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McLain Ward and Zander shine in 1.50m Final

Mar 24, 2013

McLain Ward (USA) and his promising young mount Zander were the winners in Saturday night's $100,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Final during week eleven of the 2013 FTI Consulting Winter Equestrian Festival (FTI WEF) in Wellington. The pair led a high-speed jump-off over second place finishers Janne Friederike Meyer of Germany aboard Cellagon Lambrasco and third place duo Pablo Barrios of Venezuela riding Zara Leandra. Great Britain's Ben Maher and Quiet Easy 4 topped the eleven-week series championship standings and were awarded the top bonus following the class.

Richard Jeffery of Bournemouth, England, set the course for 48 entries in Saturday night's 1.50m final, held under the lights in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC). Only six were able to master the track to advance to the jump-off and four went double clear in an exciting race against the clock for the tie breaker. McLain Ward and Zander, a nine-year-old KWPN gelding by Cantos x Saygon, took the win with their pace of 43.86 seconds.

Finishing in second, Janne Friederike Meyer and Cellagon Lambrasco, owned by Meyer, Friedrich and Anne Sophie, stopped the clock in 45.12 seconds. Pablo Barrios and ZL Goup, Inc.'s Zara Leandra were close behind in 45.32 seconds, and Reed Kessler and Ligist had the fourth double clear round in 45.94 seconds. Brazil's Carlos Ribas and Ronaldo, owned by Ribas and Roberto de la Real, actually had the fastest round of the jump-off in 43.53 seconds, but had the second to last fence down for fifth place.

Final Results: $100,000 Suncast® 1.50m Championship Jumper Classic Final

1. ZANDER: MCLAIN WARD (USA) 0/0/43.86

2. CELLAGON LAMBRASCO: JANNE FRIEDERIKE MEYER (GER) 0/0/45.12

3. ZARA LEANDRA: PABLO BARRIOS (VEN) 0/0/45.32

4. LIGIST: REED KESSLER (USA) 0/0/45.94

5. RONALDO: CARLOS RIBAS (BRA) 0/4/43.53

6. TACKERAY: LAUREN HOUGH (USA) 0/RT

7. CAMILLE Z: ATHINA ONASSIS DE MIRANDA (GRE) 1/85.38

8. KING KOLIBRI: LAUREN TISBO (USA) 1/86.19

9. UNICO: MARIO GAMBOA (COL) 4/77.94

10. HH LET'S FLY: RODRIGO PESSOA (BRA) 4/79.98

11. GRACE 319: JANNE FRIEDERIKE MEYER (GER) 4/80.74

Source Lauren Fisher and Laura Cardon for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.