‘Super-duper jumpers’ lift US team to podium finish after sluggish start at eventing World Championships
The US team made a late climb to claim bronze after a slow start in the dressage and cross-country phases left them adrift of the medals
While Britain and Germany enjoyed a comfortable passage to team gold and silver at the eventing World Championships, the US took a more circuitous route.
Unlike all the other nations, the US have automatic qualification for the LA Olympics, whereas the rest were battling out for the seven qualifying spots available in Aachen. However, they were defending silver from the 2022 World Championships in Pratoni and were never going to rest on their laurels.
Languishing in sixth after dressage, they failed to make headway despite cross-country clears from Will Coleman, Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton. They were down to three riders after Caroline Pamukcu fell off HSH Blake on the cross-country.
And so on the final day, it was a fierce three-way battle for the final space on podium between the US, Ireland and Switzerland, but three immaculate clears for the Americans in the showjumping arena sealed the bronze.
Three US clears at eventing World Championships
Will Coleman, individual fourth on this year’s Kentucky winner Diabolo, led the team to the podium. His clear inside the time on the flashy “Dab” was one of the rounds of the day, despite the 14-year-old feeling the atmosphere.
“‘Dab’ was a little on his toes when he went in there, but he just knows the job,” said Will. “I knew he was going to do everything in his power to leave the rails up.”
Boyd Martin admitted to being “nervous as hell” this morning. The team were at that stage lying sixth, moving up to fifth when France were eliminated from team contention after Nicolas Touzaint withdrew just before the final horse inspection.
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Boyd steered Cooley Nutcracker (Bali) to America’s first clear inside the time.
“I thought we had an outside chance of a medal if we all jumped clear, and we were lucky we had three really good jumping horses,” said Boyd. “Bali’s been in phenomenal form, had a great warm-up and felt fantastic.
“It’s such a big ring – you’ve got to be able to really gallop. We’re so used to being in a small ring. I’m glad I came here last year – with Commando 3 – and had that experience, so I knew what I was in for.
“Luckily I’m sitting on a super-duper jumper and he delivered.”
Boyd finished overall 13th, while his 62-year-old compatriot Phillip Dutton, who contested the 2006 worlds here, finished 27th on Denim. They added just 1.2 time-faults over the coloured poles.
In the end, it was a comfortable podium finish for the US, with two fences in hand over Ireland, in fourth.
“Luckily I’m sitting on a super-duper jumper and he delivered”
Boyd Martin
Eventing World Championship results: team standings
Gold: Britain – 84
Silver: Germany – 95.6
Bronze: US – 113.5
4th: Ireland – 122.4
5th: Switzerland – 128.1
6th: New Zealand – 145.4
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.