The future of U.S. show jumping was shining bright as a team of up-and-coming athletes dominated the $150,000 Nations Cup CSIO4* in the International Arena during week eight on Saturday evening, February 29, at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, FL
The six teams that returned for the second round included the fault-free United States, Ireland on five faults, Brazil and Canada on a tally of 13 faults apiece, and Australia and Israel with 17 faults each.
Leading the way, the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team consisting of Andy Kocher aboard Squirt Gun, Brian Moggre on MTM Vivre le Reve, Lucas Porter with C Hunter, and Adrienne Sternlicht riding Just A Gamble, carried the leading scores in both rounds and finished the night on just four penalties for the win. The U.S. riders were coached by Chef d’Équipe Robert Ridland.
Irish riders David Blake, Darragh Kenny, Paul O’Shea, and Billy Twomey took the silver-medal position on 13 faults, while Australia’s Amy Graham, Scott Keach, Hilary Scott, and Rowan Willis rounded out the podium.
Sitting pretty on a perfect score after Kocher’s lone time fault served as the drop score from round one, U.S. riders were primed for a win on home soil. A double-clear performance from 18-year-old Moggre and his 11-year-old Westphalian gelding (Ustinov x Chello II) sealed the victory for his team in his senior Nations Cup debut.
Fellow young rider Porter, 22, of Wellington, FL, notched a fault-free ride in the opening round and settled on a single rail in the second riding longtime partner C Hunter, a 13-year-old Zangersheide stallion (Cassini II x Corland).
Pulling through for a clear in the second round to help his team’s total, Kocher, 36, of Wellington, FL, and Squirt Gun were pivotal for their team in the rider’s second Nations Cup team appearance.
“He’s by far the best horse that I have at the moment,” said Kocher of the nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Diarado x Quick Star) owned by Eye Candy Jumpers. “Last year in the high schooling [jumpers] at WEF, I fell off him our first time out, so it’s incredible what 18 months can do. He’s the best horse I’ve ever had so far in my career.”
Coming in with the most team experience under her belt, Sternlicht, 26, hailing from Greenwich, CT, served as the anchor rider and posted a clear round with Just A Gamble, but did not return for the second round thanks to her teammates scores securing the win.
“I’m very thankful for my teammates who made it very easy for me,” she said. “I think we’re a young team, but have a lot of strong riders who have had consistencies leading up to this event. I think that was showcased in their awesome rides.
The six teams that returned for the second round included the fault-free United States, Ireland on five faults, Brazil and Canada on a tally of 13 faults apiece, and Australia and Israel with 17 faults each.
Leading the way, the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team consisting of Andy Kocher aboard Squirt Gun, Brian Moggre on MTM Vivre le Reve, Lucas Porter with C Hunter, and Adrienne Sternlicht riding Just A Gamble, carried the leading scores in both rounds and finished the night on just four penalties for the win. The U.S. riders were coached by Chef d’Équipe Robert Ridland.
Irish riders David Blake, Darragh Kenny, Paul O’Shea, and Billy Twomey took the silver-medal position on 13 faults, while Australia’s Amy Graham, Scott Keach, Hilary Scott, and Rowan Willis rounded out the podium.
Sitting pretty on a perfect score after Kocher’s lone time fault served as the drop score from round one, U.S. riders were primed for a win on home soil. A double-clear performance from 18-year-old Moggre and his 11-year-old Westphalian gelding (Ustinov x Chello II) sealed the victory for his team in his senior Nations Cup debut.
Fellow young rider Porter, 22, of Wellington, FL, notched a fault-free ride in the opening round and settled on a single rail in the second riding longtime partner C Hunter, a 13-year-old Zangersheide stallion (Cassini II x Corland).
Pulling through for a clear in the second round to help his team’s total, Kocher, 36, of Wellington, FL, and Squirt Gun were pivotal for their team in the rider’s second Nations Cup team appearance.
“He’s by far the best horse that I have at the moment,” said Kocher of the nine-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Diarado x Quick Star) owned by Eye Candy Jumpers. “Last year in the high schooling [jumpers] at WEF, I fell off him our first time out, so it’s incredible what 18 months can do. He’s the best horse I’ve ever had so far in my career.”
Coming in with the most team experience under her belt, Sternlicht, 26, hailing from Greenwich, CT, served as the anchor rider and posted a clear round with Just A Gamble, but did not return for the second round thanks to her teammates scores securing the win.
“I’m very thankful for my teammates who made it very easy for me,” she said. “I think we’re a young team, but have a lot of strong riders who have had consistencies leading up to this event. I think that was showcased in their awesome rides.