SOPOT, Poland--Brian Moggre, 19 of Flower Mound, Texas, and Lucy Deslaurier, 22, of New York, N.Y., the two youngest in the class, placed first and second in the Grand Prix in Sopot on Friday, June 18.
Brian Moggre on Balou du Reventon showing last winter at WEF (Photo by Sportfot)"It was terrific," said chef d'equipe Robert Ridland. "I was going up in the elevator to the horse show ball, and I heard someone say, "Brian Moggre is only 19. It's unheard of for someone that young to win a 5* grand prix.'"
"Actually, Buddy Brown won the Dublin Grand Prix when he was only 18, still, it was a great win," said Ridland.
"Unfortunately, Sunday in the Nations Cup was not our best day," said Ridland.
The U.S. team of Bliss Heers of Las Vegas, Nev on Antidote de Mars., Deslauriers on Hester, Adrienne Sternlicht of Greenwich, Conn. on Bennys Legacy, and Moggre 0n Batou du Reventon finished tied for sixth with 20 faults, placing seventh behind France on their accumulated time in the second round.
ALTHOUGH placing seventh sounds bad, the result actually wasn't all that bad, as the very young U.S. team was only one rail out of being tied for third.
Germany, with a very strong team, won the Nations Cup with 0 faults, Belgium was second on 4 faults, and Ireland was third on 16 faults.
Norway and Great Britain also had 16 faults each but were placed fourth and fifth respectively, followed by France and the U.S.
Bliss had an unfortunate show," said Ridland. "She fell off when her horse went through the wall, Neither were hurt, But this is what we were here for, to move these young riders up the line. It's different from competing in Florida when you're up against top teams like Germany. This is trial by fire, and that's why we do it.
"Lucy had 4 faults in the first round and 8 in the second, Adrienne had four in the first round and was clean in the second, and Brian had a beautiful first round and was clean but had 4 in the second for 20 team total.
"We had a good week," said Ridland. "Everyone learned a little that they didn't know when they came here."
Meanwhile, in Saint-Tropex, Jessie Springsteen on Tinkerbell was second in the Saturday class after winning the Grand Prix there last week but had 1 time fault in the Grand Prix Sunday to miss the jump-off.
Beezie Madden and Kent Farrington were both clean in the first round of the Grand Prix to make the jump-off.
"Beezie has had two weeks in a row without a rail down," said Ridland. "She'll be on the Nations Cup team at Rotterdam in two weeks. She rode Garant in the Grand Prix, but she also has Breitling in Saint-Tropez. Kent won the Grand Prix on Gazelle. He was last to go in the jump-off to win it on time."
"We'll have a team at Rotterdam in two weeks and also in London at Windsor," said Ridland. "I'll watch the Nations Cup at Rotterdam on Friday and then fly to London for the Grand Prix Sunday. We have to name the team for Tokyo that evening. It's won't be easy picking that team."
