USA demonstrates: “Clear rounds win Nation Cups!”

WEF lit up by the color of the Nations Cup as USA tops the podium. Photo: Sportfot

McLain Ward was back in the hot seat for Saturday Night Lights – last to jump for the USA in the $150,000 CSIO4* Nations Cup, he needed and delivered a clear round to give his home country their 11th win in 25 years in the contest in Wellington.

“It’s a position that I’ve grown to be comfortable in and relish, to be honest, but I think I felt more pressure because it’s a new relationship with this horse,” said McLain of his anchorman role – this time riding Michael Smith’s Jordan Molga M, a recent addition to the Castle Hill barn in December of last year.

MCLain Ward delivering in his role as anchorman to the home team. Photo: Sportfot

Three clears from his teammates in round 1 – Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque, Marilyn Little riding La Contessa and Callie Schott on Garant – meant McLain’s participation was optional. “I was going back and forth on whether I should jump the first round,” said McLain. “And I decided I needed to trust our preparation. And we were ready to go and it worked out.”

Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque flew in from California to represent the USA. Photo: Sportfot

Teams from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ireland, Israel and Mexico were the visiting teams for the opening round, with the top six teams returning for round two of the contest held in week 8 of the Winter Equestrian Festival. Columbia and Israel were tested in round one, by the track built by Nick Garant and Steve Stephens, and did not advance.

Marilyn Little and La Contessa set up the home team with a double clear. Photo: Sportfot

Ireland – also with Cian O’Connor and Ulysses, Jordan Coyle and Chaccolino and Tom Wachman and Take It Easy – were runners up ahead of Canada in third. Canadian coach Ian Millar was making the best use of the contest as he planned ahead. “I’m working backwards from the Olympics in ‘28 and the Pan Am’s of ‘27 and here we are with the world equestrian games this year [in Aachen 2026],” he said. “So it’s a three-year program. Every Nations Cup counts and the way I set teams is to find out about a horse, find out about a rider, horse-rider combination. I have to know before they walk in the ring what they’re going to do. If I gotta wait till they finish the round to know – it’s too late. I gotta know before they go in the ring.”

Callie Schott and Garant were part of the double clear equation required for victory. Photo: Sportfot

USA Chef d’Équipe Robert Ridland was also looking at the long term. “This is an interesting Nations Cup,” he said. “Because the pressure’s on us to win this. It’s a home Nations Cup. It’s a really big deal. But at the same time, it’s early in the year and you’ve got to play the long ball. And there’s reasons for everybody being here. I mean, first off, our two double clears [in round 2 from Marilyn and Callie]. That’s just phenomenal. That’s the way you win Nations Cups with double clears.”

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