UPPER MARLBORO, Md.--Lillie Ward on Celebration topped off a spectacular season by winning the Grand Pony Hunter Championship on Sunday, Oct. 25 at the Washington International Horse Show.
Lilly Ward on Celebrations (Photo by Erin Gilmore)Lillie also put the icing on the cake of a winning weekend at Washington for the Ward family as her father McLain won two jumper classes and Lillie Keenan, who trains with McLain, won the President's Cup Grand Prix.
Ward, just 11 years old, won the Small Pony Hunter Stake and under saddle classes and the Small Pony Championship on her way to the Grand Championship, and she also won the Leading Rider/Owner Award.
Eliza Jane St. George on Dream Big was Small Pony Reserve Champion.
It was Lillie and Celebration third consecutive time winning the Small Pony Hunter under saddle, retiring the Winchester Marine Challenge Trophy, which was donated by Robin Wyman 50 years ago.
Ward and “Squiggles” were reserve champions at WIHS in 2025, and they have had a successful 2026, capturing their first grand championship at the Devon Horse Show and following that with the Championship at Pennsylvania National Horse Show.
THIS WAS their first indoor grand championship.
Adding to her great year, Lillie rode King of Heats to be the Medium Pony champion at the Pony Finals and Celebration to be reserve in Small Pony at the Finals.
Ward has been riding Squiggles for three years after getting him as a Christmas present.
“He's a really special ride,” she said of the 15-year-old Welsh Pony gelding owned by McLain. “It's such a great opportunity to get to ride him. He's taught me absolutely everything, like how to ride different varieties of ponies. He definitely has a bit of an attitude, but he's amazing, and I love him so much. He's definitely good to snuggle with.”
While the first day of competition didn’t go as planned, Ward’s mom and trainer, Lauren Ward, kept their confidence high.
“Yesterday was definitely a bit difficult, so I came in today with high expectations to do well,” said Ward. “My mom told me that we still have a shot at. She always tells me, ‘You got this.’ We worked on keeping him straight and focused."
“It's so special to win here because the jumpers go here too,” said Lillie. “It's so fun to watch my dad compete at night. It's definitely really hard to win at WIHS. There are lots of good ponies here.”
"I love the challenge of competing," said Lillie. "But I get as much fun watching Dad as I do competing."
Riding and competing is a family affair.
Lillie's younger sister Madison, known as Maddy, who is 6, has two ponies, Pet Rocks and Long Story Short, and she will show in short stirrup in Florida this winter.
McLain, Lillie and Maddy ride together at home in Brewster, N.Y., two or three times a week.
McLain enjoys watching Lillie compete, making sure wherever he is that he tunes in to livestream to watch, and when they're together at a show he often takes one or both to the press conference with him.
While riding is important, Lillie is also an excellent student, said Lauren.
"She goes to school here in Brewster until we go to Florida, and then she goes to Upper Echelon Academy," said Lauren.
Lillie will compete Celebration and King of Hearts in Florida as well as Golden Ticket in Junior Hunters.
Lillie, although she's 11, is still small, so she'll continue to compete Celebration next year.
At Washington, Marlowe Martin on Valentjin was Medium Pony Hunter champion with Annie Cooper on Hopscotch reserve champions, and Kenzie Mith on Sneak Preview was Large Pony champion and on Orchard Zweed was reserve while Martin won the Best Child Rider on a Pony Award a.
