DeRosa Daily - The 2007 Rolex FEI Las Vegas World Cup

USA's McLain Ward Rocks the Thomas & Mack Arena
Taking the Lead in the First Show Jumping World Cup Round

The first Show Jumping World Cup round took place on Thursday night, April 19th, at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas. Without a doubt, that class will be one that will go down in the record books. The victory ultimately went to McLain Ward and Sapphire after they danced around a speed course with the grace of a figure skater, the dexterity of a gymnast and the apparent ease of an equitation round.

While some riders admitted the course was not the largest first round World Cup course they’d ever jumped, Markus Beerbaum felt “it was a good first round for my horse.” Markus was also pleased with his second place finish on the Oldenburg mare Leena. At the 2005 World Cup it was his wife Meredith that claimed that year’s World Cup title. In this class she would finish 8th on Shutterfly. Photo: Marcus Beerbaum by Diana DeRosa

What made this class exciting wasn’t just the incredible round that McLain and Sapphire negotiated but the fact that early in the class there was an amazing consecutive string of victories. First Mandy Porter (USA) on Summer (73.19) took the lead, then Gerco Schroder NED) on Eurocommerce Milan stole the lead (72.27). Daniel Deusser (GER) on Air Jordan Z wasn’t about to let it alone and they totaled 71.78 to go to the head of the class, followed by Schuyler Riley on Ilian (70.40). Two horses later Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst (GER) aboard Candy (66.75) set a new time to beat. Finally it was Markus and Leena who negotiated a round that seemed it would be near impossible to beat (65.29).