First Lady returned to five-star competition with a bang at Washington International Horse Show, winning Thurday's CSI5*-W 1.55m $63,000 Welcome Stake with McLain Ward. Photo © Shawn McMillen Photography.
Press release from Washington International Horse Show, edited by World of Showjumping
International jumpers took to the arena on Thursday, October 24, to contest the first two classes of the CSI5*-W competition at the 2025 Washington International Horse Show (WIHS), presented by MARS Equestrian™. U.S. Olympic team gold medalist McLain Ward rode First Lady (Don Diarado x Lordanos) for owner Robin Cleary Parsky to victory in the CSI5*-W 1.55m $63,000 Welcome Stake.
Ringmaster Phil Thomas, WIHS Board Member Jon Kreitz, Rear Admiral, U. S. Navy (Retired), WIHS President Vicki Lowell, and groom Lee McKeever join McLain Ward and First Lady in their winning presentation. Photo © Shawn McMillen Photography.
Course designer Nick Granat (USA) set the tracks for the night’s opening class, and 28 horse-and-rider combinations competed in the opening round. Eight were clear and continued to the jump-off, while one chose not to return. Ward and First Lady set a neat and speedy time of 33.15 seconds for the win.
“I thought it was challenging enough,” said Ward of the course. “Nick is a great course builder, but he builds very delicate. I thought he had the right number clear. It was a fair, welcoming test."
“In the jump-off, I know she’s quick,” he continued. “I thought if I could get the first two jumps done — where sometimes she can jump a little high — I had a very good chance.”
First Lady, a 12-year-old Oldenburg mare, was back in her first five-star competition since March. She sustained an injury in May that took her out of competition until she returned to the FEI ring two weeks ago in two-star competition.
“We gave her a nice two-month rest, then legged her back up slowly, and brought her back up to the level,” explained Ward. “First Lady's always been brilliant inside, but even with a few unknowns after a long layoff, I think she's picking up even further along. Maybe she was due a little rest, and now she feels fresh and really enjoying her job.”
Mimi Gochman (USA) and Inclen BH (Stakkato Gold x Raphael), owned by DG Sport Horse LLC, finished second with a double-clear performance in 33.55 seconds, while the current world number two Ben Maher (GBR) and Faltic HB (Baltic VDL x Concorde) were third in 34.66 seconds.
Then