Barcelona, Spain - The NetJets® U.S. Jumping Team put forth a valiant effort Friday evening in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final Round 1, finishing in 10th on a total of eight faults. Tied in a head-to-head battle for the eighth position with Switzerland, Germany, and France as they fought for a spot in the final round on Sunday, the U.S. team of Lucy Deslauriers, Andrew Kocher, Laura Kraut, and Jessica Springsteen will now move on to compete in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final Challenge Cup on Saturday evening.
Mixing new talent with a seasoned veteran, the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team came to this prestigious team challenge looking for experience and the opportunity to compete against some of the best jumping combinations in the world. Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland has brought a U.S. team to the Final a total of six times over the years, and five of those times he has used all five combinations. The same will be true for this year, as Alex Granato (Wellington, Fla.), and Carlchen W, Page Tredennick’s nine-year-old Warmblood gelding, will take the place of Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Confu, St. Bride Farm’s 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding, in Saturday’s Challenge Cup.
“Two of the riders, Alex [Granato], who will ride tomorrow night, has only had one Nations Cup experience in his career,” explained Ridland. “Andy [Kocher] who went tonight and did a great job, that was literally his first Nations Cup. So, it’s remarkable; he did a great job, really well and the mare jumped great. Lucy [Deslauriers] did what we expected; at that point there was no question that we needed a clean round. It was close to mandatory at that time that she go clear. She knew that pressure going in and she rose up to the occasion. She rode great!
“I really couldn’t be happier with our young riders,” continued Ridland. “They came here against some seasoned veterans. We lost out [on the Final round] in a tiebreaker; it came down to time deciding and it was a surprise when a veteran horse was our discard score. So, I’m really pleased. They did us proud. We had the least experienced team of all the contending teams here and we were in the fight!”
Springsteen (Colts Neck, N.J.) and RMF Zecilie, Rushy Marsh Farm LLC’s 11-year-old Holsteiner mare, were the first combination in the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona arena, putting in a solid four-fault round to lead off. Kocher (Ocala, Fla.) made his first-ever Nations Cup appearance and rode Kahlua, Top Line Sporthorse International LLC’s 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare, to four faults.
With the need for a clear round on the line, Deslauriers (New York, N.Y.) and Hester, Lisa Deslauriers’s 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding, would not disappoint, putting the U.S. team in contention for a top-eight spot for advancement to the final. However, Kraut and Confu would finish on an unfortunate eight-fault round as the drop score, tying the U.S. team on eight faults, with time determining the advancement of Switzerland and France to the final round.
“Our big emphasis was on WEG, we’ve always said that since the beginning of the year,” explained Ridland. “We sent our best team there, as most countries did. I’ve always liked to give the younger and less experienced riders experience at the highest level when they are ready for it. I’ve said for six years that the 3/2 formula is what I like using when it can be used, and we’ve done that pretty consistently: three veterans and two young riders. Often one of those younger riders is the reserve and that is kind of the make-up [of the team].”
In the six years that the U.S. team has attended the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final, this will be their third time competing in the Challenge Cup. In 2014, the U.S. team won the Challenge Cup in a jump-off against Australia and again in 2013 in a jump-off against Switzerland.
Competition Information
The Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final Challenge Cup will take place at 3:00 p.m. ET in the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona arena.
Find out more about the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Final.
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