The fourteen-year-old KWPN mare received her international training under German rider Sophie Hinners before forming a long-term partnership with Thaisa Erwin. With the Australian, the chestnut mare competed in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, finishing 51st individually. The pair also claimed a strong second place in the 5* Grand Prix of Wellington last March and finished sixth in a class of the same caliber in Lexington in 2025.

“I only took over the reins of Hialita about a week ago,” McLain Ward said after his victory. “We’ve since jumped two classes at a lower height, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what the future holds for us.”