March 24, 2025 
It’s a moment McLain Ward is intimately familiar with. His fans worldwide are too.
“McLain Ward has to go clear,” the announcer declared as Ward and Clinta made their opening preparations in the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games Team Jumping Championship in Tryon. Riding anchor for his team with victory on the line, Ward had literally zero room for error in America’s quest for gold.
The buzzer sounded. Ward got a gallop. He didn’t let up.
Thankfully, we know how it ends: Ward and Clint stuck the landing and, more importantly, kept those last, pivotal oxer rails in the cups, earning Team USA its first-ever WEG gold medal. It was a history-making moment for American show jumping, but it was far from Ward’s last time in the hot seat.
On Saturday during the Longines League of Nations™ Ocala, it was a repeat of that all-too-familiar scenario. Ward, once again riding anchor for the USA, was certainly feeling the pressure—but all he could do was smile.
“With the number of times I’ve been in that position, I would be lying if I didn’t say that it isn’t filled with some nerves and anxiety,” Ward said after the class. “I was going down the ramp and I held for a moment, and when [German Sophie Hinners] jumped a clear, I got a smile on my face.
“My thought was, Okay, game on. This is what we do,’ and you focus and go in and do your best to deliver.”
Deliver, Ward did, of course, helping Team USA to clinch first place and 100 Longines League of Nations points for their troubles. The team finished on 4 faults, the result of a single rail down from Laura Kraut and Dorado 212, who were making their first Nations Cup appearance of the season. Aaron Vale and Carissimo 25 also had a rail down in Round 1; they became the drop score and did not return to jump in Round 2.
According to Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, the lineup of experienced combinations was an intentional choice for this key, home-soil Nations Cup in Ocala. It was also a prescient decision, given that the American win would come down to a single, nail biting time fault for Germany—the latter team taking second on a total of 5 faults. Belgium finished third on 13.
“I’m incredibly grateful to ride for Team USA. Every time I get to ride alongside these riders, who I’ve looked up to for as long as I’ve ridden horses, is special,” said Ward’s student Lillie Keenan, who logged back-to-back clears with her partner of three years, the 15-year-old Selle Français gelding Argan de Beliard.
“To win on home soil and everyone really share in this moment as such an incredible venue. It’s incredible to be able to celebrate it here with a home win.”
Ward’s expressive mount of one year, Ilex, posted a similarly impressive pair of zeros. The 12-year-old KWPN gelding and Ward’s pick for the 2024 Paris Games has become an increasingly reliable partner for the five-time Olympic medalist in team competition.
In fact, Ilex—the former ride of Brazil’s Fabio Leivas Da Costa—jumps clear at 44% in 16 rounds at 1.60m with Ward over the last year. But the pair also finishes in the top 10 at a significantly higher 64% clip, according to Jumpr Stats. And they’ll need those kind of numbers in the months to come.
Next up, the U.S. will field a squad for the independent Nations Cup at Rome CSIO5* in late May. But now, with a win under their belts, they’ll also be looking to up their game in the Longines League of Nations standings.
America is currently ranked fourth on 140 points behind tied, series leaders Germany and Ireland on 170 points; France sits in third on 150. This spring, the series moves on to Europe and Rotterdam (NED) on June 20 for the first of two final series legs ahead of Longines League of Nations Final in Barcelona in early October.
