MCLAIN WARD
One of the most decorated U.S. riders, New York native McLain Ward is a perennial fan favorite. A five-time Olympian and two-time Olympic gold medalist, Ward is currently ranked ninth on the Longines Rankings. He is a frequent winner at WEF. He had a particularly good Week 5 last year, when Ward topped a field of 67 in the CHF75,000 CaptiveOne Advisors CSI5* 1.50m Classic to be the first rider to win both the grand prix and 1.50m classic back-to-back at WEF since 2014. He later won the $146,000 CaptiveOne Advisors CSI4* 1.50m Series Final.
RICHARD VOGEL
© SPORTFOT
FACES OF WEF
From an equestrian family, German rider Richard Vogel has been on horses since age four. He began competing at the age of seven, achieving international success in 2010 when he won the junior European championship in Sweden. He later won the 2018 FEI World Cup Final in Paris aboard Ragna. Currently 10th on the Longines Rankings, Vogel has had plenty of success at WEF. This includes winning the $500,000 Rolex CSI5* Grand Prix with mount Cepano Baloubet during the final Saturday Night Lights of WEF 2023.
wellington the magazine | february 2024 29