After the compulsory round, the U.S. team took an early lead in the team vaulting competition at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. On Oct. 6, the United States scored 7,207 to lead over perennial powerhouses Germany (6,996) and Austria (6,990).

“We went out there, and we just took charge,” said Devon Maitozo, coach and team member of the U.S. team, the Free Artists Creative Equestrians. “I feel like we did one of the best sets we’ve ever done. I saw people reaching their potential in a lot of places and very few mistakes.

“Having the WEG here is literally an amazing experience for me. I’ve been to 10 world championships, so to have this happen here is just the culmination of a lifetime of training and practice and hard work. I think the whole team can say this is a very special feeling to be home, seeing the American flag, hearing the cheers. It’s very inspirational,” continued Maitozo.

Defending individual women’s gold medalist, U.S. vaulter Megan Benjamin, put herself in striking position for another gold in her compulsory competition, placing third. “There was a lot more energy out there [in the ring] than we had in warm-up,” Benjamin said. “Hopefully [in the next few days’ competition] we can get [my horse] calmer, and I’ll be able to perform better. He definitely picked it up for me in the horse score because of all that energy, but for me, it’s a bit challenging to be soft and smooth on him.”

Benjamin is confident heading into the freestyle, however. “I’m excited to do it—it’s a new freestyle, so I’m excited to perform it for everyone. It’ll be my first time performing it in competition,” she said.

Joanne Eccles of Great Britain, a veteran of three World Equestrian Games, is leading the women’s individual after the compulsory, with Simone Wiegle of Germany in second. Eccles shares her horse, W.H. Bentley, with her sister Hannah, who is in 16^th, and to round out the family affair their father, John, is their longer.  

In the men’s individual compulsory, Gero Meyer scored an upset over the defending world champion, Kai Vorberg from Germany, and Switzerland’s Patric Looser.

The compulsory round is judged on the vaulters’ performance in seven required moves. The individuals now advance to an individual freestyle round on the afternoon of Oct. 7, and then a compulsory technical round on Oct. 8. They finish with their final freestyle on Oct. 9.

The vaulting teams perform their first freestyle on Oct. 8, then their final freestyle, for the team medals, on Oct. 10. You can find full results on the WEG site.

Back to the main Vaulting page.