Text © World of Showjumping

As the last pair out in Friday's CSIO5* 1.60m Nations Cup of Ireland for the award of the Aga Khan Trophy by the Underwriting Exchange at the RDS Dublin Horse Show 2024, Team USA's McLain Ward and the 16-year-old Callas (Casall x Coriano) sealed the deal for Robert Ridland's quartet that topped the podium. 

Delivering a double clear alongside Spencer Smith and Keeneland (Carmena Z x Quattro B), Lucy Davis and Ben 431 (Sylvain x Quincy Jones) and Aaron Vale aboard Carissimo 25 (Cascadello x Clinton), Ward and Callas kept the American score on a total of four, securing the win ahead of Michael Blake's Irish team – consisting of Darragh Kenny and VDL Cartello (Cartani 4 x Lord), Mark McAuley and GRS Lady Amaro (Amaretto d'Arco x Over The River), Denis Lynch and Vistogrand (Fantaland x Mr Visto) and Cian O'Connor aboard Fancy de Kergane (Berdenn de Kergane x Cor de Hus) – in second with eight faults.

Di Lampard's British quartet – made up of Ben Maher and Exit Remo (San Remo x Ferro), Tim Gredley and Medoc de Toxandria (Der Senaat 111 x Kelvin de Sainte Hermelle), Jodie Hall McAteer and Hardessa (Berlin x Kashmir van Schuttershof) and Matthew Sampson on Daniel (Heartbreaker x San Patrignano Mister) – finished third with a total of twelve penalties. 

Seven teams – USA, Belgium, Great Britain, Switzerland, the Netherland, Sweden and France – were invited to compete against the Irish in Dublin for one of the most traditional Nations Cups on the international circuit. The course set by the Irish course designer Alan Wade counted twelve obstacles and fifteen efforts and the questions started early on with oxer-oxer-vertical triple combination at fence four, followed by the open water at fence number eight – which saw France's Julien Gonin and Valou du Lys (Calvaro F.C. x Galoubet A) part ways – and as the second elimination for Henk Nooren's squad, left the French out of contention for the second round. 

Flawless in round one, the American team led the way as the second round got underway, with the hosts hot on their heels with three clears. As the last pair out for the home team, Cian O'Connor and Fancy de Kergane kept the Irish hopes alive when they delivered a clear, leaving Michael Blake's team on a total of eight penalties – and giving the American anchors McLain Ward and Callas no room for error. A clear from Ward would see the Americans lift the Aga Khan trophy, while a fence down would have led to a jump-off against the Irish. However, accustomed to pressure, Ward and Callas delivered one of their trademark stylish rounds, securing the win for the Stars and Stripes and leaving the lads in green to second, while Great Britain took third, Belgium fourth and Switzerland fifth.

“They were unbelievable. No question. Spencer led off, McLain wrapped it up, and the other two were fantastic – the double clear of Spencer’s right from the get-go takes the pressure off everyone, which is a positive thing when everything is so competitive. Lucy’s riding nearly the like she was four years ago before she took a break from the sport – she fought her way back up to this level and the more she gets to know this horse the better the partnership will get,” said Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland in a press release from US Equestrian News. “Aaron is so close to having everything nearly perfect with Carissimo, and you know McLain is McLain – he’s always to come through for us when we need him. There was a big momentum swing coming here after the Olympic Games and everyone really stepped up to the plate. This is a special event and it’s a Nations Cup like no other, so it feels good to win this again. The crowd is amazing and they’re so supportive of the U.S. team – it’s really one of the best competitions in the world.”