February 14, 2023 
U.S.A.’s McLain Ward has had the ride on 15-year-old mare Callas for about a year, but she’s been in close proximity for years.
The Olympic Gold medalist knew the mare was special when he found her back in 2018 for U25 rider Annabel Revers, a student of Max Amaya (ARG). Since then, Revers has undertaken rigorous coursework at Dartmouth University, and so Callas switched saddles for Ward.
On Saturday night, after a year of growth, their partnership reached new heights and with Ward, Callas took her first CSI5* Grand Prix win ever at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). The CHF406,000 Fidelity Investments CSI5* Grand Prix during Week V saw a top 40 start list contest the Frank Rothenberger (GER) designed course, which dwindled to a nine horse jump-off.
In the end, it came down to three familiar combinations; Kent Farrington (USA) with 10-year-old stallion Landon, Darragh Kenny (IRL) aboard 14-year-old stallion Volnay Du Boisdeville, and Ward with Callas. The jump-off round played to Ward’s advantage in more ways than one, the most obvious being Kenny and Farrington went in the ring first.
“It’s always easier when you come after riders like Kent. When you go before you do the best round, but when you go after you certainly are at an advantage,” explained Ward.
Farrington was able to put down a blistering 45.14 second time, while Kenny shaved off fraction of a second putting the time to beat at 45.09 seconds. Both Landon and Volnay Du Boisdeville have logged Grand Prix wins this circuit at WEF, but this Saturday night it was Callas’s turn.
Ward broke 44 seconds, finishing their jump-off with a crisp, clean 44.03 seconds on the clock. Callas has had less than 10 starts at the 1.60m level, but according to Ward she’s been close to a big win for quite some time.
“I’ve had the ride on Callas about a year, come this June. She’s always a spectacular horse with Annie Revers. Her and Lise Revers of Beechwood Stables also own Contagious. [Callas] has just been getting better and better. She’s some great results, knocking on the door, and it was nice to get a big win,” said Ward.
As they’ve grown accustomed over the past year together, they’ve had a scattering of international results, but their first real inklings of success came along the Major League Show Jumping (MLSJ) tour. In September at MLSJ Traverse City, Ward and Callas finished second in the 1.60m Grand Prix behind Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and 10-year-old Csf James Kann Cruz. In December, they repeated the effort for the FEI World Cup Qualifier in Fort Worth, Texas, second only to Daniel Coyle (IRL) and his top mare, 13-year-old Legacy.
This time, what made the difference between second place and first was in the most finite details.
“The jump-off was built for us, there we a lot of left turns and [Callas] turns to the left quicker… I needed the Hermès to show up well off that rollback. As you saw with everybody, you had to make a sharp turn and it was a bit awkward, but I got away with that one. She performed brilliant.”
A brilliant performance is best paired with a little bit of luck, though, which is something the most seasoned athletes know best.
“I was lucky that a couple of the really fast ones had one down!”
Ward capped the weekend with a second win, topping a field of 67 in the CHF75,000 CaptiveOne Advisors CSI5* 1.50m Classic with Alanine De Vains. The 13-year-old Selle Français mare is a new ride for Ward. Sunday’s class was only they second appearance together.
