Articles: Press Release
Sapphire and McLain Ward Score Huge Victory in Legendary CN International at
Spruce Meadows Masters
Contact:
United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.
4047 Iron Works Parkway
Lexington, KY 40511-8483
Tel: (859) 258-2472
Fax (859) 231-6662
Web site: www.usef.org
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2009
Lexington, KY - Somehow Sapphire keeps getting better. Already the owner of
two Olympic Team Gold medals from 2004 and 2008 with rider McLain Ward, the
14-year-old Belgian mare continues to add accolades to her sparkling resume
across the globe.
This time it was the CN International at the Spruce Meadows Masters. One of
the most prestigious (and richest worth $1m CAD) Grand Prixes on the
planet, Sapphire and Ward were one of only two second round clears over
Leopoldo Palacios tough track, which proved too testing for the other 43
horses in the field. This forced a jump off with reigning Individual Gold
Medalist Eric Lamaze and Hickstead (CAN).
Sapphire prevailed by less than 3/100ths of a second in a jump-off for the
ages.
This win ran her current Grand Prix streak to three and further wrote her
place in history as one of the legendary jumpers in the game.
Owned by Ward and Blue Chip Bloodstock, the hugely popular mare always
delivers when the stakes are the highest. She made the trip from her home at
Wards farm in Brewster, NY to Calgary worth every mile, picking up $325,000
CAD for her unbelievable effort.
ENDS
For complete results, including details on the US Teams runner-up finish in
the Nations Cup, please visit: http://www.sprucemeadows.com/masters.htm
For more information, please contact Joanie Morris at jmorris@usef.org.
The vision of the United States Equestrian Federation is to provide
leadership
for equestrian sport in the United States of America by promoting the
pursuit
of excellence from the grassroots to the Olympic Games, based on a
foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare
of its human and equine athletes.
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