SAUGERTIES, N.Y.--Looking towards the upcoming World Champioships in Aachen Aug. 11-23, McLain Ward on High Star Hero and Liliie Keenan on Fasther kept their horses in competitoin mode by placing in competitions in HITS Saugerties and Riesenbeck, Germany on Saturday, July 18/
McLain Ward on High Star Hero in a WEF Grand Prix (Photo by Sportfot)Laura Kraut, who is named for the U.S.World Championships team on Bisquetta, rode Baloutinue to win the Kingsland Trophy Global Champions League 1.60m speed class in Riesenbeck,
Kraut, world ranked no. 11, won the Longines Global Champion Tour Grand Prix Qualifier by 1.26 seconds, finishing in 71.29 to beat Bertram Allen of Ireland on Conquest de Rigo with Jörne Sprehe of Germany on Toys third in 72.59.
Keenan on Fasther took the last spot in the Saturday class available for prize money - 13th - with Fasther with four faults in 75.0.
In Saugerties, Ward, first to go in the jump-off on High Star Hero in the $116,050 CSI3* Grand Prix on Saturday at HITS Hudson Valley IV, finished second to Mark Bluman of Israel on Ubiluc.
ALTHOUGH he didn't appear to be hurrying, Ward finished clean in the eight horse jump-off in 36.47 to set the time to beat.
Riding in heavy rain that began in the middle of the class, Bluman, finished clean in 35.37 for the win, while Daniel Bluman of Isreal on Gemma W was third in 37.69.
Ward, world ranked no. 13, also finished fifth on Supersox ter Leydonck.
“We’re triers, you know,” said Bluman. “So I watched McLain’s jump-off and I said, ‘Ah, we’ll give it a shot; what’s the worst that can happen?’
“I never think the door is closed in a jump-off,” he said. “I’m always going to try to beat whoever’s winning. So, yeah, his jump-off was extremely fast, but today the cards were on our side of the table.”
“Ubiluc’s super experienced and he moves quite fast across the ground,” said Bluman. “I stuck to my plan with the numbers, and I think I did exactly the same numbers as McLain did. My horse is just a little bit slicker than his horse. I caught a good gallop from fence one and I just rode it all the way around, and Ubiluc responded very well.”
“We bought Ubiluc when he was 6ars old and he is 14 now,” said Bluman. “I rode him a little bit when he was 6 and 7; then Daniel took over for a few years, and then I got him back. He’s done everything for me. It’s his first show back in two months, and to start again with a win, it’s great, and he doesn’t owe me or the family anything. We’re just getting to enjoy every single run we can get together, and as long as he’s happy, we’re going to continue going.”
The Wards, as a family, had a very successful show, as McLain and Lauren's daughter Lilly was also champion in Small Pony on Celebration.
