Text © World of Showjumping 

USA’s McLain Ward and the 12-year-old gelding High Star Hero (Zazu x Darco) took yet another big win on Thursday, this time in the CSIO5* 1.50m STAWAG Prize at CHIO Aachen 2025. Entering the ring at Soers as third to go, Ward rode an immaculate round to stop the clock on 66.86 seconds –which was a time none of the other riders in the class could match. 

“Hero has been getting better and better through the beginning of the summer, winning Grand Prix qualifiers in both Rome and La Baule,” Ward said to World of Showjumping. “He jumped great here yesterday, but with an unfortunate rail down in the jump-off phase – a little bit a rider error. He is a naturally fast horse with a big stride, so I just wanted to execute my plan and stay smooth – and he really jumped good. Towards the end of the course the lines were getting easy, and then you also worry is that going to be fast enough in this company – but I put enough pressure on. Here in Aachen the jumps are big, so that’s always a little bit difficult.”

Stephan de Freitas Barcha (BRA) was yet again in the ribbons, finishing second with Dinozo Imperio Egipcio (Diamant de Semilly x Urbain du Monnai) just below one second slower than Ward, while Daniel Bluman (ISR) continued his good form to take third when coming in as last to go with Kapitaal L (Cornet Obolensky x Comme d Api vd Hacienda) to clock a time of 68.36 seconds. Ben Maher (GBR) and Corlander (Cornet Colbert x Landfriese 2) ended fourth with a time of 68.50, followed by Shane Sweetnam (IRL) and Coriaan van Klapscheut Z (Comme Il Faut 5 x Lord Z ) in 68.52 seconds.