Glory in Gold for US Jumping Team in CSIO4* Nations Cup

Laura Kraut, Natalie Dean, Carly Anthony, and Charlotte Jacobs with Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland. Photo © Sportfot

The U.S. Jumping Team earned their tenth team victory in Wellington on Saturday in the $150,000 CSIO4* Nations Cup, presented by Florida Coast Equipment. Nine nations brought forth teams to compete in the ‘Saturday Night Lights’ highlight event of Week 8 at Wellington International’s Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).

During the 24-year history of the event at WEF, the U.S. last won in 2021. Teams from Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, and Venezuela joined the home nation in the opening round with the top eight teams returning for round two. After a disappointing first round, Israel did not advance.

Heading into the second round, Natalie Dean on Marigold Sporthorses’ Acota M, Carly Anthony riding Heavenly W for owner Portfolio Horses, Charlotte Jacobs aboard Playboy JT Z owned by North Star, and Laura Kraut in the irons of St. Brides Farm’s Tres Bien Z were the only ones sitting on a score of zero after three clear rounds.

Ireland on four, Belgium with nine, and Canada holding on with 10 faults remained in the hunt between rounds.

Returning to again impress over tracks built by USA’s Nick Garant and Steve Stephens, the up-and-coming members of the all-female U.S. team — Anthony (34), Jacobs (30), and Dean (25) — kept the team on five faults after a rail from Dean and time fault from Jacobs. In the end, the effort was enough to seal the victory and prevent anchor rider Kraut from needing to return in the second round.

“Very rarely does the anchor rider on any winning team get to sit it out,” said Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, who recently announced he will continue in the role through 2028. “We put together a team that we felt was very competitive; that’s the number-one thing. With this Nations Cup in particular, it has always been an opportunity for the up-and-coming — whether it’s horses or a rider.”

Tim Brennan Takes BrainJuice U25 Semi-Final Grand Prix for Ireland

The BrainJuice Under 25 series returned to Wellington International during Week 8 of the 2025 Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF). Under the lights of the International Arena, the $32,000 BrainJuice U25 Semi-Final Grand Prix — the penultimate competition of the series — was won by Ireland’s Tim Brennan.

The track, designed by USA’s Steve Stephens and Nicholas Granat, proved difficult with only six returning for the jump-off. Out of the returning six, two cleared the short track but it was Ireland’s Tim Brennan that took the title aboard his own Diadema Della Caccia (Diamant de Semilly x Cardento 933), stopping the short-course clock in 34.76 seconds.

“She’s deadly careful; she’s got the heart of a lion; he will jump anything for you once you ask her, and I just have to be on the ball,” said Brennan of the 10-year-old Italian Sporthorse mare. “I’ve been very lucky to have her for five years now. She’s taken me all the way up through the ranks in Ireland and now we’re lucky enough to bring her out here.”

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