Show Jumping

A charitable gesture shone bright after a hotly contested competition, putting a perspective on what’s important beyond the trappings of victory.

The American Gold Cup show was the venue for great sport, with a new star rising to the top Sunday on his quest to qualify for next spring’s Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping finals in Paris.

The HITS Million in upstate Saugerties, N.Y., was a mesmerizing class, as entry after entry failed to achieve a fault-free trip. The top prize went to a rider who jumped clean, but wasn’t perfect.

His third win at the Long Island show this week was the big one for Daniel Bluman, who took advantage of his spot in the jump-off order to produce the only double-clear in the most important class of all.

The $50,000 Longines Cup was hard-fought over a very difficult course at the high-end show in the heart of Long Island’s playground for the rich and famous.

The world’s most successful three-day event rider earned his third straight victory in the USA’s only 4-star with a ride that wasn’t perfect, but did the trick.

McLain Ward’s cherished ambition became reality in Omaha as he finally won the trophy he had sought for decades.