Calgary, Canada – The Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team clinched a second-place finish in the BMO FEI Nations Cup on Saturday afternoon before a packed house. The U.S., led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, sent a veteran squad composed of Lauren Hough, Leslie Burr Howard, McLain Ward, and Beezie Madden into Spruce Meadows CSIO5* ‘Masters’ Tournament’s team competition to jump Leopoldo Palacio’s 12-obstacle track.

Following the first round, the Americans stood third on a score of nine faults before collecting four faults in round two to finish on an overall total of 13.

Riding first in the order for the U.S. on Saturday was Hough (Wellington, Fla.) and her longtime partner Quick Study. Laura and Meredith Mateo’s 15-year-old Selle Francais gelding kicked off the American effort with a five-fault trip in round one after lowering the final element of the triple combination, fence 10, and collecting a single time fault. The pair came back in round two with an improved effort just faulting at 7A to collect four faults.

Howard (Darian, Conn.) was next up for the United States with Jane Clark’s Tic-Tac. In round one the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion appeared to misjudge the oxer at fence two, lowering the back rail to collect four faults, but recovered to jump the remainder of the course without fault. In the second round, Howard and Tic Tac produced a flawless clear that never looked in doubt to put a valuable score of zero on the board for the U.S.

2014 FEI World Team Jumping Championship Bronze medalist, Ward (Brewster, N.Y.), was next up with Double HH Farm’s HH Carlos Z, posting a five-fault effort for the U.S. in round one after collecting four faults at the second fence and one time fault for finishing just over the 78 second time allowed. In the second round the 12-year-old Zangersheide gelding looked on target to produce a clear but it was not meant to be as the back rail of the oxer came down at fence nine, resulting in four faults.

Anchoring the U.S. team was Madden (Cazenovia, N.Y.), who just one week earlier helped the United States claim Team Bronze as well as clinching Individual Bronze for herself at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. On Saturday, she rode Abigail Wexner’s 15-year-old KPWN gelding Simon, in a faultless trip in round one. The 2013 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final champions returned in the second round repeating their fault-free performance to be one of only two combinations to jump double clear on Saturday.

Canada proved to be a popular winner in front of their hometown fans, finishing on a score of nine faults. Belgium finished third eight faults behind the United States on a score of 21.

By Helen Murray

To learn more about the Spruce Meadows CSIO5* ‘Masters’ Tournament, visit: http://www.sprucemeadows.com/tournaments/view_tournament.jsp?id=29.

Follow the Hermès U.S. Show Jumping Team here.