Five-time Olympian McLain Ward (USA) and Blossom Z, owned by Ward, Wyndmont, and Heller, brought home their second consecutive win at the Hampton Classic on Friday, riding to victory in the $37,000 1.50m Jumper Classic in a time of 57.410 seconds.
Ward and the 11-year-old Zangersheide mare shaved over a full second off Jonathan Corrigan’s time of 59.000 seconds. Corrigan (IRL) piloted Andrea Vogel’s Fair Play, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, through the first of 22 rounds. The 14-effort course was designed by Ireland’s Alan Wade.
“It’s always nice to win, and Blossom performed beautifully,” Ward said. “There’s been a monumental effort this week by the Hampton Classic and their entire management team. We had some issues with the turf and a year off with COVID, so the environment has changed. They really moved Heaven and Earth – literally – to be able to get us back to the Grand Prix Ring for the weekend on all-weather footing. I think it worked and we’ll have some great sport.”
“Jonathan had the unenviable position of going first in a speed class, which is always difficult,” Ward added. “And with the new ground, we weren’t 100 percent sure how the horses were going to react. I think the advantage of the order was a big deal.”
Adrienne Sternlicht (USA) was the only other rider to beat Corrigan’s round, stopping the clock at a second-place time of 58.400 seconds aboard Lafayette Van Overis, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Starlight Farms 1 LLC. Corrigan and Fair Play ultimately finished third.
source: Press Release
