Rome, Italy—May 27   

The Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team tied for the silver medal with France in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup presented by Longines at CSIO5* Rome.

McLain Ward and HH Azur turned in two clean rounds to help the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team tie for second. Photo by Bob Langrish

Led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, the team of Kent Farrington, Laura Kraut, Callan Solem, and McLain Ward battled through a tough competition to finish on 12 faults. This marks the second silver-medal performance for the United States in two weeks, having placed second at CSIO5* La Baule. Both competitions served as observation events for members of the Short List for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Show Jumping Team.

Great Britain won the Nations Cup at Rome for the second consecutive year on a total of 4 faults.

The British team of (from left) Michael Whitaker, Chef d’Equipe Di Lampard, Ben Maher, Jessica Mendoza and John Whitaker, topped the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup at the Rome CSIO5*.

“Second-place in this company is good,” said Ridland. “We always want to win and were in position to win both [at La Baule] and here, but we are happy with the performance today. Out of the five Nations Cups we have competed in this year, we have been in the top two in all of them and have done so with 19 different horses. There were some great athletes here and we are very pleased with the overall result.”

Course designer Uliano Vezzani presented a large, straightforward five-star track that proved to require every bit of determination to produce a clear round.

Leading off for the U.S. team in Round 1 with a clear effort was Farrington and Amalaya Investments’ Voyeur. Solem and Horseshoe Trail Farm, LLC’s VDL Wizard were up next for the U.S. team. The pair got out of their rhythm a bit mid-course and had rails at Fences 6 and 8A for 8 faults and the Round 1 drop score for the team.

Callan Solem on VDL Wizard. Photo by Bob Langrish

Kraut and Old Willow Farms LLC’s Zeremonie, had a solid round, but tipped a rail down in the triple combination at fence 4B. Team anchor Ward expertly guided Double H Farm & Francois Mathy’s HH Azur over the course and through the timers with 0 faults in the 9-year-old mare’s first Nations Cup appearance.

The U.S. team entered Round 2 on 4 faults, tied for second with Italy, the Netherlands, and France.
Round 2 proved, as always, to be influential, with almost half the number of clear rounds turned in as seen in Round 1. Farrington and Voyuer were again in good form, but had an unlucky rail at the final fence.

Kent Farrington on Voyeur. Photo by Bob Langrish

Both Solem and VDL Wizard and Kraut and Zeremonie had the rail at fence 7, a tall skinny, down, giving the U.S. team a total of 8 faults.

Laura Kraut on Zeremonie. Photo by Bob Langrish

The pressure was on Ward and HH Azur as the final combination for the United States and they delivered another foot-perfect clear round, giving them one of only four double-clear efforts in the field.

With Great Britain sitting on 4 faults, anchor rider John Whitaker needed to produce a round with no more than 7 faults to avoid a three-way jump-off between Great Britain, the United States, and France. Whitaker never looked in doubt, delivering a double-clear effort on Ornellaia and the win for Great Britain.

Ward was very pleased with his talented young mare, posting a double-clear performance in her first Nations Cup. “I thought she was incredible, as she has been,” said Ward. “She is amazing and came here and performed how I thought she would. We are very pleased with the team. [Another] second-place finish is a good step on the road going towards the Olympic Games.”

This was Great Britain’s eleventh victory at Piazza di Siena since the Nations Cup was first staged at the iconic venue in 1926 and, as Chef d’Equipe, Di Lampard, pointed out afterwards, today’s performances just make her selection decisions for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games all the more difficult. “But that’s OK” she said, “it’s a really good problem to have!” 

Delighted

Whitaker was delighted with Ornellaia. “This was her first Nations Cup and she showed what she can do” he said.

He has already decided that his more familiar ride, the stallion Argento, won’t be going to the Rio Olympic Games. “Argento is a great horse, he’s a real fighter but he has his limits and I don’t want to push him beyond them. Ornellaia has done some good things already, she’s really careful and she’s the one for Rio if I am needed, and if I am asked to go. I’m definitely keen to go, the Olympics are the Olympics and there’s nothing like them, everyone feels that way, but I’m probably not in the top five [for selection] if Big Star [and Nick Skelton] and Sanctos [with Scott Brash] are ready,” he explained.

John reckons his brother, Michael’s grey stallion also has great Olympic potential. “There’s nothing that horse can’t jump!” he said.

Michael admitted that Cassionato was “a bit too fresh” in the first round—“he was jumping up so high, so in the second round I had to ask him to come back down!” he explained.

Cassionato certainly seems to have a whole lot of fun every time he goes in the ring. “He’s a bit like a very naughty boy!” Michael said with a laugh.

It was John who was the hero of the day however, and not for the first time in his life. This man whose career has embraced so many wonderful moments and so many great horses, including the legendary Milton and Ryan’s Son, said this evening that he continues to relish the fun and excitment every time he goes in the ring. “I don’t feel the pressure anymore, I’ve done everything I’ve ever wanted to do so now I just go out and enjoy myself – I’ve got nothing to prove” said the great horseman who once again today was filled with pride when sealing victory for his country. 

Result: 

1.    Great Britain 4 faults: Tic Tac (Ben Maher) 0/8, Spirit T (Jessica Mendoza) 0/4, Cassionato (Michael Whitaker) 9/0, Ornellaia (John Whitaker) 0/0.

2.    USA 12 faults: Voyeur (Kent Farrington) 0/4, VDL Wizard (Callan Solem) 8/4, Zeremonie (Laura Kraut) 4/4, HH Azur (McLain Ward) 0/0.

2.    France 12 faults: Hermes Ryan (Simon Delestre) 12/4, Reveue de Hurtebise HDC (Kevin Staut) 0/4, Vagabond de la Pomme (Penelope Leprevost) 0/0, Sydney Une Prince (Roger Yves Bost) 4/8.

4.    Germany 14 faults: Van Gogh (Marco Kutscher) 4/0, Brooklyn 17 (Mario Stevens) 5/4, Lacan 2 (Patrick Stuhlmeyer) 8/1, Cornado NRW (Marcus Ehning) 0/4.

5.    Netherlands 20 faults: SFN Zenith NOP (Jeroen Dubbeldam) 4/16, Emerald NOP (Harrie Smolders) 0/4, VDL Sirocco Blue NOP (Jur Vrieling) 0/4, Glock’s Cognac Champblanc NOP (Gerco Schroder) 8/8.

6.    Canada 22 faults:  First Choice 15 (Yann Candele) 8/4, Bellinda (Kara Chad) 5/9, Tripple X (Tiffany Foster) 0/13, Chacco Kid (Eric Lamaze) 4/0. 

7.    Sweden 24 faults: Yajamila (Henrik von Eckermann) 4/8, H&M Cue Channa 42 (Malin Baryard-Johnson) 0/0, Bonzai H (Helena Persson) 4/16, H&M Flip’s Little Sparrow (Peder Fredricsson) 8/8.

7.    Italy 24 faults: Caspar 232 (Emanuele Gaudiano) 0/8, Ensor de Litrange (Lorenzo de Luca) 4/4, Ares (Emilio Bicocchi) 4/16, Casallo Z (Piergiorgio Bucci) 0/8.