Five-time Olympic medalist Mclain Ward (USA) opened five-star competition during the penultimate week of the Tournament of Champions at Traverse City Horse Shows, setting the stage for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Traverse City. On the back of First Lady, Ward packed a punch to win the $32,000 Storm Ridge Capital CSI5* Speed from a 65-horse field.

Fresh off a successful tour at the Olympic Games in Paris where he was part of the silver-medal winning U.S. team, Ward took to Alan Wade’s (IRL) one-round track and once again proved that First Lady is always one to beat.

“First Lady is still a developing horse so I’m not entirely sure what her specialty is going to be yet,” detailed Ward. “She has been a spectacular 1.50m and 1.55m winner this season, but I still think she’s going to win a lot of bigger grand prix as well. I think she is one of those horses that has come into her potential a bit later in her career because she has so much quality, she really needed that time to grow and be at her best.”

Advertisement