Ridland plans for future with USA Nations Cup win

Chef d’equipe Robert Ridland saw a plan come together with USA’s Saturday Night Lights’ win in the $150,000 FEI CSIO 4* Nations Cup at Wellington International.

USA enjoys a solid Nations Cup victory. Photo: Sarah Eakin

“We put together a team that we felt was very competitive,” Ridland said, after banking his 10th Nations Cup win in Wellington. “That’s the number one thing. This Nations Cup in particular – we’ve done it over the years – has always been an opportunity for the up-and-coming, whether it’s horses or riders.”

The plan came together for Robert Ridland, flanked from l to r by Laura Kraut, Natalie Dean, Carly Anthony and Charlotte Jacobs. Photo: Sarah Eakin.

The home team was exactly that with Wellington-based young riders Natalie Dean and Acota M, Carly Anthony and Heavenly W, Charlotte Jacobs and Playboy JTZ joined by seasoned international rider Laura Kraut, aboard a younger horse in Tres Bien Z.

Carly Anthony and Heavenly W sail above the water in the Nations Cup. Photo: Sarah Eakin

Three clears in the opening round set the USA on track ahead of defending champions Ireland, sitting on four faults going into the night class. Laura had a miscommunication with Tres Bien Z in the afternoon, finishing with the dropped score of 24. Her teammates’ combined score of just five penalties, meant that Laura could sit the second round out. She was grateful to her teammates.

“My horse got very green and we had this miscommunication today,” said Laura. “And I wasn’t sure that the second round under the lights was the place to fix this problem I was having. I was going to have to do it if I needed to, but I am very grateful to them for being the riders and the tough competitors that they are. That they let my horse have a night off and he can live to fight another day.”

Crowd favorite – Ireland’s Daniel Coyle had one of the three double clears of the night. Photo: Sarah Eakin

Ireland’s team of Michael Duffy, Cian O’Connor, Bertram Allen and Daniel Coyle were always going to be in the running and Daniel was a crowd favorite jumping one of just three double clears of the night aboard Incredible. An unlucky hoof at the water jump for Cian and a rail for Bertram under the lights did not affect their runners up placement ahead of Belgium taking bronze with a cumulative total of eight faults.

Being the only International contest at the Winter Equestrian Festival, thoughts turned to the Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon in 2028. Laura, who is inducted tonight into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame, had an optimistic view after the Nations Cup. “We’ve got three exciting young girls here that I think have a strong chance if things go right and they have the right horses,” she said. “I think we’re looking really strong for LA.”