USA Fourth and Sixth in Grand Prix of Aachen, Sapphire Declared Horse of the Show

As a crowning achievement for a superb United States team performance at the World Equestrian Festival, Sapphire, owned by the Double H Farm, was declared Horse of the Show Sunday.

The award was made after Sapphire, a 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood, carried McLain Ward of Brewster, New York through two clear rounds to make the jump-off of the $300,000 Prize Of Aachen Münchener, The Grand Prix of Aachen. The pair finished fourth and picked up prize money of $28,000.

Last Friday, Sapphire was Ward’s mount in jumping two clear rounds to lead the United States to triumph in the seventh Samsung Super League event, one of eight premier international show jumping competitions. The Super League pits eight top nations against each other in Nations Cup formatted competitions. As one of only two riders with double clear rounds and with Ward suffering a broken collar bone, the American rider has become a crowd and media sensation in Europe.

“An amazing horse,” Ward said. “Basically, she has been carrying me around. To be named horse of a show where you have the best 40 horses and riders in the world is very special. She gets two days off before she goes to Calgary for Spruce Meadows, where she’ll meet up with her owners, the Harrison family,” Ward revealed.

Ward, who said that he had come to Aachen rusty after three weeks off since suffering the collar bone break a month ago, admitted that his shoulder “hurts like hell,” but the success of Sapphire and his win with Goldika in the morning class on Sunday was worth the pain.

Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, New York, on Abigail Wexner’s Authentic finished in sixth place in the Grand Prix of Aachen, while Jeffery Welles of Ridgefield, Connecticut, on Armani, owned by Kimmel Yeager Equine, finished 18th. Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, on Anthem, owned by Summit Syndicate, wound up 25th.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum rode Shutterfly, the 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding that she owns with the Octavia Farms LLC, to the well received victory in the Prize of Aachen Münchener, The Grand Prix of Aachen.

Official Results - Prize of Aachen Münchener, The Grand Prix of Aachen.

Jumping Competition with two rounds and jump-off

1 - SHUTTERFLY – HANN -Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) - (0) 41.31 JumpOff
2 - CLINTON – HOLST - Dirk Demeersman (BEL) (0) 41.85 Jump-Off
3 - CAVALOR CUMANO – HOLST -Jos Lansink (BEL) -(0) 42.39 Jump-Off
4 - SAPPHIRE – BWP - McLain Ward (USA)Double H Farm (4) 42.04 Jump-Off
5 - TIJL VAN HET PALLIETERLAND – BWP - Steve Guerdat (SUI) (2) 91.20
6 - AUTHENTIC – KWPN-Beezie Madden (USA) Abigail Wexner (4) 81.92