McLain Ward

McLain Ward began his riding career at a young age, encouraged by his parents who were professionals in the equestrian industry. In 1990, at the age of 14, he achieved national recognition by becoming the youngest rider to win the United States Equestrian Federation’s Show Jumping Derby. Ten weeks later, he also became the youngest rider to win the USET Medal Finals, making him the first and youngest to secure both titles in the same year. This early success led to him being nicknamed “The Kid.” His father, Barney Ward, a Grand Prix winner in 1982, saw his son emulate this achievement 20 years later when McLain won the same Grand Prix of Devon in 2002. Key career moments for McLain include winning the World Cup Final on HH Azur and the Spruce Meadows Masters on Sapphire. He has maintained a family-oriented operation, working with the McKeever family, who have been part of Castle Hill for over 30 years.

Ward transitioned to Olympic competition in 2004, earning a team gold medal at the Athens Olympic Games. He continued to achieve success at subsequent Olympic Games, including another team gold in Beijing in 2008 and team silver medals in Rio de Janeiro (2016), Tokyo (2020), and Paris (2024). These five Olympic medals underscore his consistent performance at the highest level of the sport. His career also features multiple World Championship and Pan American Games medals, including individual gold at the 2015 Pan American Games with Rothchild and a team gold at the 2011 Pan American Games with Nikita F. In 2017, he won the Longines FEI World Cup Championship with HH Azur in his 17th appearance at the final, completing the week with no penalties across five rounds of jumping.

In April 2017, McLain Ward achieved the world’s number one ranking in the Longines FEI rankings, a position he held through June of that year. This marked a significant personal and national milestone, as it was the first time two Americans were simultaneously at the top of the Longines FEI world rankings, with Kent Farrington holding the second spot. Horses like HH Azur, a consistent partner in many of his major victories, concluded her career in 2023 after winning two Grand Slam Majors: the Rolex CSI5* GP at Geneva in December 2022 and the Rolex CSI5* GP at the Dutch Masters in early 2023. McLain Ward and his wife, Lauren, have two daughters, Lilly and Madison, and operate from Castle Hill Farm in Brewster, NY, and Wellington, FL.