Wellington, FL – March 27, 2025 – The 2007 American Grand Prix Association tour is only five events old, but McLain Ward, a three-time American Grand Prix Association (AGA) Rider of the Year, has already put himself in a excellent position to take home a fourth title, following his impressive victory in the richest grand prix ever held in the United States.
Entering its twenty-ninth year, the AGA Grand Prix Series of Show Jumping is the world’s richest and longest running series of equestrian show jumping events. The AGA series offers over $3 million dollars in prize money on a tour that encompasses thirty events and twenty different equestrian markets across the United States.
Ward, and his mount Sapphire, who concurrently leads in the race for AGA Horse of the Year, won the $395,781 CN Worldwide Florida Open on March 17 at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. Ward, who leads with 166 points, picked up an unprecedented 135 points for the victory, this was in addition to the three clear rounds he registered for the biggest win of his career. The CN Worldwide Florida Open win was Ward’s second of the 2007 season in five events. In February he captured the top prize in the $75,000 Bainbridge Idle Dice Classic, CSI-W. In that victory, by comparison, Ward only pocketed 25 points, along with two clear rounds.
Canadian riders rank second through fourth in the latest AGA Rider of the Year standings. Frankie Chesler-Ortiz, a second place finisher to Ward in the Florida Open, is second in the rider race with 93 points, while fellow Canadian Eric Lamaze, with four top finishes during WEF, is in third place with 65 points. Mario Deslauriers rounds out the top four, one point behind Lamaze, with 64. Danielle Torano is fifth with 56 points, and Todd Minikus is a distant sixth with 38 points.
Sapphire, Ward’s Olympic and WEG partner, has nearly a $69,000 lead over Chesler-Ortiz’s Picolien Zeldenrust in the race for AGA Horse of the Year. Sapphire, owned by Ward and Blue Chip Bloodstock has bankrolled a whopping $157,927.00, while Chesler’s mount banks in at $89,052.00. Third place in the race for Horse of the Year is held down by Paradigm, Mario Deslauriers’ top mount, with a total of $59,750.00 in prize money won. Hickstead from the Torrey Pines Stable, with $58,578.00, and Vancouver D’Auvray owned by Sir Ruly, Inc., with $52,770.00, round out the top five.
The next two events on the 2007 AGA tour are in Tampa, Florida. The $75,000 Grand Prix of Tampa, CSI-W is on April 1st at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center, and the grand finale of the 2007 Winter Equestrian Festival, the $200,000 Budweiser American Invitational, CSI 4* is at Raymond James Stadium on April 7, 2007.
Following the two Florida events, the East Coast AGA tour moves to the Charlotte Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, on April 15, for the $150,000 Grand Prix of Charlotte, CSI 4*.
On the West Coast, the $100,000 HBO Grand Prix of Del Mar takes place on May 5th at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Arena in Del Mar, CA.
AGA Rider of the Year Standings:
Standing Rider Total Clear Rounds Total Points
1 Ward, McLain 5 166
2 Chesler-Ortiz, Frankie 3 93
3 Lamaze, Eric 5 65
4 Deslauriers, Mario 4 64
5 Torano, Danielle 3 56
6 Minikus, Todd 2 38
7 Deusser, Daniel 0 34
8 Fuchs, Marcus 2 32
9 Engle, Margie 2 30
10 Chapot, Laura 3 25
11 Levy, Kate 2 24
12 Berkley, Ken 2 23
13 Madden, Beezie 2 21
Pessoa, Rodrigo 1 21
Silverman, Lisa 1 21
16 Goutal, Brianne 2 20
17 Riley, Schuyler 2 19
18 Ashe, Molly 2 17
19 Bucci, Laurie 3 16
20 Garofalo, Judy 0 14
21 Kraut, Laura 1 13
22 Raether, Cara 0 11
23 Ballard, Erynn 2 10
24 Bloomberg, Georgina 2 9
Kerins, Darragh 1 9
AGA Horse of the Year Standings:
Standing Horse Owner Total Money
1 Sapphire* McLain Ward $ 157,927
2 Picolien Zeldenrust Sher-Al Farm $ 89,052
3 Paradigm Mario Deslauriers $ 59,750
4 Hickstead Torrey Pines Stable $ 58,578
5 Vancouver D’Auvray Sir Ruly, Inc. $ 52,770
6 Pavarotti Todd Minikus, LLC $ 33,957
7 La Toya III JURI ADOLFO $ 30,000
8 Hidden Creek’s Quervo Gold Hidden Creek Farm, Inc. $ 27,000
9 Pristanna Stal Tops $ 26,385
10 Little Big Man Laura Chapot & Chado Farm, Inc. $ 22,250
11 Vent Du Nord Kate Levy $ 22,000
12 Carlos Boy Krista Weisman $ 20,457
13 Obelix R South Shore Farm $ 20,277
14 Coeur Double H Farm $ 20,000
15 Ilian South Beach Stable $ 16,500
16 Oliver III Higher Ground Farm $ 14,392
17 CoCu Jane F. Clark $ 13,200
18 Ublesco Trelawny Farm, Inc. $ 10,734
19 Casar (DE) Cloverlea Farm $ 10,000
20 Quidam’s Ramiro Claude Dufresne $ 9,750
21 Onira Cloverleaf Farm $ 8,000
22 Judgement Iron Spring Farm $ 7,957
23 Robin Van Roosendael Looking Back Farm $ 7,800
24 Hooligan De Rosyl Stal Tops $ 7,500
25 Anthem The Summit Group $ 7,000
25 CIM Christo Gotham Enterprizes $ 7,000
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