AACHEN, Germany--Mclain Ward won one class on Clinta and placed second in another on HH Azur, and Margie Engle also won a class at CHIO Aachen, but the U.S. didn't fare quite that well in the Grand Prix, with Beezie Madden being the highest placed American in sixth.

MclainWard on Clinta (file photo) Ward of Brewster, N.Y., won the CSI5* Prize of North Rhine-Westfalia on his exciting new grey mare Clinta, and he placed second on HH Azur in the Preis von Europa.

In a race against the clock, Margie Engle and Dicas, the nine-year-old Rheinlander gelding owned by Gladewinds Partners LLC, came out on top to win the SAP-Prize with 65.97 seconds and a clear round.

Against a field of some of the best show jumpers in the world, the U.S. show jumping contingent showed its depth and talent in the Grand Prix of Aachen on Sunday evening, July 15.

AS THE first leg of the Grand Slam of Show Jumping, the Grand Prix of Aachen puts one million euros on the line and a chance for show jumpers to have their name engraved on the historical pillars at Aachen.

Four U.S. horse-and-rider combinations qualified for this prestigious and historic grand prix, including Madden of Cazenovia, N.Y, on Darry Lou, Abigail Wexner’s 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion; Laura Kraut of Wellington, Fla., riding Zeremonie, Old Willow Farms LLC’s 11-year-old Holsteiner mare, Devin Ryan of Long Valley, N.J., on Eddie Blue, LL Show Jumpers, LLC’s 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, and Ward riding HH Azur, the 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare he owns with Double H Farm.

Madden Beezie on DarryLou (Photo by Brinkman)Madden and Darry Lou placed sixth, and Ryan on Eddie Blue finished 12th.

The Grand Prix of Aachen is a two round competitons with a jump-off if there are any ties after the two rounds.

Both Kraut and Madden had a rail in the first round.

With only the top 18 combinations moving on to jump the second round, Madden and Darry Lou's time of 85.17 was enough to put them into competition for round two.

But as time differentiated between those wit equal faults, Kraut's time wasn't among the fastest of the four faulters, ans she was eliminated.

In his first time in Aachen, Ryan steered Eddie Blue to a clear round with a time of 85.74, and Ward and HH Azur also jumped a clear round with a time of 84.70,so three U.S. combinations were set to contest the second round of the Grand Prix.

Madden and Darry Lou were first to go for the United States in round two and jumped a clear round, with a time of 68.70,

Madden set the pace as the first combination clear in the second round, but her rail in the first round kept her from the jump-off.

Ryan had an unfortunate rail on the final jump that cost them a spot in the jump-off.

A jump-off spot was not to be for Ward and HH Azur either, as the combination retired in the second round.

Marcus Ehning of Germany and Pret A Tout won the Grand Prix in the jump-off with a time of 38.34.