Meet the Chronicle’s newest blogger Erica McKeever. She’s worked at Castle Hill, home of McLain Ward and Sapphire, for the last 22 years, first as a groom and now as the farm manager.

I am very excited to share this story of an amazing horse and rider. The question is where do you start?

This is a picture of Castle Hill, located in New York. This is the home and training grounds of everyone involved. It houses 34 horses and lots of people. 

Usually when people arrive the first question is “Where does Sapphire live, and can we see her?”

Sapphire aka “Sara” has a huge stall in the center of our main aisle, with a newly fitted horse mattress that was given to her.

Her roommates include Goldika and Domino, a huge impressive stallion who is madly in love with her. He doesn’t realize he’s her half brother! Then Deola, an up-and-coming black mare.

Goldika is her favorite, as they have been together the longest and have traveled all over the world with each other.

Sara usually greets people she knows with a huge whinny, and she comes straight to her door, but if you have no treats for her she will start to paw the ground with a disapproving look.

The non-horsey people that visit the farm know it as the home of the guy who’s won two Olympic gold medals. If McLain’s home, which is not often as he’s always away competing, you will find him riding a horse or busy around the farm mowing, weed eating and making sure it looks perfect. His latest project was that he built an awesome paintball course for everyone to enjoy.

The July 17-18 weekend was one of only a few in the year when there was no horse show. McLain was home at Castle Hill, preparing his horses for Saugerties, where he competed last weekend. Meanwhile, my husband Lee and Diane are laying over in Brussels, Belgium. They are currently on the Super League tour No. 3, and they will go to Hickstead, England, next. They will finish the following week in Dublin, Ireland, before returning to the United States.

They have three horses with them. Rothchild aka “Bongo,” has grown up so much since the World Championship Trials in Palm Beach, Fla. He was always a bit of the problem child as he had a reputation for being a little naughty. Until he got to hang out with Sara. She seemed to have a calming effect on him.

They also have PJ. He’s a young horse who has won a lot of classes in Europe. McLain loves him as he’s so careful and fun to ride. We also have a new horse, Antares F, who is new to McLain’s string. He’s a beautiful, big, scopey gray horse. 

So McLain flew back to Europe on Sunday night after the grand prix at Saugerties, which he won with Goldika.

Sapphire takes center stage at Castle Hill when she’s in residence.

Sapphire came home from Europe after tour No. 1. She was very excited to come home to her paddock and some well-deserved rest.

After three weeks off she went back into work as Sara gains weight very fast. We also think she’s happier when she’s doing something. So she flats early in the morning when it’s hot, and then she goes on the treadmill for 20 minutes in the afternoon three times a week. The main thing is to keep her happy and lean!

McLain occasionally jumps her through some gymnastics, which she loves. It’s so easy for her. Now she’s preparing for the Hampton Classic Horse Show at the end of August, and then the $1 million class in Saugerties. Fingers crossed she gets selected for the World Championship Team, which will be decided on the Monday after Dublin.

Just making the team is huge for anyone, but it would be McLain and Sapphire’s second one together. The last one was four years ago in Aachen, Germany, when they won the team silver. Only one rail kept McLain out of the final four. I dream often of giving somebody other then McLain a leg up on that final day as the top four riders swap horses. 

How would she be? We have never seen anybody else show her other then McLain. Perfect I’m sure!

So for now we have to keep her healthy and happy and hope they make the team.