CALGARY, Canada--The U.S. team of Lillie Keenan, Elena Haas, Laura Kraut and Aaron Vale finished third, missing second by just one second, in a thrilling 5*, 1.60m National Cup at Spruce Meadows.
Lillie Keenan on Argan de Beliard (File photo)In a Nations Cup that came down to the very last rider for a decision, Great Britain won with zero faults, and Germany and the U.S.were tied with four faults each, but the tie breaker was the aggregate time of the top three riders, so Germany, finishing in 234,35 won by one second over the U.S. team's time of 235.35.
From an unusually large field of 11 nations, the top six nations from round one returned for round two,
"It was one of the best Nations Cups that I've ever seen," said chef d'equipe Robert Ridland. "At the 50th annual Spruce Meadows, there was a very high level of competition."
For the second round, Brazil and Belgium returned with 12 faults each, the U.S. and Ireland had four faults each and Germany and Great Britain led with zero faults each.
Eliminated after round one were France, 12 faults, Netherlands, 15, and Canada, Austria and Mexico with 20 faults each.
"The course was tough enough, as you could see from the scores of the last three teams in round two," said Ridland.
IN ROUND one, Keenan on Argan de Beliard and Kraut on Tres Bien Z were clean, Vale on Styles had four faults and Haas on Claude had eight faults for a four fault total but with a slower aggregate time than Ireland, so went third of the six in the returning order before Ireland, Germany and Great Britain.
Aaron Vale on Styles (File photo)n the second round, after three rounds of riders, Ireland had added four faults for a total of eight, Keenan. Haas and Kraut were all clean to stand on a total of four faults, and Germany and Great Britain were still clean.
With three clean rounds already, Vale didn't have to go,but with time counting towards placing in a equality of faults, Ridland decided to send Vale.
"Aaron going was all strategy," said Ridland. "By that time, we knew we were on the podium, but I wanted us to be as fast as possible. I had already decided that if there was a tie for first that Aaron would be the one to go in the jump-off. I said to Aaron,`Do you think you can go again and shave off three seconds and then still have enough to go in a jump-off?' And he said absolutely. But Aaron wasn't going to go in and fly around like a banshee, because he had to go again if there was a jump-off,"
Vale did go clean in the fast time of 76.93.
"I'm so glad I did that," said Ridland. "That was Styles best round ever."
Then Richie Vogel of Germany had four faults, to leave them with a four fault total,tied with the U.S.
Great Britain's first rider, Mathew Sampspn, had had eight faults and Ben Maher and Joseph Stockdale had gone clean, so Donald Whitaker had to go clean, or there would be a three team jump-off.
Whittaker did go clean, making Great Britain the winner on zero faults, with Germany and the U.S. tied for second on four faults.
"What a great event it was," said Ridland. "It was a well deserved win for Great Britain, and Germany was great. It was a super day of jumping."
"We had one young rider in Elena and two young horses in Tres Bien ad Styles," he said. "Lillie was amazing. She had her fourth straight double clean rounds in Nations Cups. That's unprecedented."
"Elena is only 21, and to perform like that under that much pressure and in front of a huge crowd was an amazing ride for a young rider," said Ridland. " She fixed two small mistakes she made in the first round to go clean n the second."
With its being the 50th Anniversary, the presentation was filled with pomp and ceremony.
England's HRH Duchess of Edinburgh, married to Queen Elizabeth's youngest son, was among those presenting the trophy, and a band clad in ceremonial Canadian uniforms and led by a horse guard led the winners into the ring.
"The whole week was amazing," Ridland said.
