Knokke-Heist, Belgium – The NetJets U.S. Jumping Team finished eighth overall in the FEI Jumping Nations Cup of Knokke Hippique CSIO5* today, completing the two-round effort on a final total of 28. The team was comprised of Bliss Heers, Michael Hughes, Brian Moggre, and Jessica Springsteen, and led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland.

“Despite our overall results not being what we had hoped for, there were some bright spots, nevertheless, including Brian’s two solid rounds in the anchor position,” said Ridland. “Most importantly, the primary purpose of these 5* competitions over the past two weeks is to put the finishing touches on the selection and preparation process for the upcoming World Championships in Denmark.”

The team’s trailblazer, Jessica Springsteen (Colts Neck, N.J.) aboard RMF Zecilie, were the first to test the 1.60m track set by Uliano Vezzani (ITA) at the Knokke Hippique venue on the picturesque coast of Knokke-Heist, Belgium. The duo rode a strong first round, dropping just a single rail and finishing within the time allowed of 79 seconds, stopping the timers in 78.19 seconds, to start the team off well early in the day.

The second team combination to test the track was Heers (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Antidote de Mars, who blazed around the challenging track, crossing through the timers in 75.64 seconds, but added four faults to their score, with the team moving forward to the second round on a minimum score of four, but still competitive with the rest of the field.

In his first team debut in 2022 for the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team, Hughes (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) and Kashmir Van d’Oude Pastory had an unfortunate ten faults in their first tour of the track, a score they would look to improve on in the second round, with Moggre and Balou du Reventon left as the anchor combination for the team. Moggre (Flower Mound, Texas) and Balou du Reventon carefully navigated the track delivering the team’s first clear effort of the day to help the team move forward to the second round on a total of eight faults.

Springsteen and RMF Zecilie, a 2007 Holsteiner mare owned by Rushy Marsh Farm LLC, added 12 faults to their second-round tour of the course, with three rails dropping late in their round after the technical triple combination. Heers and Antidote de Mars, a 2010 Selle Français stallion owned by Bridgeside Farm LLC were the second combination to return for the team in the second round and also added twelve to the team’s overall score.

Hughes and Kashmir Van d’Oude Pastory, a 2010 Belgian Warmblood gelding owned by Stephex Stables & Vital Van Ham, improved on their first-round score, returning to only add four with an unfortunate rail coming late in the course for the pair.

Aboard Balou du Reventon, a 2006 Oldenburg stallion owned by Ann Thompson, Moggre anchored the final trip for the team, with the pair adding just a foot in the water for four faults but leaving all the jumps up in their second tour of the course. Ultimately, the team finished on a final total of 28 faults for eighth place.

The €500,000 Zoute Plage Grand Prix CSIO5* will serve as the final class of the week for the team combinations, which is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. GMT+2 on Sunday, July 10. For more information on Knokke Hippique, visit www.stephexevents.com/sxevent/knokke-hippique/.

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