Calgary, Alberta—June 14  

Last to go in a blazingly fast 11-horse jump-off, McLain Ward knew he’d have to pull out all the stops to win.

Lucky for him, Rothchild, or “Bongo,” knows just how to pin his ears, grit his teeth and dig in. “The horse really came through strong to the last fence because he had helped me out a little bit. It was a hard question to ask him,” Ward said.

So, for the second year in a row, Ward and Rothchild emerged victorious in the $210,000 CP Grand Prix during the Continental Tournament at Spruce Meadows.

It all came down to the wire in the tournament’s final event, as Ward and Rothchild went last in an 11-horse jump-off to win by 9/100s of a second. Todd Minikus and Babalou 41 finished second, and Richard Spooner and Chivas Z placed third.

Ward had seen Eric Lamaze slip in the tight rollback to the second to last jump and have it down, but he took his chances and turned tighter. Despite his own slip there, Rothchild gave it his all to clear the final obstacles.
 
“Todd set a hell of a jump-off round,” Ward noted. “I did not need to see it. I knew what the time was and I had seen [Spooner] go. I knew I had to do the best I could. I was a little bit lucky at the second to last, but my horse scrambled over it. Then there was nothing really to lose to the last and it worked out.

“I did notice Eric slip; it was hard not to notice,” Ward detailed. “I always think in that situation, especially a competition of this caliber, you cannot make the choice to then go wide. It is really not an option to go wide because then you lose, so I knew I was going to try to turn. I also slipped a little bit, but I got away with it and then I was lucky to pick up on a good distance to the last.”

Determination was written all over Rothchild and McLain Ward’s faces on their way to the top of the $210,000 CP Grand Prix. Photo by Lauren Fisher/Jennifer Wood Media 

Ward and Rothchild, a 14-year-old Belgian Sport Horse gelding (Artos—Elegant de L’Ile), were recently named to the U.S. team for the Pan American Games in July. With that on the horizon, as well as the chance to earn back-to-back victories in the grand prix, the rider was hoping for a good result.
 

“It is always hard to defend a win because there is nowhere to go but down,” he admitted. “I was really happy with it. We have been trying to build Rothchild up for the Pan Am Games. He has had a slightly up and down year. I jumped him here on Thursday and ended up actually scratching him on Friday because a storm was blowing in right when I was going to go. He is not a great horse in the rain and at this point in his career I don’t need to force the issue, but it paid off well. I am really thrilled that he is in good form and I hope we can just try to maintain that into the Pan Am Games in Toronto.”
 

Anthony D’Ambrosio set the course for the grand prix, with 49 starters in the first round, 11 advancing to the jump-off, and five double-clear rounds. Spooner was first to jump off aboard his own Chivas Z, and threw down the gauntlet with a speedy round in 42.03 seconds. Minikus and Two Swans Farm’s Babalou 41 were faster in 40.98 seconds to take over the lead.

Georgina Bloomberg and Gotham Enterprizes’ Lilli followed with a steady clear round in 49.72 seconds to eventually place fifth. Conor Swail of Ireland returned with a clear in 45.65 seconds to place fourth aboard Grand Cru vd Vijf Eiken, owned by Vanessa Mannix. Last to go, McLain Ward and Sagamore Farm’s Rothchild laid it all on the line in the winning time of 40.89.
 

Minikus and Babalou 41 are the alternates for United States’ Pan American team, so Minikus was also happy to have a great result leading up to the Games. Babalou has stepped up to have great success this year at just 10 years of age.
 

Todd Minikus and Babalou 41 on their way to second in the $210,000 CP Grand Prix. Photo by Lauren Fisher/Jennifer Wood Media

“She has had a great year,” Minikus stated. “We started off a little rough here at Spruce Meadows last week to tell you the truth, but today she jumped great. It took a week or so for her to grow up here and understand. She has not had a lot of experience on the grass.

“I have been back a couple of times for the Masters [tournament in September], but I have not been here for the summer since 1997,” Minikus detailed. “My mare is the alternate for the Pan Ams and she needs the experience, so we are back and we are glad to be back.”
 

Commenting on his jump-off, Minikus noted, “I was a little cautious in the rollback to the wall in the jump-off, and McLain was probably inside of me there. I have been a fan of Rothchild since he was a young horse. I always razz McLain that I should have been his rider, so to get beat by him is just OK. I am more than happy to be second and hopefully now I can get my mare organized for the rest of the tour here.”
 

Final Results: $210,000 CP Grand Prix

1. ROTHCHILD Belgian Sport Horse / G / 14 Artos x Elegant de L’Ile
MCLAIN WARD (USA) BREWSTER, NY Sagamore Farm: 0/0/40.89

2. BABALOU 41 Oldenburg / M / 10 Balou de Rouet x Silvio I
TODD MINIKUS (USA) LOXAHATCHEE, FL Two Swans Farm: 0/0/40.98

3. CHIVAS Z Zangersheide / G / 16 Cumano x Lord Gotthard
RICHARD SPOONER (USA) AGUA DULCE, CA Richard Spooner: 0/0/42.03

4. GRAND CRU VD VIJF EIKEN Belgian Warmblood / S / 9 Contact VD Heffinck x Heartbreaker
CONOR SWAIL (IRL) DARRAGH CROSS DOWN Vanessa Mannix: 0/0/45.65

5. LILLI Brandenburg / M / 11 Lefevre x Diamir
GEORGINA BLOOMBERG (USA) NEW YORK, NY Gotham Enterprizes, LLC: 0/0/49.72

6. CYLANA Belgian Warmblood / M / 13 Skippy II x Darco
REED KESSLER (USA) LEXINGTON, KY Kessler Show Stables: 0/4/41.30

7. SUMAS ZORRO Irish Sport Horse / M / 11 Ard Vdl Douglas x Unknown
SAMEH EL DAHAN (EGY) BALLYCLARE Joanne Sloan-Allen & Sameh El Dahan: 0/4/43.59

8. COCO BONGO Rheinlander / S / 10 PRH Caretino x Calido
ERIC LAMAZE (CAN) SCHOMBERG, ON Artisan Farms, LLC: 0/4/44.86

9. H&M FOREVER D ARCO Belgian Warmblood / S / 10 Darco x Tenor Manciais
NICOLA PHILIPPAERTS (BEL) GRUITRODE Ludo Philippaerts & Frans Lens: 0/4/45.16

10. POLINSKA DES ISLES Selle Francais / M / 12 Diamant de Semilly x Valespoir Malabry
FRANCOIS MATHY (BEL) BELGIUM Team Harmony & Francois Mathy: 0/8/45.21

11. ROYCE Oldenburg / S / 11 Cafe au Lait x Grandilot
MARGIE ENGLE (USA) WEST PALM BEACH FL Elm Rock LLC: 0/8/45.92

12. CORTES C Belgian Warmblood / G / 13 Randel Z x Darco
BEEZIE MADDEN (USA) CAZENOVIA, NY Abigail Wexner: 4/86.26