Dublin, Ireland – The United States produced a hard fought effort in CSIO5* Dublin’s Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup presented by Longines to finish in a tie for third place on a score of 16 faults. Eight teams went to task over Alan Wade’s scopey track, with the team from Great Britain finishing on eight faults to lift the Aga Khan Trophy. Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland led the U.S. effort in Dublin which was bookended by two-time Olympic gold medal winning teammates McLain Ward and Beezie Madden; they were joined on Friday by Katie Dinan and Kent Farrington.
Ridland believed all his riders gained valuable experience jumping on Dublin’s historic grass stadium and believes it is important to compete on all types of surfaces.
“Jumping on the grass here I think is a great experience,” said Ridland. “And all of our riders will have learned a lot today.”
Jumping in his familiar position as pathfinder for the U.S., Ward (Brewster, NY) led-off the American effort in Dublin with an immaculate clear trip in round one with Sagamore Farms’ Rothchild. In the second round the pair looked on form to jump faultlessly again until the 12-year-old Warmblood gelding tripped in the turn before the double at fence six, resulting in the back rail of the oxer at B coming down. They finished round two with four faults.
Dinan (Wellington, FL) was next up for the United States with Grant Road Partners, LLC’s Nougat du Vallet. In round one the pair faulted at both elements of the double at six and 11B to finish on a 12 fault total. The pair rebounded in the second round to jump an impressive penalty-free round, where the 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding never looked in doubt of a clear.
Jumping in the third spot was Farrington (Wellington, FL) and Robin Parsky’s 11-year-old Anglo European mare Blue Angel. The pair collected 20 faults in the first round for lowering the heights of four fences and a foot in the open water. They produced an improved effort in the second round to finish with eight faults following a foot in the water again and rolling the pole at 11C.
Madden (Cazenovia, NY) entered the ring with Cortes ‘C’ needing to produce a clear in the first round to keep the U.S. in contention heading into round two. For a second week in a row, the pair rose to the occasion and jumped faultlessly. Abigail Wexner’s 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding returned in round two and duplicated his immaculate effort to again keep the score sheet clear.
Madden was one of only four riders to jump double clear on Friday.
Throughout the year Ridland has been assembling teams of team veterans and up-and-coming riders to try and allow a broader base of U.S. jumpers gain international experience. He believes the importance of this model was on display today in Dublin.
“We’ve been mixing it up all year with different riders,” said Ridland. “To see what Katie did and to come back in the second round and jump clear was really gratifying. And Beezie’s double clear was great and very important to the team.”
Placing second in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup presented by Longines behind the British team was The Netherlands on a score of 12 with the Irish team tying with the U.S. for third on 16 faults.
By Helen Murray
To learn more about the CSIO5* Dublin, visit: http://www.dublinhorseshow.com/.
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