Ward is the 'Viktor' at the Festival of Champions

Because the final Selection Trials for this year's World Equestrian Games to be held in Jerez, Spain, September 10-22 were not being held at the Festival but rather in California at the end of July fewer riders were competing throughout the week then in year's past. "There hasn't been a lot of entries this week, but the quality is good," explained Ward after winning the final show jumping class out of a field of 15 riders.

Amazingly, despite a difficult course set by course designer Richard Jeffery, seven riders made it to the jump-off. Candace King qualified two horses. King set the pace when she went in first on Espadon and put in her second clear round in a time of 44.27 (4th) seconds. Later in the jump-off, returning fourth on Caliskan (3rd), she beat her own time, putting in another clear ride in 42.596 seconds.

Next was Mary Lisa Leffler on Graf Rossini S who put in a promising clear jump-off round in a slower time of 44.438 (5th) seconds.

Then it was time for the last two riders, who were expected to be the strongest contenders in the class. Margie Engle was riding her Sydney Olympic mount, Hidden Creek's Perin. They showed their mettle going clear in the fastest time of 41.754 seconds but Ward and Viktor weren't about to give up their winning record so easily. Viktor crossed the timers in 41.198 seconds.

"He's an amazing horse," said Ward of Viktor. "I'm very lucky to have him as my partner. He makes me look good."

"Perin is not the quickest horse," explained Engle. "He's not necessarily a speed horse, but he's getting faster and faster."

Engle agreed with Ward's earlier comment that "It was a small but very good field. I was surprised there were that many clean rounds."

Margie Goldstein-Engle and Hidden Creek's Perin jumped beautifully, but slightly slow to settle for 2nd place.

Engle was thinking ahead to the final WEG Selection Trials to be held in July. Since the Trials are such an important event the riders were more concerned about peaking then rather than now. Clear rounds are obviously key to placing well in a Selection Trials. So, clearly King's four clear rounds were a good omen.

With that in mind the riders indicated that they will take it easy from now until the Trials as what's most important to them is "keeping them happy, sound and fit," explained Engle, who was also thinking back to the Olympics where she felt she gave Perin too much down time. "It's a fine line ... if I let him down too much it is hard to bring him back up."

Certainly, Ward's successes at the Festival bode well for his goal to be a contender for the Team representing the U.S.A. in Spain. But when asked what won this class for him he quickly noted that it was "luck" that got him through. "Margie and Candice can lay it down. You're talking about a couple of inches. So that's luck," he said.