Barney Ward

Barney Ward, former show jumper and father of two-time show jumping Olympic team gold medalist McLain Ward, died on Oct. 27 after a battle with cancer. He was 71.

Barney grew up in Providence, R.I., and rode as a child but didn’t have formal lessons. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, he spent a year playing football professionally, eventually playing for a farm team of the New England Patriots. He left football, however, to pursue life as a professional horseman.