Some might have said that when World #8 McLain Ward (USA) and High Star Hero (Zazu x Darco) took the lead in 25.74 seconds during the middle of the $32,000 CSI5* Two-Phase on Thursday, no one could catch them. However, with 68 horse-and-rider combinations representing 14 nations contesting Nick Granat’s 15-effort, 1.45m track, spectators had more to look forward to.

Immediately following Ward in the order was 20-year-old Skylar Wireman (USA) aboard Barclino B (Constanzenhof's Barcley x Lasino), her double-gold winning mount from the 2025 Gotham North/North American Youth Jumping Championships presented by USHJA. The pair sliced and diced their way to a blistering, faultless time of 24.83 seconds, knocking Ward from the top spot and keeping the lead until Matz entered the ring during the final ten rides. He and Dorothy Matz’s 17-year-old Holsteiner gelding shaved almost half a second off Wireman’s time, clinching the win in 24.36 seconds. 

“My horse is naturally very, very fast,” Matz said. “He’s 17 now, and we’ve been together for nine years. He’s an incredible competitor. Skylar had a fantastic round; I didn’t know if we would be fast enough, but Cashew felt unbelievable in the warmup. During the first phase, I put him in a couple of compromising positions, but he didn’t want to come close to touching the poles so I felt pretty confident that he was in top form. Luckily, he did the rest.”

Wireman and her, Shayne Wireman and the Wireman Investment Group’s 9-year-old Holsteiner gelding walked away with second place for their efforts. Ward and the 12-year-old Belgian Sport Horse gelding owned by Michael and Wendy Smith finished third. 

Results