U.S. Jumping Team Wins Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup In Aachen

By Jennifer Ward

The United States show jumping team of Kent Farrington, Lillie Keenan, Laura Kraut and McLain Ward delivered a tremendous performance to win the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup in Aachen, Germany, this past summer.

The U.S. team accumulated four faults over two challenging rounds of jumping to take the title over Belgium, who finished second with eight faults. Great Britian placed third with 10 faults at the July event.

Keenan and her veteran partner, Argan de Beliard, an 11-year-old Selle Français gelding owned by Chansonette Farm, produced a double-clear effort for the team.

Farrington, a Wellington resident, rode Toulayna, an 11-year-old Zangersheide mare owned by Kent Farrington LLC & Rabbit Root Stables LLC, to an impressive clear in round one, and an unlucky rail in round two served as the drop score.

Kraut, who lives in Royal Palm Beach, piloted Bisquetta, an 11-year-old Zangersheide mare owned by Cherry Knoll Farm Inc., to four faults in the opening round before returning to jump clear in the second.

Finally, Ward and Imperial HBF, a 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Michael Smith, served as the U.S. team anchors. After putting four faults on the scoreboard in the opening round, the pair executed a beautiful clear round the second time out to secure an American victory.

“Aachen is the mecca of show jumping,” said Robert Ridland, chef d’equipe of the U.S. team that last won in Aachen in 2021. “It’s one of the greatest shows in the world. There’s truly nothing like winning as a team in Aachen, and I’m extremely proud of each of our combinations and their performances. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

To close out the week, Kraut placed second in the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen after jumping three faultless rounds with Baloutinue, a 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by St. Bride’s Farm. Martin Fuchs of Switzerland took the win riding Leonie Jei, while another Swiss rider, Steve Guerdat, placed third with Dynamix de Belheme.

Meanwhile, Keenan and her mount Chagrin d’Amour, an eight-year-old stallion owned by Chansonette Farm, topped the competitive Sparkassen Youngsters Cup after three days of jumping.

Keenan was also the recipient of the Aachen Style Award, presented to the week’s most stylish jumping rider.

The team was fielded and supported by US Equestrian (USEF), the national governing body of equestrian sport. Unlike in some other countries, the U.S. does not provide government funding for its equestrian teams and programs. As a result, the USET Foundation, the philanthropic partner of the USEF, plays a critical role in fundraising to ensure athletes and horses have the resources necessary to successfully compete among the best in the world.

Funding from the USET Foundation, through donations of all levels, goes to the USEF to support USEF’s High Performance Pathway for horses and riders competing in the seven FEI disciplines.

Learn more about the USET Foundation at www.uset.org.