Lexington, Ky. - The NetJets U.S. Show Jumping Team is set to compete in tomorrow’s FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ CSIO5* Rome. U.S. Show Jumping Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor Robert Ridland will lead the team of Laura Kraut and Confu, Beezie Madden and Coach, Spencer Smith and Theodore Manciais, and McLain Ward and HH Azur as they vie for a strong finish in the famous Piazza di Siena. The U.S. team will compete fourth in the order.
Note: Kent Farrington (Wellington, Fla.) and Lauren Hough (Wellington, Fla.), originally announced as members of this team on May 17, have both been withdrawn from the CSIO5* Rome. The Ohlala Group’s Ohlala has suffered an injury and after being evaluated by the veterinarians, it was decided that competing in Rome would not be in the best interest of the horse. Farrington, after two very successful outings at the Royal Windsor Horse Show and the Jumping International La Baule, has reevaluated his and his horses’ “return to play” program and after discussions with the Chef d’Equipe and looking at the long-term goals, Farrington has decided not to compete in Rome. The Royal Windsor Horse Show was Farrington’s first competition back after suffering a broken leg.
Meet the Team
Laura Kraut from Royal Palm Beach, Fla., riding Confu, St. Bride’s Farm’s 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding. Follow Kraut on Facebook (@laurakrautusa), Twitter (@laurakraut), and Instagram (@laurakraut)
Beezie Madden from Cazenovia, N.Y., riding Coach, Abigail Wexner’s 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding. Follow Madden on Facebook (@beeziemadden), Twitter (@JohnMaddenSales), and Instagram (@johnmaddensales).
Spencer Smith from Wellington, Fla., riding Theodore Manciais, Ashland Farm’s 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding. Follow Smith on Facebook (@Spencer-Smith) and Instagram (@spencer_b_smith).
McLain Ward from Brewster, N.Y., riding HH Azur, Double H Farm and Francois Mathy’s 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare.
Last Time Out
Kraut and Confu placed in the top-15 in the Longines Global Champion Tour Madrid CSI5*
Madden and Coach placed in the top-10 in the Longines Masters of New York $60,000 CSI5*
Smith and Theodore Manciais placed in the top-10 in the Van Mossel Automotive Groep Prix CSI3* Eindhoven
Ward and HH Azur finished in an overall fourth-place tie at the 2018 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final Paris
Career Highlights
Kraut: Member of the silver-medal winning 2017 Longines FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final team; member of the first all-women’s FEI Nations Cup CSIO5* Dublin gold-medal winning team and recipient of the 2017 Aga Khan Trophy; recipient of the “Prize of the Federal Minister of the Interior” award at the 2017 CHIO Aachen; two-time Olympian, including a team gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games
Madden: 2018 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final champion; four-time Olympian, including team gold medals at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Games and a team silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games; member of the silver medal-winning 2017 Longines FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final team; member of the first all-women gold medal-winning team and recipient of the Aga Khan Trophy at the FEI Nations Cup CSIO5* Dublin in 2017
Smith: Won the 2018 FEI $132,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI3* during the tenth week of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF); member of the gold-medal winning 2015 Young Riders Nation Cup U.S. team; two-time Adequan®/FEI North American Youth Championships presented by Gotham North participant (2012, 2013)
Ward: Member of the silver-medal winning 2017 Longines FEI Nations Cup Jumping Final team; 2017 Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final champion; four-time Olympian, including team gold medals at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Games, and a team silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games; US Equestrian’s 2017 Equestrian of the Year
Competition Information
Competition will be held at the Piazza di Siena on Friday, May 25, at 8:15 a.m. ET and will be streamed live here.
Follow US Equestrian
Stay up to date on the NetJets U.S. Show Jumping Team by following USA Show Jumping on Facebook and US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Use #USAJumping.
The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOC, and USEF Sponsors and Members.
Headshots: © Elena Lusenti, USEF Archives