Falsterbo, Sweden– The NetJets®U.S. Jumping Team claimed fourth place at the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Sweden during the 2019 Falsterbo Horse Show, on July 14 in Falsterbo, Sweden. Led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, the team consisted of Eve Jobs, Wilton Porter, Chloe Reid, and Catherine Tyree.
“We had the youngest team out there by a mile. We were up against some real teams with big guns,” said Ridland. “For [the European teams], it’s a qualifier for [the FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final in] Barcelona and no one was letting up. We aim for the podium every time and we could have been there. We definitely had a good day. They held themselves up very admirably, and we’re pleased with how the day turned out.”
(Rolf Stenberg / Sports Press)
The young team from the United States of America were led by Jobs of Los Altos Hills, Calif., who turned 21 five days ago. She and her own Venue d’Fees des Hazalles, a 14-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare, put in a spectacular double-clear performance.
“She did not disappoint today,” said Ridland of Jobs. “It’s confirmed pretty obviously why she’s on the Pan American team. Those were two great back-to-back rounds. I’m pretty happy about that. She was a big part of today’s team, and it was a great set up for Lima a few weeks from now.”
Jobs noted, “[My horse] jumped amazing today. It always gives you confidence when you go clear, but with a Nations Cup format of two rounds of equal importance, you have to focus and try and produce another clear.”
“[Venue d’Fees des Hazalles] is such an unbelievable animal,” said Jobs of the mare she has ridden for two years. “In a big atmosphere, she grows and rises to the occasion. Having her be so focused and on it has really helped me focus on riding the best I can. It’s given me a lot of confidence.”
Falsterbo was Jobs’ third senior Nations Cup team and the second time she and her horse recorded double-clear performances. They will head to Lima, Peru, for the Pan American Games in three weeks.
“It’s the best preparation I could ask for going into Pan Ams,” she said. “I have some great forward momentum. Hopefully, I can keep it up.”
The team pathfinder in Falsterbo was 25-year-old Porter of Wellington, Fla. He and Caletto Cabana, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Sleepy P Ranch LLC, had four faults in the first round and returned for five faults in round two.
Catherine Tyree, also 25, (Chicago, Ill.) and Bokai, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Mary Tyree, put in scores of four and eight in the two rounds of jumping.
Anchor rider Chloe Reid (Wellington, Fla.), at just 22 years old, has experience in Sweden, having ridden on the team and contributed a double clear when the U.S. last competed in Falsterbo in 2017. She and Luis P, a 10-year-old Deutches Sportpferd gelding owned by Live Oak Plantation LLC, had four faults in the first round but returned for a fantastic clear round in round two.
Following the first round, the team from the United States of America sat in fifth place on eight faults, just two rails away from the leading team from Sweden, who totaled zero faults in round one.
Finishing on a total of 13 faults, the NetJets®U.S. Jumping Team moved up to fourth place in the final standings behind the winning team from Sweden. They thrilled the hometown crowd by winning on just four faults. Switzerland finished on five faults, and Italy rounded out the podium with nine faults.
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