Prior to the start of the Grand Prix, the Hamptons Classic Horse Show had the distinct honor of hosting the retirement ceremony for one of the great horses of show jumping, HH Azur.
McLain Ward’s partnership with HH Azur started in 2015 when Francois Mathy sold half interest in her to Hunter Harrison and his Double H Farm. McLain’s partnership with the 9-year-old blossomed quickly with several wins that first year including the $400,000 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Spruce Meadows.
Just one year later, Azur, affectionately known as “Annie,” and McLain helped the U.S. team win the Silver Medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. The following year, Annie carried McLain to one of his greatest wins, the Longines FEI World Cup championship! Later that same year, Annie and McLain helped the U.S. win the Silver medal at the FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona. These performances led to Annie’s being named the 2017 USEF Horse of the Year and the Chronicle of the Horse Show Jumping Horse of the Year.
For the next few years, McLain was selective about when and where he used Annie, always putting her best interests first while still riding to wins at the 5* and 4* levels.
In 2022, HH Azur stormed back into the headlines, starting with a win in the $216,000 4* Grand Prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, and then adding another 4* win in the $200,000 Empire State Grand Prix at Old Salem and a 5* win at Spruce Meadows. Last fall, she and McLain won the 5* Grand Prix of Geneva and this past March, they added another 5* win at ’s-Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands.
Over the years, Annie won 25 FEI Grand Prix, including 5* wins at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, the Royal in Toronto, Spruce Medows, Rome, Geneva, and ’s-Hertogenbosch, plus 4* wins at Devon, Old Salem and here at the Hampton Classic.
We wish 'Annie' the happiest retirement and lots of fresh meadows.
Photo ©: The Hampton Classic Horse Show - Randolph PR
Source: The Hampton Classic Horse Show