“McLain Ward’s incredible partner Sapphire is being retired. She’s 17, this would have been her 3rd Olympics (has 2 team gold medals) and as wouldn’t have been ready in time, they decided it was time to give her a nice retirement – chilling in a paddock & being a mom. From Sapphire’s groom Ericka McKeever:”Sad day at Castle Hill, our great big friend is being retired. A beautiful article on Phelps Sports was just posted. It has been an amazing 10 years, an honor to be in Sapphire’s life.”
Update 10:00 PM – from McLain:
“Now that the news has broken of Sara’s retirement, I want to a take this opportunity to thank you all for your wonderful comments, many of which have made me teary eyed. While it is the end of her incredible career, I refuse to be sad. Sara is retiring healthy, happy and at her best.
I am so grateful that fate chose me as the one to be in her life, be her rider and partner as she blazed her trail into show jumping history. There will be times I will certainly miss her being by my side when the pressure is on but when I think of her, all I have is incredible memories. As I look back, all I can say is “how lucky were we?”.
It is hard to imagine, let alone thank all of the people who at one point or another played a role in Sara and my success, but I will try. My dad, Francois Mathy, Erica Mckeever, Lee Mckeever, Harry Gill, Hunter Harrison, Tom Grossman, Carrie Stanton, Emma Williams, Di Puopolo, Tim Ober, James Beldon, Bill Bradlee, Gabe Cook, Mikey Boylan, Missy Clark, the Van Bunder family, and many many more. It’s been a hell of a run, filled with peaks and valleys but I wouldn’t have traded any of it for the world. Thank you Sara.”
“McLain said in an article last year: “As I’ve said before, if Sapphire never jumps another fence, she doesn’t owe anyone anything”. Indeed. Happy retirement Sapphire!”
