McLain Ward and HH Azur Top $401,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix

Two-time U.S. Olympic team gold medalist McLain Ward won his third CSI5* in two weeks by taking top call in the $401,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI5* riding his 2016 Olympic mount, HH Azur, during “Saturday Night Lights” on February 22, at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL.

WEF continues at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) through March 29, 2020, with 12 consecutive weeks of world-class competition and $13 million dollars on offer. The seventh week of competition, sponsored by Lugano Diamonds, runs February 19-23 and is recognized as a CSI5* and CSI2* by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI).

Santiago Varela (ESP), who has been tapped to set the tracks at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, was the course designer for the Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix, which welcomed six contenders from three different countries to a tie-breaking jump-off.

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Continuing a banner month that included the birth of his second daughter, Madison, Ward is riding a wave of success and a little bit of luck.

“It’s been a pretty incredible few weeks. My team is doing an amazing job,” said Ward, who also won the Fidelity Investments® Grand Prix CSI5* during WEF five riding Noche de Ronda. “I’m lucky to have phenomenal horses and owners, to be able to have multiple horses that can win at this level. If we’re really honest with ourselves, sometimes you can do nothing right, and sometimes you can do nothing wrong. We’re in one of those streaks, and we’re going to enjoy it and try to keep doing our best.”

Of the two riders who jumped double clear, Ward and HH Azur, a 14-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare (Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Sir Lui) owned by Ward and Double H Farm, utilized “Annie’s” massive stride and foot speed to stop the clock at 39.85 seconds. The time proved more than good enough to top Ireland’s Capt. Brian Cournane riding his own Penelope Cruz in 44.19 seconds. The podium was rounded out by Alex Granato (USA), who had the time to beat Ward but pulled a single rail with Page Tredennick’s Carlchen W to settle on four faults in 38.87 seconds.

HH Azur is making a comeback from a minor injury that sidelined her during the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona in the fall of 2019. “Tonight, she felt great,” said Ward. She’s getting a little older, has jumped a lot of big jumps in her life, and been an incredible partner. You count your jumps at this stage in a career. We stopped for the year after Barcelona, but we kept her in light work.”

Ward’s plan came to fruition on Saturday, and HH Azur appears to be back in the game. “Once I got through the double, I took a touch off coming home. For sure I left a little room, but a lot of times you can lose it before you get started, and I didn’t want to do that,” he said. “For me, Santi is one of the best [course designers] in the world. He’s a horseman course builder, and I think he’s going to do a brilliant job at the Olympic Games.”

Capt. Cournane is now in his third year piloting Penelope Cruz, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Ustinov x Peter Pan), and stepped the mare up to the five-star level just two weeks ago at WEF. “She’s been jumping great in 1.50m league on Sundays,” he said. “Tonight, she really felt on form and jumped great.

“It was very clever course building,” continued Cournane of the track that proved to be a challenge for many. “The water jump came up early, and got the horses really open. The skinny at the ingate really got a lot of people. The combination was also very difficult.”

Granato made his way onto the podium beside Ward and Cournane despite some last-minute wavering in his jump-off plan. “I had definitely walked the inside turn to the double during the course walk, and I was planning it,” he said. “But, it didn’t go well for Eduardo, I saw Brian go around. I looked at it two or three times once I was in the ring. I was a little unsure, but as soon as I started, [Carlchen W] felt really with me. If anything I got in his way. He turned so well into it, and I pushed a little bit out to give him a little extra help and caused the rail at B.

“I was really happy with him,” continued Granato of his 12-year-old Mecklenberg gelding (Chacco-Blue x Continue) he plans to point toward the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Las Vegas, NV, this spring. “I thought he performed well, and I am excited for how he feels.”

Darragh Kenny (IRL) and Romeo 88 took fourth place with a four-fault jump-off round in 39.30 seconds for fellow owner Ann Thompson, while Brazil’s Eduardo Menezes capped the top five riding Magnolia Mystic Rose with four faults in 40.10 seconds or owner Rm Agronegocios Eireli. Returning last over the short course, Daniel Coyle (IRL) finished sixth with two poles hitting the ground in a time of 43.36 seconds aboard Legacy, owned by Ariel Grange.

In a special award presentation, Kristen Vanderveen (USA) was named the week seven Martha Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider after consistent top performances in the Saturday-night grand prix and the Equinimity WEF Challenge Cup Round 7 on Thursday.

Also winning in the International Arena at WEF on Friday, Claire McKean (USA) opened the day with a victory in the $2,500 High Amateur-Owner Jumpers, presented by Lugano Diamonds, riding her own Cartoon Time. In the CSI2* ranks, Mexico’s Eugenio Garza Perez topped the $37,000 Dutta Corp/G Klatte 1.45m CSI2* aboard Caracas for owner El Milagro.

Final Results: $401,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI5*

1. HH AZUR: 2006 Belgian Sport Horse mare by Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Sir Lui

MCLAIN WARD (USA), Double H Farm & McLain Ward: 0/0/39.85

2. PENELOPE CRUZ: 2008 Irish Sport Horse mare by Ustinov x Peter Pan

CAPT. BRIAN COURNANE (IRL), Capt. Brian Cournane: 0/0/44.19

3. CARLCHEN W: 2008 Mecklenberg gelding by Chacco-Blue x Continue

ALEX GRANATO (USA), Page Tredennick: 0/4/38.87

4. ROMEO 88: 2009 Zangersheide stallion by Contact van de Heffinck x Orlando

DARRAGH KENNY (IRL), Darragh Kenny and Ann Thompson: 0/4/39.30

5. MAGNOLIA MYSTIC ROSE: 2009 BH mare by Zirocco Blue VDL

EDUARDO MENEZES (BRA), Rm Agronegocios Eireli: 0/4/40.10

6. LEGACY: 2010 Zangersheide mare by Chippendale Z x Bon Ami