LEXINGTON, Ky.--While their fathers were in France competing in the Olympics, Olivia Sweetnam and Lilly Ward were furthering their budding careers in this country.
Olivia Sweetnam on HDB QualifyOlivia, who is still competing as a junior, won her first Grand Prix, and Lilly, just 7 years old, in her first year competing in the Pony Finals in Lexington, Ky., won the under saddle class on Celebration.
Olivia has risen up through the ranks, winning in pony hunters, junior hunters and jumpers and equitation, but Thursday night, July 25, at the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, she added a new win to her resume.
Olivia, riding HDB Quality, had her first grand prix victory as she beat an elite field of riders in the $25,000 Kentucky Summer Classic.
“It’s really exciting, especially with such a competitive group in the jump off,” said Olivia. “It’s a really good feeling. I’m proud of myself and my horse. I’ve been riding HDB Quality for a bit over two years now, but my family’s had her for seven years. My dad and two other people in our barn rode her before me, so it’s like a family car. She’s my favorite, and I love her so much. I have a really strong bond with her in and out of the ring and she’s so competitive. I’ve never ridden a horse that has wanted to win as much as her!”
IN THE NINE horse jump-off, Kevin Gallagher on Campinas 4 went first, going clean and setting a fast time to beat of 39.700 seconds.
Lilly Ward won the Small Pony under saddle at the Pony Finals
Olivia was the second to last to return, and with a tight turn to the double combination and quick gallop to the last four fences she finished clean in 37.917 seconds, almost two seconds faster than Gallagher, towin.
Ashley Vogel on Ceres Van Get Moeshof placed third, clean in 41.003 seconds.
Olivia’s win came while her father is in Paris, representing the Irish Show Jumping Team, and she said that having him away added a little pressure.
“I feel a little more that I have to rely on myself and my plan, and my trust in my horse. When he’s here he tells me what to do, but it’s really good for me to be able to go and be a little bit more responsible for myself and my plan.”
The Irish team, anchored by Shane Sweetnam on James Kann Cruz, finished what for them was a disappointing seventh after Irish riders having recently dominated jumping competitions both in this country and abroad.
Lilly began in short stirrup a couple of years ago, and both her father Mclain and mother Lauren had expected her to remain there for at least a year, but Lilly quickly graduated to the small pony division, and this year she qualified two ponies for the Devon Horse Show, where she won ribbons both on the flat and over fences.
McLain and Lauren have worked with Lilly all along, but she has also been training with Charlie Moorcroft of Moorcroft, Inc., since she was just two and a half years old.
Just a few days before the Pony Finals, McLain on Ilex anchored the U.S. team to a Team silver medal.
He tries to get to as many of her competitions as he can, but Lauren goes to all of them and walks the courses with her.
Lauren says she proud of the way that Lilly, as such young age, can remember instructions and carry them out in competition.
