Sunset at Soers as Yuri Mansur leaves the ring for Team Brazil, that was last on the standings after round one.

Last year they won, this year they ended 7th of the 8th teams in the Nations Cup. This sport is full of ups and downs, even for Team Ireland.

Despite the fact that it was not the best night for the Dutch, Michael Greeve seemed to be in a good mood.

The Brits on the other hand had plenty to celebrate in round two; here Ben Maher's wife Sophie and Dallas Vegas Batilly's owner Charlotte Rossetter celebrate his double clear round, as the best on the team.

British chef d'equipe Di Lampard was all smiles after Maher's performance.

A very happy Team Maher!

Meanwhile, it was not going France's way...

After a brilliant clear in the first round, Christian Kukuk's Cepano Baloubet threw in a surprise refusal in round two. It came on 4a – the first fence in the triple combination, which caused a lot of problems in both rounds due to the challenging conditions caused by the sun that was setting over Soers. With 13 penalties for the German pathfinder, it was not looking great for the home team that had been sitting in the lead with Belgium and USA after the first round; all three nations tied on four faults.

The American supporters were confident though, as Lillie Keenan was about to enter the ring.

The 28-year-old did not disappoint: Double clear again with Argan de Beliard!

That put pressure on the Belgians, who could not answer back with another clear. Eight faults for Jos Verlooy and Parise van den Dael meant the remaining three riders had little room for error.

Although left with only three riders for round one, Brazil came back strong. Here Luciana Diniz celebrates posting one of five double clears in the class, riding Vertigo du Desert.

At only 20, Tom Wachman jumped his first Aachen Nations Cup and impressed. After a rail on the triple bar in the first round, he bounced back in round two with only two time penalties around the extremely demanding track riding Tabasco de Toxandria Z.

The Germans kept themselves in the game when Hansi Dreher and Elysium jumped a clear round the second time out. Here team-vet Jan-Hein Swagemakers and Hansi's long-time groom Stefan Stan share a hug.

Elysium's owner Simone Aregger and Heiner Brändlin.

Big smiles!

Next to go, Kent Farrington and Toulayna who had been clear in round one.

“The level of the competition here is very high, the height of the jumps is very high and the atmosphere is big so I was more wondering how she was going to handle that,” Farrington said of Toulayna’s first five-star Nations Cup appearance in Aachen, where she jumped clear in round one and with an unlucky rail down in round two. “But, she is very strong in her mind, she has jumped some serious Grand Prix classes, and she really showed her heart tonight in the first round. She tried very hard in the triple combination, and in the second round she came back like a champion and did it even better. It was a cheap fault tonight in the double, but I’m very proud of my horse.”

Belgium's Emilie Conter impressed with a clear in the first round aboard her lovely Portobella van de Fruitkorf, but unfortunately had to see four faults added to her score in round two after a mistake on the open water.

Conter's trainer Helena Stormanns and her son Tony.

There's only one Major Tom.

After an uncharacteristic 12 faults in round one, Rodrigo Pessoa and his 12-year-old gelding came back strong in round two with a clear round for Brazil – helping them up on the result list to end 6th.

Meanwhile, the Dutch were dropping on the result list towards the very bottom...

A serious looking Jeroen Dubbeldam with Dutch chef d'equipe Wout-Jan van der Schans as Hessel Hoekstra opted to retire with Comthago VDL after a refusal at 4a, part of the triple combination that caused a lot of drama in the Nations Cup.

Great Britain's Georgia Tame – their youngest team member – impressed with only a time fault in each round aboard Be Golden Lynx, which helped her team climb up on the result list.

Two impressive ladies: Di Lampard and Georgia Tame.

Olivier Robert taking a look back at the score board as he leaves the ring, which did not contain any good news for France which kept on cumulating faults at Soers to eventually end 5th of the eight teams.

David Will and Richard Vogel looking slightly resigned as Germany's Sophie Hinners ended on a score of 11 penalties, after Iron Dames Combella struggled to get out over the b- and c- elements of the triple combination.

The triple combination sent the Germans out of contention for the title, and the disappointment was unmissable.

The Americans on the other hand could celebrate another clear, this time from Laura Kraut and Bisquetta.

Kraut praised her horse Bisquetta, and took responsibility for the fault the pair picked up in round one. “I was so happy with my horse, she should have been double clear,” Kraut said. “I messed up in the first round. I should have known that I had plenty of time, and I just cut back way too quick to the plank at fence no. 10 so she had it down, but in the second round when I gave her the time she was perfect.”

Lillie Keenan and Nick Skelton.

Third out for Belgium, Abdel Said and Bonne Amie made sure to keep it tight on top towards the Americans when they came back strong with a clear in round two after having struggled in the triple combination the first time out due to the challenging conditions with the sunlight.

Ireland's Cian O'Connor was one of many, many, riders that picked up a fault in the triple combination in round one, but came back strong the second time out to ride Bentley du Sury to a clear round.

What it looks like to end last. Jeroen Dubbeldam and Kevin Jochems.

Great Britain was coming strong from behind, and finished on a team total of ten penalties as anchor rider Scott Brash jumped clear with Hello Jefferson after having had eight faults the first time out – four of which came in (surprise, surprise) the triple combination.

A highlight for the home team: Jana Wargers who jumped a beautiful double clear with Dorette Old, one of five in the class.

With himself and Gregory Wathelet left to go, McLain Ward knew what had to be done. A clear would secure the victory for USA. Four faults would leave the door open for a possible jump-off against Belgium, if Wathelet would go clear.

Wathelet looking on as Ward gets underway.

No better man for the job! Ward made sure to firmly lock the door behind him when delivering one of his signature performances – cool, calm, collected and clear – to secure the win for USA, ahead of the Belgians in second and the Brits in third.

Queens of the night: Lillie Keenan and Laura Kraut.

"For me it’s hallowed ground, it’s the cathedral of the sport. To win any class here is an honour, and it really feels like you're at the top of your game. It was the second time for me to win the Nations Cup here, and it's been quite a drought – I was not on the last team that won here – so I'm very excited to be back in this position," Ward said about competing in Aachen.

The stunner Imperial HBF gets a well deserved treat from Virginie Casterman.

McLain Ward together with Aaron Vale.

A double clear round from Gregory Wathelet and Bond Jamesbond de Hay helped the Belgians to end second at Soers.

Switzerland did not have a team in the Nations Cup this year, but Steve Guerdat and his daughter Ella had showed up to support anyhow.

Christian Kukuk in conversation with Peter Hofmann.

Ben Maher and his wife Sophie were needless to say all smiles.

“It's always an incredible evening here, it is like no other place in the world," Ward said of Nations Cup-night at CHIO Aachen.

“This was an easy team for me to select; I literally went down our national ranking list one to five – which was the five best that we could provide. They were amazing tonight; this is what we came for, and it doesn't get any better than winning here in Aachen," U.S. chef d'equipe Robert Ridland said.

Going up on the Winners' Wall.

Over and out from the CSIO5* 1.60m €1,000,000 Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup 2025.