Text © World of Showjumping

The victory in Friday's CSIO5* 1.50m Van Lanschot Kempen Prize at the 75th edition of CHIO Rotterdam went to USA's McLain Ward and the 11-year-old First Lady (Don Diarado x Lordanos).

"First Lady is a horse we have been bringing along since she was seven, turning eight," Ward explained to World of Showjumping after their victory. "Her owner Robin Parsky has been a wonderful owner for the US, for many top riders. First Lady started jumping three and four-star Grand Prixs this year and this is her first tour that we brought her to Europe for." 

"She is naturally pretty fast horse, I actually thought I left a little bit of room," Ward said about his round. "I am lucky that it held up. She is a quick horse, we did most of the leave out strides and she is quite efficient." 

With a time of 63.63, Ward – current world number 15 – took the win ahead of Sweden's Peder Fredricson and SV Vroom de la Pomme Z (Vigo d'Arsouilles x Untouchable) in second in 63.99. The hosts' Pim Mulder (NED) and Dunaghmore (Ustinov x Cruising) placed third in 64.66, followed by Ioli Mytilineou (GRE) and Casanova Hästak SWB (Cosmeo x Diamant de Semilly) in fourth in 64.85 and Khaled Almobty (KSA) aboard Spacecake (Stakkatol x Kannan) in fifth in 65.00.