Double bronze at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games showed the progress being made by the USA's international efforts in show jumping.
Beezie Madden and Cortes C were fault-free throughout team competition to clinch the bronze for the U.S. at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games CAEN, France -- The long-awaited world championships medal earned by the U.S. show jumping team last week at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games was bronze, not gold, but the squad was glad to get it.
"This has been what we came here for. This is the world championships we medaled in, and we haven't done it for awhile," said coach Robert Ridland.
The prize ended the embarrassing U.S. medal drought at global championships that followed earning the team gold at the 2008 Olympics. Just as important, it qualified the U.S. for the 2016 Olympics and showed promise for the team going forward.
The medal was the only one earned by the U.S. in the Olympic disciplines at the Normandy Games. The dressage team finished fourth, and the eventing squad didn't finish as a team, after two members, Buck Davidson and Phillip Dutton, pulled out when their horses refused late on the cross-country course.
Not that the jumpers had it easy.
It was touch and go over three days of competition in the packed d'Ornano stadium, as Germany, France, the Netherlands and the U.S. all figured in the medal equation.
The U.S. was second after the second day, but dropped to fourth at one point on the final afternoon of team competition. Veterans McLain Ward (Rothchild) and Kent Farrington (Voyeur) each had a single 4-fault knockdown, as did rookie Lucy Davis (Barron). All rubbed the errant rails lightly, but luck didn't go their way.
When two-time Olympic team gold medalist Beezie Madden trotted into the ring on Cortes C, the medal chances rested squarely on her performance. Not only did she have to leave all the poles resting in their cups, but she couldn't afford a single time penalty.
Pressure never deters Madden, and the anchor rider delivered, as she so often does.
Her perfect effort put the U.S. just 0.10 penalties ahead of Germany. Had one of the other team riders made it around without an error, the team would have had gold. Instead, the Netherlands got the top prize with 12.83 penalties, home team France, saluted with thunderous cheers, was second on 14.08 and the U.S. total was 16.72.
Ridland finally cracked a smile after Madden came through the finish line fault-free.
"We absolutely felt we had one of the strongest teams we've had in recent memory and we were capable of winning the gold medal," he said.
Though that didn't happen, "We're very proud of what we did," he continued, noting with a smile he was glad he had to go through the heart-stopping suspense only ever two years at the WEG and Olympics.
The medal, and the preparation for it at several European shows, will make a difference for the U.S. in the sport.
"I think it helps now and helps in the future," said Ridland, an Olympic veteran himself, who trained with the U.S. Equestrian Team in Gladstone, N.J., during the early days of his riding career. He took over after the 2012 Olympics and the WEG was the biggest test of his tenure.
"A lot that happened this summer we'll see benefits from two years from now, when we're fielding the Olympic team," he commented.
"We've incorporated some unbelievable young talent that has been able to ride side-by-side with our veterans. A lot of that helped us, because we came in with some confidence, there's no question about that."
The WEG ended today with the individual show jumping medal finals, in which Madden picked up another bronze and her mount, Cortes C, was named Best Horse.
Ward fell just 0.31 penalties short of making the cut for the "Final Four," in which each rider competes with their own horse over a short course, then rides the mounts of the other competitors.
ON THE RAIL IN NEW JERSEY -- The Garden State Driving Event returns to the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown Sept. 19-21, with a combined test the first day, and a combined driving event the following two days.
Following the lead of the Jersey Fresh Three-Day Event in May, tailgating is available by the water obstacle for $25. The event is a fundraiser for the horse park. Contact Mary.G.Nelson@verizon.net for reservations. Volunteers are also needed for the event...
The Standardbred Retirement Foundation is holding an open house Friday from 4-8 p.m. at its Cream Ridge facility 42 Arneytown-Hornerstown Road.
Horses who have been trained under saddle and are ready to be adopted will be on view, but even those who don't want to adopt are invited to visit and learn about volunteer activities or other ways to help the former racehorses.
Laurette Simanski-Snook from NJ Equine Imaging/ThermScan Diagnostics will be performing demonstrations during the afternoon.
For more information, contact admin@srfmail.com, call (732) 446-4422 or go to www.AdoptaHorse.org...
A hunter pace scheduled for today at Lord Stirling Stable in Basking Ridge has been cancelled because some horses are ill at the facility. Until the stable's veterinarian gives the all-clear, no activities will be held there. The first week of fall riding lessons has been postponed until Sept. 22.
NEW JERSEY ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
Today: Woodedge Show, 116A Borton Landing Road, Moorestown; Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization Show, Horse Park of New Jersey, Route 524, Allentown; Delaware Valley Horseman's Association Driving Show, DVHA Showgrounds, 299 Ringoes-Rosemont Road, Sergeantsville; Monmouth County Horse Show, East Freehold Showgrounds, Kozloski Road, Freehold.
Saturday: Sussex County Benefit Show, Sussex County Fairgrounds, Plains Road, Augusta; Palermo Show Stable Show, 1555A Burnt Mills Road, Bedminster.
Thursday: Thursday Night Dressage, DVHA Showgrounds, 299 Ringoes-Rosemont Road, Sergeantsville.
Saturday: ESDCTA Dressage and Eventing Championships, Horse Park of New Jersey, Route 524, Allentown; Eastern Pennsylvania Reining Horse Association Reining Thunder Futurity, Gloucester County Dream Park, 400 Route 130 South, Logan Township (through next Sunday); Spring Valley Hounds Polo Match, Grayfields Farm, 80 Long Bridge Road, Allamuchy (exit 19 Route 80, gates open 10 a.m. for noon start, rain date is Sunday); Horseshoe Bend Benefit Trail Ride, Spring Hill Road, Kingwood (8:30 a.m. registration).
Next Sunday: Tewksbury Trail Association Trail Pace, Christie Hoffman Park, Route 512, Tewksbury (8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.); Delaware Valley Horseman's Association Jumper Show, DVHA Showgrounds, 299 Ringoes-Rosemont Road, Sergeantsville; Judged Trail Ride, Horse Park of New Jersey, Route 524, Allentown.
Nancy Jaffer may be reached at nancyjaffer@comcast.net.