Team USA win Dublin FEI Nations Cup

11 Aug 2017

 

• First All-Female Team to win illustrious Dublin Trophy
• Aga Khan Trophy Targeted by American Team
• Ireland finish fifth in very competitive event

 

Team USA became the first all-female team to win the Dublin FEI Nations Cup for the Aga Khan Trophy today in the RDS with two superb rounds of show jumping. The result was in doubt until the last rider, but with two team rounds of no faults, the American victory quickly became very clear when the last American rider crossed the line.Two faultless rounds each from Lauren Hough with Ohlala and Laura Kraut on board Confu, bookended the American team, while Lillie Keenan onboard Super Sox and Elizabeth Madden on Darry Lou completed the course cleanly in the first and second rounds respectively.

Speaking afterwards, Lille Keenan spoke of how honoured she was to be competing in Dublin for first time. “I had a really exciting day and that’s an understatement…there’s no other feeling like winning a Nations Cup for your country and to win in Dublin makes it extra special” said the Cian O’Connor trained Harvard University student. “Competing in Dublin and having a result like this has been a goal since I first started working with him [Cian]”.

Commenting on the win, USA team manager Robert Ridland said: “It’s our view that the Aga Khan is the greatest trophy in our sport. At the beginning of the year we set out to bring our A team to this Show. Today, there was no luck, those four riders [team USA] did an unbelievable job”.

Rodrigo Pessoa, the Ireland Team Manager, said he was ‘deflated’ after the result. “We put ourselves in a good place after the first round. But unfortunately we couldn’t repeat it in the second. The Americans were very strong, they are incredible riders and we knew it was going to be incredibly tough…Our eyes are now on the Europeans in two weeks”.

 

Ends

 

The Dublin Horse Show is considered to be one of the top equestrian shows in the world and is operated by the RDS on a not-for-profit basis in order to make it the best possible Show for the Irish sport horse industry. The RDS manages, resources and underwrites the CSIO 5* Show each year, which had had a total cost of €4.7 million in 2016. Equestrianism is vital way in which the RDS fulfils its mission of seeing Ireland thrive culturally and economically.

 

The 2017 Dublin Horse Show takes place August 9-13. Tickets are available through ticketmaster.com

 

The Dublin Horse Show is supported by Fáilte Ireland.

 

 

Longines is the Official Partner, Timekeeper and Watch of the CSIO 5* Dublin and is associated with two of its highlights: the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping presented by Longines and the Longines Grand Prix. In line with the agreement between the FEI and Longines, the Swiss watch brand is proud to provide this great event with its established timekeeping and data handling experience.   

Longines has been based at Saint-Imier, Switzerland since 1832. Its watchmaking expertise reflects a strong devotion to tradition, elegance and performance. Longines has generations of experience as official timekeeper of world championships and as partner of international sports federation. Known for the elegance of its timepieces, Longines is a member of Swatch Group Ltd, the world’s leading manufacturer of horological products. With the winged hourglass as its emblem, the brand has outlets in over 150 countries.