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Top rider confirms Olympic horse’s retirement with ‘a tremendous amount of pride and gratitude’

Becky Murray Becky Murray

    • McLain Ward has paid tribute to Contagious, his “championship star” who has retired aged 16.

    McLain and Contagious helped the United States showjumping team to silver at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and team gold at the Pan American Games in 2023, where they also won individual bronze. They were part of the team that finished 11th at the World Championships at Herning in 2022.

    “With a tremendous amount of pride and gratitude, we would like to announce the retirement of Contagious,” said McLain.

    “Contagious came to us from Reed Kessler, who produced him beautifully through his early career. Through the incredible support of Beechwood Stables, Lise and Annabel Revers and Max Amaya, we acquired Contagious in 2018.”

    McLain and Contagious recorded top placings around the world, including victories in Dublin, Aachen, Leipzig and New York.

    McLain said he is “a horse who has always given his best, and at times more than that”.

    “We hoped for him to be a successful grand prix horse. In the end he became a championship star, competing successfully at a World Games, two World Cup finals, a Pan Am Games, winning team gold and individual bronze,” he said.

    “His crowning achievement was being a member of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic team that brought home a silver medal. Contagious will enjoy his retirement at the beautiful Beechwood Stables in Weston, Massachusetts.”

    McLain added a “special thanks to all our team who worked with him and cared for him so diligently over the years”.

    “Especially our home team led by Lee and Erica McKeever, Owen Rogers and Virginie Casterman. Thank you for all the great moments,” he said.

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    Becky Murray
    Becky Murray

    H&H senior news writer
    Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
    Becky Murray

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