International show jumping competition at the 2022 Devon Horse Show came to a close Saturday evening. A talented field of athletes and their mounts from around the world have been vying for points toward the coveted Open Jumper Championship since Tuesday. Coming off of his 12th win in the $250,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon CSI4*, McLain Ward etched his name on The Little Big Man Trophy and was awarded with the Open Jumper Championship honors. With a total of 35 points earned throughout the week, Ward also received the Leading Open Jumper Rider title. After two wins during the week on two different mounts, Jessica Mendoza emerged as the Leading Open Jumper Lady Rider and was presented with the Carol Hofmann Thompson Leading Lady Rider Challenge Trophy in memory of Carol Hofmann, given by her family and friends in 2014.
Ward, dubbed the “King of Devon”, put forth a valiant effort aboard his 2020 Tokyo Olympic mount Contagious, owned by Beechwood Stables LLC, Thursday evening to ultimately earn the Open Jumper Championship title Saturday and receive the champion cooler, sponsored by Saratoga Horseworks Ltd. In honor of his Leading Open Jumper Rider title, Ward was presented with The Orchard Lodge Perpetual Trophy, given in memory of Hope Montgomery Scott. The Open Jumper Reserve Champion was awarded to Schuyler Riley (USA) and Katherine Gallagher’s Robin de Ponthual, the second place finishers from Thursday’s $250,000 Sapphire Grand Prix of Devon CSI4*, for accumulating a total of 18 points.