Washington DC—United States Equestrian Federation rider and 2004 Olympic Team Silver medalist McLain Ward adds 20 World Cup qualifying points to his standing in the East Coast League, after a first place finish atop Goldika 559 at the $100,000 Washington International President’s Cup in Washington DC on October 30. One of three horse and rider pairs to finish with double clean rounds, Ward and Goldika 559 (Bay Holsteiner mare; Cor de la Bryere—Zelena II; Double H Farm) kept fans on the edge of their seats during a fast and furious jump-off, finishing in a mere 35.73 seconds.

“I have never won here or at Harrisburg and I wanted to win,” Ward said of his first-ever President’s Cup triumph. “I want to take a real good run at the World Cup Finals. I haven’t reached all my goals yet. I want to win the individual and team (Olympic) Gold as well as the World Championship—win the big three.”

Ward is arguably off to a good start, as he brings his World Cup qualifying points to a total of 66, less than 10 points behind the East Coast League’s current top-ranking rider, Kimberly Frey, who claims 74.

Also a double clear finisher in the President’s Cup, Lauren Hough and Casadora (Chestnut Dutch Warmblood mare; Indoctro—Kadora; The Casadora Group) rode to a second place finish, less than three seconds behind Ward. The finish means an additional 17 World Cup qualifying points for Hough. Coming in third, Candice King and Coco Cabana (Grey Westfalen mare; Cantus De—Granda; Louisburg Farm LLC) brought home 15 World Cup points; Laura Kraut and Anthem (Bay KWPN Dutch Warmblood gelding; Summit Syndicate) added 13 points with their fourth place finish, and 2004 Olympic Team Silver medalist Beezie Madden and Authentic (Bay KWPN Dutch Warmblood; Guidam—Gerlinda; Team Authentic) rounded out the top five, adding 12 points to Madden’s ranking in the East Coast League.

Designed by Richard Jeffery, the course at the President’s Cup looked intimidating from the average spectator’s point of view—and perhaps equally intimidating from the saddle. Combining the typical set of challenging Grand Prix jumps, Jeffery added tricky combinations, tight turns, wide oxers and tall verticals. One of the more difficult parts of the course was the outside line of fence 4 to 5a and 5b. Fence 4 to 5 rode forward, but the riders were forced to get their horses back on the ground quickly to set up for the one-stride combination of two tall verticals. As the class progressed, this line would prove to be the nemesis for many horse and rider combinations, as they jumped through, pulling rails.


Top Finishers
With World Cup Qualifying Points
FEI Table A, Article 238.1.2
*World Cup Rider

Rider, Horse, Faults, Time, Points

1.*McLain Ward, Goldika 559, 0-0 faults, 35.73 seconds, 20 points

2.*Lauren Hough, Casadora, 0-0 faults, 38.13 seconds, 17 points

3.*Candice King, Coco Cabana, 0-0 faults, 42.00 seconds, 15 points

4.*Laura Kraut, Anthem, 0-4 faults, 36.92 seconds, 13 points

5.*Beezie Madden, Authentic, 0-4 faults, 38.32 seconds, 12 points

6.*Christine Tribble, Vegas, 0-4 faults, 38.98 seconds, 11 points

7.*Callan Solem, Allison, 0-4 faults, 42.39 seconds, 10 points

8.*Schuyler Riley, Opus Sept, 0-4 faults, 46.41 seconds, 9 points

9.*Todd Minikus, Flier, 0-Elim faults, 8 points

10.*Peter Pletcher, Charmed, 4 faults, 6 points