In just the blink of an eye, Sapphire and McLain Ward captured the $921,560 CN International Grand Prix at the Spruce Meadows Masters today, Sept. 13, in a heart-stopping jump-off with reigning Olympic individual medalists Eric Lamaze and Hickstead.

In the end, the difference was .02 seconds. 

“He [Eric] was nice enough to take a pull [on the reins],” said Ward with a smile. “And I’ll take it.”

Indeed, Ward took home first-placed prize money of $299,554, with Lamaze, the class winner in 2007, earning $184,341 for his gallant efforts.

“I think I went as fast as he could go,” said Lamaze shaking his head. “It’s just that competitive.”

Ward and Sapphire took to the jump-off course first this afternoon. “I was trying to take all the risks since it was just the two of us,” said Ward. They shaved turns and galloped where they could, stopping the clock in 37.76 seconds.

Then Lamaze and Hickstead entered the ring with the all-time record home crowd of 72,736 cheering him on in Calgary, Alta. Hickstead’s lofty jumps, combined with his quick turns and big gallops, kept the crowd involved the entire way around. And when he cleared their nemesis Dutch bicycle fence, which cost him a $450,000 bonus last year, the electric atmosphere doubled in amps. Then when Lamaze cleared the final fence, the CN planks, they went wild. With the crowd thundering in applause, it took just a moment for all eyes to turn to the clock tower scoreboard where the ranking read: 2.

“I was trying everything I could,” said Lamaze. “I just fell a little short.”

Great Britain prodigy Ben Maher aboard Robin Hood W placed third with 1 time fault over the impressive two-round test set by Leopoldo Palacios.

“When I saw the jump-off, I was quite glad I wasn’t in it,” Maher said with a smile. “This is one of the best jump-offs I’ve seen anywhere.”

It took a lot of talent, guts and a bit of luck to jump a clear in the first round of this year’s CN, and just 10 of the 45 starters managed to combine all of those attributes. Two more jumped clear with 1 time fault to qualify for the second round.

Other than Ward, no other U.S. riders qualified for the second round. Beezie Madden and Danny Boy dropped just one rail over the first-round course to finish 16th. They were the one and only pair that suffered directly from the breezy conditions when the Canadian planks blew down in front of them as they approached fence 9. After the jump was reset they continued on but dropped the B element of the triple combination at fence 11.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany did ride today after her fall in the BMO Nations Cup yesterday. She and Shutterfly never got into sync, however, and placed 41st with 24 faults.

U.S. rider Lauren Hough, who had a double-clear performance in the Nations Cup, couldn’t duplicate the effort and picked up 8 faults for 21st place. Likewise, Richard Spooner and Cristallo had 8 faults for 23rd place.

Hillary Dobbs and Quincey B were 26th with 12 faults, and Ashlee Bond and Cadett 7 were right behind with their own score of a dozen.

With 10 first-round clears, most everyone expected a jump-off but some began to wonder as the faults accrued rapidly in the second round. The toughest spot on course was the CN Train double of oxers at 10AB, which fell regularly. In fact, Ward had a scare at the B element when Sapphire rapped the back rail but it fell back into place.
 
Ward credited his team for keeping Sapphire, now 14, in top shape and said he couldn’t have achieved this major goal without them. “I’m very lucky to be part of such a great team,” he said. “We’re only as good as two things—our horse and our staff.”
 
Ward and Lamaze enjoyed some conversation while standing in line for the awards ceremony and shared some of their conversation.
 
“Eric and I were saying how spoiled we are. We’re blessed to be in these horses’ lives,” said Ward.
 
CN International Grand Prix

    1.    Sapphire/McLain Ward, 0-0/37.76
    2.    Hickstead/Eric Lamaze, 0-0/37.78
    3.    Robin Hood W/Ben Maher, 1
    4.    Cellagon Lambrasco/Janne Friederike Meyer, 5.    Okidoki/Albert Zoer, 8
    6.    Southwind VDL/Cameron Hanley, 9
    7.    Kellemoi de Pepita/Michel Robert, 12
    8.    Aboyeur W/Daniel Deuser, 13
    9.    Rosinus/Geoff Billington, 13
    10.    Murkas Pon D’Ami/Peter Charles, 13
    11.    BMC Loving Dancer/Pius Schwizer, 16
    12.    Exquis Walnut de Muze/Harrie Smolders, 16