Saturday 17 August 2024
Melina Massias
Robert Ridland was not satisfied with winning silver at the Paris Olympics, but thanks to his team he got his hands on the Nations Cup at the CSIO 5* in Dublin. The American team leader had chosen a quartet that combined youth and experience, consisting of Spencer Smith, Lucy Davis, Aaron Vale and McLain Ward, affiliated with Keeneland, born Cadeau, Ben 431, Carissimo 25 and Callas. Completing this collective event with four points, the Americans were ahead of the Irish, defeated at home, and the British, third.
At home, i its Nations Cup, Michael Blake’s Ireland dreamed of a twenty-fifth victory and a great revenge at the Olympic Games in Paris, from which it returned without the slightest medal. Well launched with three perfect runs in the first heats, the squad consisting of Darragh Kenny on VDL Cartello, Mark McAuley and GRS Lady Amaro, all four of whom had prepared for the Games, Denis Lynch on the reins of Vistogran and Cian O’Connor attached to Fancy de Kergane , two of the four victorious pairs in Aachen in July, collapsed in the second round and let the Aga Khan Cup slip into the hands of the Americans, on Friday, August 16.
USA, between experienced and newly formed couples
On the other hand, Spencer Smith, Lucy Davis, Aaron Vale and McLain Ward, team silver winner in Versailles just a few days ago, left the course for the CSIO 5* in Dublin with a scoreless score at the reins of their respective Keeneland, born Cadeau , Ben 431, Carissimo 25 and Callas. Result? An impeccable first round, from start to finish, and a short lead to Robert Ridland’s quartet.
Associated for less than a year, Spencer Smith and his Cadeau achieved two perfect performances in the Nations Cup at the CSIO 5* in Dublin, with a win to boot. © Sportfot
The first duo of the American team signed another flawless round in the second round, replicating the same performance as in Falsterbo, in mid-July. Not bad for a couple who were affiliated since the end of last year and headed off to their second team event and enough to dream of a bright future. At the end of June, Spencer Smith and Keeneland, a son of Carmena, also finished fourth in the Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping Grand Prix. Twelve years (!) after her last Nations Cup, Lucy Davis finally found the red jacket in her national team and didn’t deserve it! The Amazon, who remained on a win in the Grand Prix 3* in Riesenbeck, guided his exuberant Ben 431, former partner of Gerrit Nieberg and notably winner of the legendary Rolex Grand Prix in Aachen in 2022, against a clear round then a round sanctioned with four points. Same result for the brilliant Carissimo 25, Aaron Vale’s Olympic hope ultimately not selected for Paris 2024 but author of a very good season. Finally, McLain Ward sealed his team’s fate with two flawless rounds at the reins of Callas, who at sixteen continues to impress and achieve consistency at the highest level.
What a return to the national team for Lucy Davis, accompanied by the bubbly Ben 431! © Sportfot
Aaron Vale can still count on his demonstrative Carissimo 25, author of a fantastic start to the season. © Sportfot
“Win a medal in Paris and to follow up with Dublin, what’s more, beating the host nation, that’s really incredible!”delighted Robert Ridland, who praised the crucial double zeros in his opener and his column, as well as the performances “fantastic” of his other two duets.
Callas was outstanding in Aachen and delivered a perfect performance in Ireland to give the USA the win. © Sportfot
Di Lampard’s British climb to the third step of the podium
Under pressure and neck and neck with USA, Darragh Kenny and Denis Lynch were unable to avoid a mistake in the second round, with Mark McAuley conceding two on his brilliant GRS Lady Amaro. Cian O’Connor was penalized five points in the opening act and was the only one to improve on his score on the fabulous Selle Français Fancy de Kergane, signing a faultless round during his second time on the course, but this was not enough to to win. Ireland finished second, ahead of Great Britain, the Olympic champions at Versailles.
Fancy de Kergane signed the only free round for his team in the second round of this Nations Cup. © Sportfot
Very moderately engaged in the competition with twelve points collected in the first round, the worst total of the seven teams still in play at this stage, the British lifted their heads in the second, with three clear rounds, in honor of Ben Maher and his trainer Exit Remo, born Extender V, authors of one of today’s six double zeros, Tim Gredley and his faithful Medoc de Toxandria, as well as Matthew Sampson and Daniel, winner of a 5* Grand Prix in Calgary at the end of June. Jodie Hall McAteer rode Hardessa and scored sixteen points twice. However, the Union Jack remains the flag that has flown the most times at the summit of the CSIO 5* Nations Cup in Dublin, with twenty-seven wins compared to twenty-four for Ireland, according to data shared by Equiratings.
Bred to shine in the dressage arenas, Exit Remo delights Ben Maher on the show jumping courses. © Sportfot
Sweden and France at the back of the pack
Despite two perfect runs from Koen Vereecke and Kasanova de la Pomme, back at their best, Belgium failed at the foot of the podium, just over two seconds behind Great Britain. Switzerland, powered by the two flawless rounds of Martin Fuchs and the superb Conner*Jei, are fifth ahead of the Netherlands, who have not recorded any double free rounds. Seventh, Sweden registered one, namely world number one Henrik von Eckermann with his queen Iliana, but it was not enough to hope for a better position. The Scandinavians are only ahead of the French… eliminated collectively. Despite a good race, François-Xavier Boudant and Brazyl du Mezel, winners of the Grand Prix last year on the same track, were eliminated due to a blood trail found on the side of the chestnut, while Julien Gonin fell after a rejection from Valou du Lys at the river. While the Blues still had every chance, Nina Mallevaey repeated a new course without a false note on Dynastie de Beaufour, with whom she climbed the steps to the very high level four at a time. With his team out of contention, Kevin Staut also signed a clear lap with Visconti du Telman, securing his qualification for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
The cow Vereecke and his stallion Kasanova de la Pomme scored one of the six double zeros in the CSIO 5* Nations Cup in Dublin. © Sportfot
Full results and videos of the different courses.
Featured Photo: Robert Ridland’s team take honors in Dublin. © Sportfot
