Source:  USEF News Release/Helen Murray

Ward Stands Tenth as US Sends Seven to the Final Round of the Rolex/FEI World Cup Final

 The Rolex/FEI World Cup Final saw a shuffle throughout the standings after the conclusion of the second round this afternoon. With 44 World Cup points up for grabs and the chance to head into the final round on zero faults, clear rounds were at a premium. Forty horse/rider combinations jumped Frank Rothenberger’s impressive track, with seven riders representing six different nations returning for the jump-off.

In Sunday’s final only the top 29 riders from the first two rounds will have the opportunity to jump in the championship. The U.S. will be represented by seven riders in this round and McLain Ward (Brewster, NY) will lead the charge as the top-placed American.

Ward rebounded from Thursday’s first round, which saw him lower two rails despite posting a competitive time. Today, Ward rode Antares F and the pair jumped a stylish clear round to be the third horse to qualify for the jump-off. The Wurttemberger gelding owned by Grant Road Partners, LLC demonstrated immaculate jumping to make light work of Friday’s initial course.

In the jump-off, Ward executed tight smooth turns and utilized Antares F’s huge stride to post the quickest trip of the day, however a rail at the final vertical kept them from claiming top honors.

McLain Ward and Antares F (Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group)

“I went early and was going to try to win the class, I’m not hanging on to any great lead to protect.” Ward said. “I wanted to try to win and there was definitely an option there, but it was a very hard option and it just got a little too far away from me. He made a good effort but that happens sometimes when you try to win.”

Ward stands in 10th place in the standings on 10 faults.

Breathing down his neck is Richard Spooner, who is in equal 11th place on 11 faults. Spooner and the Holsteiner gelding, Cristallo, had a polished performance in the second round, just lowering the second element of the double at fence eight.

Beezie Madden brought her winning partner from Wednesday’s Opening Competition, Coral Reef Via Volo, to Hall One of the Leipzig Exhibition Center for today’s World Cup class. Madden guided Coral Reef Ranch’s mare to the third fastest four-fault round of the day, after having the B element of the triple down at fence four.

The Cazenovia, New York native, heads to the last round of competition tied for 15th place on 12 faults.

Margie Engle and Ashlee Bond were the top-placing Americans after the first round but each found Rothenberger’s course tricky this afternoon. Engle and Gladewinds Farm, Garber, Griese and Hidden Creek Farm’s Indigo faulted at the large oxer at fence three and then had difficulties with fence four, the triple combination, when Indigo and Engle miscommunicated resulting in a stop. Bond and Little Valley Farm’s Cadett 7 faulted in the triple as well having a rail at the middle element, later in the course they also lowered fences 11 and 13.

Engle currently stands tied for 17th place with 14 faults, while Bond heads into Sunday in 21st with 16 faults.

The remaining two combinations to advance to the final round for the U.S. are Michelle Spadone, 23rd place on 18 faults, and Rich Fellers with 23 faults in 27th place.

Up-and-coming U.S. riders Charlie Jayne, Kirsten Coe and Brianne Goutal will jump in Saturday’s Sparkassen Cup- Grand Prix of Leipzig after having competed in the first two rounds of the 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final.

Canada’s Eric Lamaze and Hickstead won today’s class after besting the field in the jump-off and heads into to the final round in fifth place on six faults. While Germany’s Marco Kutscher and Christian Ahlmann share the lead heading into Sunday both on zero faults.

The 2011 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final champion will be crowned in Hall One of the Leipzig Exhibition Center Sunday afternoon.