Ocala, Fla. – The U.S. Jumping Team capped a superb performance to earn a coveted victory under the lights at the Longines League of Nations Ocala CSIO5* hosted at World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fla. The team finished on just four faults at the conclusion of competition in a nail-biting finish with Germany, with the teams separated by a single fault.  Belgium finished in third on a final total of 13 faults. The U.S. Jumping Team was led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland and Team Leader Lizzy Chesson.

“It doesn’t get much better than this. I’ve said this before, but I love this League of Nations format for the excitement. It’s always nice to be on the right end of the excitement,” said Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland. “How things can so change in that second round, but you know, we have a veteran team here. These are horses that have done it before and there’s a reason why we chose these combinations for our major home Nations Cup, and we had some incredible competition. It really doesn’t get any better than that.”

Lillie Keenan (New York, N.Y.) and Argan de Beliard were the lead-off pair for the U.S. team, serving as early pathfinders in the class of 40 international combinations. The U.S. were second in the overall team order of the ten competing nations. Keenan and Argan de Beliard were precise all around the track and executed to perfection in their first tour of the colorful and beautifully decorated course designed by Alan Wade (IRL).

With first rotation of combinations completed, the hometown partnership of Vale (Williston, Fla.) and Carissimo 25, a 2013 Holsteiner gelding (Cascalledo x Clinton) owned by The Carissimo Group and cared for by Nicky Cook, were keen to produce a second solid score for the team to keep the U.S. in the hunt on the leaderboard. The duo nudged the tall vertical at fence nine from the cups to produce a four-fault round, stopping the timers in a quick 72.31 seconds.

Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Dorado 212, making their first team appearance of the 2025 season, jumped a beautifully ridden course as the team’s third combination. With Kraut’s veteran experience navigating the pair, Dorado 212 looked confident, showing off his accuracy and scope. The pair secured the team’s second clear-round effort of the evening, ensuring the U.S. would move to the second round on a score of four faults or less.

Ward (Brewster, N.Y.) and his Paris 2024 Olympic partner, Ilex, were called in to their familiar role as anchors for the team and delivered. The pair took the task of securing the team’s standing at the top of the leaderboard head on, and ensured the team would return last in the second round. In consistent and steady fashion, the pair jumped easily around the course, stopping the timers in 72.91 seconds to a massive cheer from the crowd.

The U.S. would be the last to go in the second-round order, with eight teams qualifying into the final round based on their standing from round one. Keenan and Argan de Beliard, a 2010 Selle Français gelding (My Lord Carthago HN x Ahorn) owned by Chansonette Farm and cared for by Cory Tual, impressed yet again, delivering another clear round for the team to finish the rotation of the first combinations and keeping the U.S. atop the leaderboard. Known as “Mr. Consistent,” Argan de Beliard proved why he remains one of Keenan’s most trusted mounts in team competition.

“I’m incredibly grateful to ride for Team USA. Every time I get to ride alongside these riders, who I’ve looked up to for as long as I’ve ridden horses, is special. To win on home soil and everyone really share in this moment as such an incredible venue. It’s incredible to be able to celebrate it here with a home win,” said Keenan.

Laura Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Dorado 212, a 2013 Oldenburg gelding (Diarado’s Boy x Chacco-Blue) owned by St. Bride’s Farm and cared for by Margo Thomas, jumped another spectacular round in his first major team competition since the 2023 Pan American Games. In Santiago, Chile, where he helped the team earn gold. With Kraut eyeing the tight time allowed, a slight shift into the approach to the wall at fence ten, just barely saw a block pushed from the top, adding four faults to the team’s score. With one combination left, the team was just separated by a single fault with Germany, with little room for error for Ward and Ilex with the final round of the night.

McLain Ward (Brewster, N.Y.) and Ilex set down the impressive ramp and into the ring on a mission, with Sophie Hinners (GER) aboard Iron Dames Singclair, producing a clear in the final rotation for Germany, leaving just one single fault separating the two teams. Any error from Ward and Ilex, a 2013 KWPN gelding (Baltic VDL x Chin Chin) owned by Bonne Chance Farm and McLain Ward, and cared for by Virginie Casterman, would push the team from their hold on the top podium placing. In a dramatic, but thrilling finish, the duo delivered with a roar from the crowd filling the stadium as Ward and Ilex crossed through the finish to solidify the team’s win on home turf.

“The drama at the end is the testament to the format, as Robert said. I love this concept, and it makes for excellent sport and competition. With the number of times I’ve been in that position, I would be lying if I didn’t say that it isn’t filled with some nerves and anxiety,” said Ward. “I was going down the ramp and I held for a moment, and when Sophie jumped a clear, I got a smile on my face and my thought was ‘Okay, game on. This is what we do,’ and you focus and go in and do your best to deliver.”

The next outing for the U.S. Jumping Team will take place at the Rome CSIO5* in at the end of May, before they start their European tour with an eye on the Longines League of Nations Final CSIO5* hosted in Barcelona, Spain, in fall 2025.

Results

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The USEF International High Performance Programs and the USEF High Performance Pathway Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, the philanthropic partner to USEF.