first ever Rolex Grand Slam and Harry Charles (Romeo 88), each with faults on the difficult double of Liverpools.

Irish contenders Conor Swail and Rely Me In hit the third a part of the Rolex treble for a four-fault tally, whereas his countryman Denis Lynch and Brooklyn Heights additionally completed on the identical rating.

Earlier Rolex Grand Slam contender Daniel Deusser completed sixth with an incredible double clear on Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z.

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