The U.S. team finished third behind Ireland and Switzerland in the League of Nations Nations Cup in Ocala
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- By Staff Writers
OCALA, Fla.--The U.S. Jumping Team placed third behind Ireland and Switzerland in the first ever North American leg of the new League of Nations competition at the World Equestrian Center.
The team of Laura Kraut on Baloutinue, Kent Farrington on Landon, Aaron Vale on Carissimo and McLain Ward on Callas finished with 12 faults after two rounds of jumping against the 10 best teams in the world that included eight of the 10 top world ranked riders and 16 of the top 20 riders..
Ireland won on a total of five faults, while Switzerland finished second on eight faults.
"We achieved our objective, which was to be on the podium," said chef'equipe Robert Ridland. "Obviously, we'd have rather been where Ireland was, but when you're dealing with the top 10 teams in the world, third is a valid achievement."
The Nations Cup started in daylight at 4:30, and nine of the first 10 riders were clean, making it look like course designer Alan Wade of Ireland had made it too easy.
Most surprisingly, the only rider in the first 10 to have faults was world number one Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden.
"The first round of riders was a little unusual, but not very unusual," said Ridland. "It's pretty standard to have your first rider a strong rider. And a lot of them in the first round were on fresh horses. But reality came up quickly in the second round of riders."