Traverse City Horse Shows is the fourth stop on the MLSJ tour, which began in Vancouver, BC, in May. The season includes 10 CSI5* stops throughout North America, culminating in California with the season four finals at DIHP in Thermal. 

With three riders per team, all riders competed across the first round, with the top four teams returning for round two with a selection of two athletes. Coming down to a tie-breaking jump-off for gold, silver and bronze, the remaining riders from the top-four teams raced to the finish line.

Running all the way to gold, the Roadrunners brought out a trio of horsepower. Currently the top-ranked female rider in the world, Ballard piloted Ginger Ask (Casall x Levisto), owned by Marigold Sporthorses; world no 7 Ward rode First Lady (Don Diarado x Lordanos), owned by Robin Parsky; and team veteran Campbell was aboard Castlefield Cornelious (Cornet Obolensky x Contender), owned by 3P Equine Partners. After the first round, the team stood on zero faults in good standings for gold. Coming back for round two, Ballard and Campbell were selected to return and once again laid down clear rounds. 

Ward faced off against Maccabi United’s Gabriel Machado (BRA) and Legaland Sandro, owned by Bay Winds Equestrian, and stopped the clock in an unbeatable 37.88 seconds.

“I knew if I could find the same track with similar strides it would be very close,” said Ward of his medal-round performance. “She made a good turn after the liverpool, so I felt like we had the time pretty well.” 

Maccabi United, represented by Machado; Luis Larrazabal (VEN) aboard Condara, owned by Victoria Heurtematte; and Shane Sweetnam (IRL) riding RR Combella, owned by Voquest LLC, ultimately took home silver after a rocky start on 12 faults in the first round. They redeemed themselves in round two by leaving all the rails in their cups. Machado stopped the clock in 38.68 seconds for silver.

“I think we’re a great team; we have old friendships and new friendships,” said Ballard of her Roadrunner teammates. “I joked in the warm-up that I don’t think Mclain and I have ever cheered each other on in this way. That diversity of the team is great.” 

Campbell led off for the team in both rounds and set a winning standard. “Mclain told me to go as fast as possible and I was more afraid of Mclain than going slow,” joked Campbell. 

As for what’s next for the Roadrunners, the team will continue on to the second half of the season, now sitting at the top of team standings by six points over the Trelawny Trailblazers. “We’re also getting some new talent for the second half,” hinted Campbell. “They’re going to be good.”