Harrisburg, PA -- McLain Ward topped the leader board for his second win of the day, and fifth win of the week at Harrisburg's Pennsylvania National Horse Show. This win was a fast one aboard Goldika 559 in the North American League $25,000 Open Jumper Speed Final.
A field of 23 horses started over Steve Stephens 14-jumping effort course which demanded perfection in just one round, for a clean, fast win. Only seven horse and rider combinations could keep the rails up as the tricky distances and combinations challenged competitors.
"I got to see a few early, and I got to see a few after me. I watched the last couple go from the stands. I had a nice draw", said Ward, who was 16th in the order and the fourth clean round of seven.
"I had my plan of what I was going to do and I was just hoping it was going to be fast enough." "I was a little lucky that Hillary [Dobbs] knocked a jump down because she was very fast. Goldika is a great horse and I thank her owners, it's very nice to have her. I always feel good with her. She's pretty solid and she normally doesn't let you down."
Goldika's clean round stopped the timer in 58.359 seconds and grabbed the lead from Cara Raether and Hopes Are High, who finished second in 59.472. The only rider who could beat the time was Dobbs aboard Marengo with 57.677 seconds, by a rail at 6A, the first fence in the triple combination, a 4'9" vertical, left her with the fastest four-fault score and eighth place. No one else was able to produce a clear round in less than 60 seconds.
Ward shaved time off his round with an inside track on a long line from fences 9 to 10, while everyone else went around a fence in the path. "I don't think anybody else did it. She has a little bit of a right drift and I thought that it was an option for sure. She's pretty consistently fast everywhere. I did add a stride to the triple combination, but she has a great fast gallop so sometimes I can do one extra stride and it doesn't hurt," Ward explained.
In a pre-event course walk analysis for the spectators, former US Team coach Frank Chapot explained the challenges of the course and predicted that the triple combination would be a problem. "The riders will make time on the turns and they may take risks at the end of the course on the straight line to number 10," he said perfectly predicting the class and victory. Chapot joked that he was of course rooting for his daughter, Laura (aboard Capri) who was the final rider in the order due to her high point total going into the Final.
"I always worry about Laura because she's fast, Margie [Engle], Darragh Kenny, they have been doing great this year. I'm always worried about all of them, they're all top competitors and you hope that your time holds up," said Ward.
Although Laura was the overall North American League champion for the year in the Open Jumper Speed division, it wasn't her day for a win. She took multiple risks to challenge Ward, but the triple combination and final line from fences, 9, 10 and 11 all fell. The gutsy speed rider showed her stuff though as Capri stumbled early in the course, nearly unseating Chapot, but the continued on, thrilling the crowd and never missing a fence.
When asked about his amazing week in Harrisburg Ward said, "It's a nice feeling, it's been a great week, I wish they all went like this. That's not the way it works, but we'll take it while it lasts and it's nice to have good horses and great people behind me."
The NAL runs season-long series in seven hunter-jumper divisions - Adult Hunter, presented by Cavalor, Children's Hunter, Open Jumper Speed, Adult Jumper, Children's Jumper, Pony Jumper and the new Low Junior/ Amateur-Owner Jumper.
The NAL qualifying period started September 1, 2008 and ended August 31, 2009. While riders did not need to be members of the NAL to compete in any qualifying classes, only current members earned points toward year-end finals.
The 2009 Pennsylvania National Horse Show runs October 8-17, at the Pennsylvania Farm and Show Complex in Harrisburg, and features 10 full days of hunter and jumper competition with both amateurs and professionals vying for the coveted championships. The Pennsylvania National hosts 10 national championships. The competition highlight is the $75,000 Grand Prix de Penn National on Saturday, October 17th at 7:00 pm.
Special event highlights include: Kinsley Construction Company Hunt Night Competition, Jack Russell Terrier Races, The North American Fox Hunting Horn Blowing Championship, Family Days with Free Pony Rides. There will be demonstrations, as well as special educational events and barrel and carriage racing.
The show is entertaining and educational. Approximately 70 vendors are accepted offering a wide variety of items: clothing, gifts and antiques, custom signs and furniture, fine and costume jewelry, toys, pet items, t-shirts and tack shops. All offer a unique variety of items sure to please horse lovers and non-horse people alike.
The Pennsylvania National Horse Show is proud of its tradition of supporting both equine and youth programs. The show benefits the Harrisburg Kiwanis Youth Foundation and the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation.
Further information is available at the horse show's website at www.panational.org or by calling the horse show office at 717-770-0222.
Live streaming webcast of the event is available at http://www.productionseat.com
