![The winning U.S. Team in Hickstead (FEI/ Action Images)](http://www.usefnetwork.com/images/articles/6218/hickstead podium.jpg)
The winning U.S. Team in Hickstead (FEI/ Action Images)
“They were brilliant as a team, no other way to describe it,” said Ridland of his team of Friday.
Round One
![McLain Ward and Rothchild (FEI/ Action Images)](http://www.usefnetwork.com/images/articles/6219/mclain.jpg)
McLain Ward and Rothchild (FEI/ Action Images)
Jumping second in the order were the 2012 Olympic Games veterans Kessler (Lexington, Ky.) and Cylana. Kessler Show Stables’ 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare looked poised to produce a duplicate clear round, but rails on the latter half of the course, at eight and 10B, meant the pair would be the drop score in round one with eight faults.
Engle (Wellington, Fla.) was next up for the U.S. with Elm Rock Partners, LLC’s Royce. The Olympic and World Championship veteran demonstrated all of her experience as she guided the scopey 10-year-old Oldenburg stallion to a fault-free effort.
As the anchor rider, Madden (Cazenovia, N.Y.) knew that if she could also produce a clear, the U.S. would head into round two on a score of zero. The 2013 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final champion did just that with Abigail Wexner’s 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, Cortes ‘C’, jumping an immaculate fault-free round that never looked in doubt.
Round Two
Ward and Rothchild again jumped first for the United States, replicating their faultless first round performance to be one of only five combinations to produce a double-clear on Friday.
![Beezie Madden and Cortes 'C' (FEI/ Action Images)](http://www.usefnetwork.com/images/articles/6217/bz.jpg)
Beezie Madden and Cortes 'C' (FEI/ Action Images)
Madden, who recently returned to competition after spending two months out of the saddle due to a broken collarbone, entered Hickstead’s prestigious arena needing to produce a clear round in order for the U.S. to avoid a jump-off with The Netherlands and Germany. Just as in round one, Cortes ‘C’ made light work of the 12-effort track to join the list of five double-clears and clinched victory for the United States.
The U.S. is using Nations Cup competition at CSIO5*s Rotterdam, Aachen, Hickstead and next week in Dublin as preparation for all 10 members of the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Short List for 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games ahead of the World Championships as well as the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final in October.
“We’re here for preparation and we’re in great shape, to have all 10 (short list members) here at these shows is great,” said Ridland. “Preparation is going as well as we could hope for.”
The Netherlands and Germany tied for second place in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup of Great Britain presented by Longines on eight-fault totals.
Learn more about CSIO5* Hickstead here.
Follow the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team here.