WEG 2018: U.S. Team show jumping victory another milestone in stellar year

Indeed, ‘surreal’ is a good way to describe a competition whose twists and turns, comebacks and collapses left spectators in suspense until the last riders in the tie-breaking jump-off. In the end, the U.S.’s opponent there, Sweden, would take the silver, with Germany rounding out the podium in third. Switzerland, which had been in the driver’s seat for a medal, stumbled disappointingly to a fourth-place finish in the hot conditions at the U.S. Trust Arena. And with the Individual Final still to come Sunday, yesterday’s result was another triumph for U.S. show jumping this year after the victory of Beezie Madden – reserve rider this week in Tryon – at the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final in April in Paris. 

In his analysis of the Team Final for the Grand Prix web site, Philippe Rozier, a French Team show jumping champion at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, said: “The Americans were ultra-favorites at home! This team was made up of the pillars of the squad [Kraut and Zeremonie, McLain Ward and Clinta, Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue – who was second in Paris behind Madden – and Adrienne Sternlicht and Cristalline], apart from the young Sternlicht who can nevertheless count on her fabulous mare, perhaps the best in the world. The Swedes mounted an incredible comeback… and the Germans were third, not surprisingly. As for the Australians [who finished sixth and qualified for the Games in Japan], they stunned me! They were phenomenal, and without Edwina [Tops-Alexander, who said she did not wish to participate in these WEG due to a lack of appropriate horses] as well! They fought like lions; I loved it!” 

The top six finishers all qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics: the United States, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Australia.

On Friday, the veteran Ward had a chance to clinch the Team title in the regular round on Alan Wade’s course, but the rider and his Clinta knocked down a fence, sending the U.S. and Sweden into a thrilling jump-off. It was there, however, that the Americans and their mounts pulled through with clutch rides on home soil to land on the podium summit. “This sport doesn’t get any better than that,” commented U.S. chef d’equipe Robert Ridland afterwards. “I think Adrienne said it best: ‘Let’s not wake up from this dream.’”

In the Individual show jumping competition at the WEG, which will culminate in a showdown of the top 25 riders on Sunday, September 23, Germany’s Simone Blum and her mare DSP Alice currently sit on top of the standings. Cian O’Connor is the best-placed Irish rider, in sixth place overall with Good Luck, while Great Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire and Luibanta BH are 15th. The always dangerous Ward is in fifth and will be looking to add to his nation’s already impressive list of achievements in the sport in 2018.