At the Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows, six-time U.S. Olympian McLain Ward secured victory in the CSI3* $65,000 New York Welcome Stake aboard High Star Hero, clocking a faultless time of 31.62 seconds. The event featured a challenging 16-effort course designed by Alan Wade, with 40 entries from nine nations competing at a height of 1.50m.
In the jump-off, Jordan Coyle of Ireland initially set a fast pace with a time of 32.93 seconds on King Kannan GP, followed closely by Daniel Bluman from Israel, who finished in 32.33 seconds with Hummer Z. Ward’s performance was highlighted by his strategic riding and the capabilities of his horse, which he described as wonderfully talented.
Ward expressed confidence in his horse’s recent performances and looked forward to competing in Europe, where he plans to use both High Star Hero and his other horse, First Lady, in upcoming events, including the Nations Cup in Rome. Bluman and Coyle rounded out the top three positions in the competition.
