1. McLain Ward was born on October 17,1975 and is an American show jumping competitor and five-time Olympic medalist.
31 Facts About McLain Ward
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At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Ward won the team jumping gold medal for the United States, together with Peter Wylde, Beezie Madden, and Chris Kappler.
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McLain Ward again won team jumping gold at the 2008 Olympic Games, riding Sapphire alongside teammates Laura Kraut, Beezie Madden and Will Simpson.
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At the 2016 Summer Olympics, McLain Ward won team jumping silver for the United States.
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McLain Ward was born in Mount Kisco, New York to Barney McLain Ward and Kristine Lindsey.
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McLain Ward graduated from Greenwich Country Day School in 1993.
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McLain Ward's parents were professionals in the horse industry and encouraged him to ride.
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McLain Ward's father was his main business partner for much of his life.
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McLain Ward won the Hampton Classic Grand Prix aboard his Selle Francais bay gelding, Twist Du Valon, in 1998 and 1999.
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McLain Ward became the youngest rider ever to reach the $1 million prize money mark in grand prix competition in 1999.
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At the 2004 Olympic Games, McLain Ward won the team jumping gold representing the United States.
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McLain Ward rode with a broken collarbone in the 2005 Samsung Super League when the United States team won the Championship.
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McLain Ward found himself at the center of controversy at the 2010 World Cup Final in Geneva, Switzerland.
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In July 2010, the FEI and McLain Ward agreed, to avoid extensive litigation, that Sapphire was incorrectly eliminated.
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In 2010, McLain Ward was featured in the television series A Rider's Story along with fellow Olympian Laura Kraut.
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That night, McLain Ward won the $100,000 Wells Fargo Grand Prix of Devon.
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November 28,2012 McLain Ward won the $10,000 Welcome Stake aboard Ilan Ferder and Missy Clark's Zhum CW, a Dutch Warmblood.
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At the 2012 Olympics in London, McLain Ward rode for the USA Olympic Equestrian team.
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McLain Ward placed 29th in Individual Jumping-Final Round A, 24th in Individual Jumping-Third Qualifier, 6th in Team Jumping Final Round 2,20th in Individual Jumping Second-Qualifier, 7th in Team Jumping Finial Round 1,1st in Individual Jumping-Final Round, and 5th in Team Jumping-Qualification Round 1.
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At the 2016 Summer Olympics, McLain Ward again rode for the US Team.
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McLain Ward's mount was HH Azur, owned by Double H Farms and Francois Mathy.
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McLain Ward earned a team silver medal, and placed 9th individually.
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McLain Ward stepped into the role of anchor for the team on the final day of team competition after teammate Beezie Madden's horse suffered an injury.
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McLain Ward had near perfect rounds all week, dropping only one rail all week.
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In 2017 McLain Ward won the Longines FEI World Cup Championship.
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McLain Ward won riding his 2016 Olympic mount HH Azur, an 11 year old mare.
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McLain Ward completed the week with no penalties after five rounds of jumping, one rail ahead of the second place rider.
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McLain Ward currently has horses of his own, as well as riding for owners such as Double H Farm of Ridgefield, Conn.
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Recently, McLain Ward has won 5 Grand Prixs at the during the 2020 winter circuit in Wellington, Florida.
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McLain Ward served three years in federal prison, and three years probation.
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McLain Ward has two daughters: Lilly who was born in February 2015 and Madison born in February 2020.