Whinnying horse ends USA Nations Cup drought

A five-year drought in the Nations Cup at the Global Dressage Festival ended today for the USA as the home team of Ashley Holzer, Jordan LaPlaca, Meagan Davis and Anna Marek toppled Germany’s reign of a half of a decade.

Anna Marek, Meagan Davis, Jordan LaPlaca, Ashley Holzer and chef d’equipe Christine Faurig celebrating their Nations Cup triumph. Photo: Centre Line Media

“It’s always a big honor to go last,” said Anna, who secured the win for Chef d’Equipe Christine Taurig with a score of 69.435%, while feeling a “a bit of extra pressure, especially after watching my teammates ride the test.” She stayed focused on the task in hand and not the math. “I went in there just wanting to ride the best test that I could,” Anna said. “The score is going to be what it’s going to be.” It proved enough to take gold for the USA over Germany whose lead had been established earlier by anchor, Frederic Wandres, and Verrenberg’s individual winning score of 69.913%.

Germany’s Frederic Wandres and Verrenberg took the individual win. Photo: Sarah Eakin

Anna’s test was punctuated by Fayvel’s tendency to whinny should he hear another horse. The Winter Equestrian Festival’s Hunter Derby ran alongside the Nations Cup at the Equestrian Village venue in Wellington, and one of the contestants called out from across the grounds mid-test. “If he ever hears a horse, he has to call back,” Anna said. “If I hear a horse call I brace and get ready for it… so in the second piaffe I just had to wait to start it, because he also has to throw his head up in the air when he does it.”

Anna braced herself for Fayvel’s whinnying quirk and secured the win for the USA. Photo: Sarah Eakin

Germany put forward a strong team with Frederic joined by Nations Cup veteran Michael Klimke, Lars Ligus and relative newcomer and Lars’ student, Emma Caecilia Linert and Windermere J’Obei W who posted a personal best score of 68.152%. The team scores showed a tight race with the USA ammassing a score of 205.631%, Germany accumulating 205.043% and Canada – the only other team competing – claiming bronze with a score of 204.196%.

Germany’s Michael Klimke – a stalwart of their Nations Cup victories. Photo: Sarah Eakin

USA depended on the experience of Anna and Ashley combined with Nations Cup senior team rookies, Jordan with Gold Play and Meagan with Toronto Lightfoot. “It’s kind of what you dream of, right?” Jordan reflected. “Each day for me is a win just being on him and to be on a team that is so strong – to gain this experience with everybody was like top-notch, you can’t beat it. And having camaraderie and teamwork and the spirit of being together makes this even that much more fun because dressage can be so isolating so it’s nice to learn from the best.”

Dressage can be an isolating sport – but not when it comes to the Nations Cup as riders and owners celebrate the USA’s victory. Photo: Sarah Eakin

Ashley – a four-time Olympian – was first to go for the host nation aboard Hawtins San Floriana and echoed the team sentiment. “Sometimes you get on a team, and some people feel that this is going to be harder, but actually it’s sometimes easier because you have the support of your other riders, and you have that support of your other fans around you,” she said. “It’s a great feeling when you salute, and they’re all screaming and waving the flag.”

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