The “Braeburn Farms” Leading International Rider Award went to McLain Ward of Brewster, NY. With grace and wisdom, he admitted he simply made a mistake in the class tonight, taking a “pull” in the jump off, rather than trusting his horse.
“Carlos jumped beautifully in the first round, I was really happy with him,” said Ward. “It was a bit of an anxious jump-off, as Beezie (Madden) and I were duking it out for the Leading Rider award, unfortunately maybe that seeps into your thinking a bit more than it should,” he admitted. “I made a mistake. I should have kept coming to the vertical – it was a flat out jump off – and I tried to change my mind at the end which probably wasn’t necessary. I should have trusted the horse. Last night I tried to leave out a stride which was foolish, and tonight I should have left the stride out, but the horse performed well and it’s easier to correct my mistakes than theirs.”
Jonathon Millar received the Lt. Col. Stuart C. Bate Memorial Trophy and was named the Leading Canadian Rider of the competition.
The All Canadian Cup presented to the leading Canadian-owned horse went to Game Ready, owned by Susan Grange and ridden by Ireland’s Conor Swail.
Source: Royal Winter Fair/CNW Newswire Company