AACHEN,Germany--McLain Ward on High Star Hero placed third behind Nina Mallevaey and Shane Sweetnam in the Winning Round on Saturday, July 5 at Aache.
McLain Ward on High Star Hero (Photo by Jenny Abrahamsson for Worldofshowjumping)As last to go in a winning round of 10, France’s Nina Mallevaey on My Clementine who won the CSIO5* 1.55m Allianz-Prize.
With the exact number of 10 clears over Frank Rothenberger’s first round-track of 13 fences and 16 efforts, it got just right for the winning round.
As second to go against the clock, it was McLain Ward who set the time to beat with a clear round in 53.02 seconds.
But two riders later Sweetnam of Ireland blazed around the track on Coriaan van Klapscheut Z to go clean in 51.25 seconds.
It was not until the very last in the ring that Sweetnam’s time would get challenged by the world’s leading U25 rider who has been on fire over the last three months to rocket up the rankings.
LIGHTNING FAST over the shortened track with her agile and speedy chestnut mare, Mallevaey was cheered and whistled on by the crowds down the last line, and flying over the final oxer she crossed the timers in 50.59 seconds to snatch the win from Sweetnam.
Ward had to settle for third, while Rene Dittmer of Germany was fourth, followed by Georgia Tame of Great Britain. fifth on Be Golden.
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“I am more than happy, just to be here in Aachen is already a dream, and to win is even more special,” Nina Mallevaey said. “I have a very good horse in My Clementine, and I am so grateful to have the ride on her. It was a very good position to go last, I could see the other rounds. I know Clementine is really fast, so I tried to go as fast as I could, and she was just perfect. I think I was not so fast in the beginning, and then I thought I need to go faster. My Clementine is so careful and so smart, she did everything right. I am really happy.”
“Just the show here in Aachen is amazing, with the arena and the best riders,” she said. “I have been dreaming of this. I have been watching this show for years, and to be part of this now is a dream come true. I really like the atmosphere; I like it when you can feel a bit of pressure, it makes me want to be even better – here, it is amazing.”
“I knew with Nina coming, that she has a very fast horse that has won a lot of classes, and it’s an Irish horse as well, so that makes it a little bit easier to take,” tsaid Sweetnam. “But I am really happy with my horse, he is still a bit green at this level, and this week he has learned so much. This is the pinnacle of the sport, for him to go and perform like that today makes me feel confident about his future. For his experience level, I probably did the right thing at the right time; I think his day will come.”
“I am very proud of my horses this week, everyone has been jumping phenomenal,” said Ward. “I added a stride to the green double, and I didn’t get great to the third fence, which cost me time. But, I think to catch Nina today even if I did everything right would have been difficult, so hats off to her.”
