Omaha, March 30, 2017 – McLain Ward’s victory with HH Azur in tonight’s first leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2017 Final was so smooth that defending double-champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, showered his American opponent with praise. The double-Olympic team gold medallist, who posted the quickest time in 59.27 seconds, explained the course didn’t leave riders with a lot of options.
It was indeed a close-run affair as runner-up, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (35), may well have overtaken him but for a small error between the second and third fences which saw him stop the clock on 59.58. “It should have been seven strides there but I did it in eight, and that was the whisker I think!” he said.
“I’m one of McLain’s biggest fans. On the circuit in Florida I like watching him any time”, the 2012 Olympic champion Guerdat said, after finishing third with a thrilling ride on the fiery mare, Bianca. The niceties will be a thing of the past by tomorrow evening however, because with tonight’s result turned into points, Ward has only a two-point advantage over von Eckermann going into the second competition, while Guerdat is only a single point further adrift.
There’s €1,300,000 in prizemoney and the glory of taking the coveted Longines title to be sorted out by Sunday afternoon.
FULL RESULTS can be viewed here
Classification going into tomorrow’s second competition can be viewed here