April 2021 Issue

EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN April 2021 Page 21 Jessica Springsteen, Colts Neck, NJ anchored the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team that won the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Wellington CSIO4* inWellington, Fla., topping a field of seven other international teams. Finishing on a final two- round score of just a single fault, the team edged out Ireland, who ended with a total of four faults for second place, and Brazil, who had a final score of 14 for third place. The competition served as the first team outing of 2021 and the first opportunity for the team to test themselves in a Nations Cup atmo- sphere since early 2020. The young but talented team led by Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, included Springsteen (Colts Neck, N.J.) rid- ing Don Juan van de Donkhoeve, Bliss Heers (Las Vegas, N.V.) and Antidote de Mars, Lillie Keenan (NewYork, N.Y.) and Fasther; and Brian Moggre (Flower Mound, TX) aboard Balou du Reventon. “When your second and third riders combined have one Nations Cup, it's not much experience in the heart of the order. It was really nice and exciting,” commented Ridland after the class. “We were up against some real teams. When we saw the Irish starters, on paper that's a really solid team. I couldn't be more excited.” Keenan and Fasther, the team’s lead combination, had a clear first trip around the Steve Stephens course, inside the time. Heers followed with another clear effort in the first round. Moggre and his new mount completed their initial trip with four faults, while Springsteen added a single time fault, allowing for Moggre’s four-fault tally to be the drop score, as the team moved into the second round on a total of one fault. In the second round, Keenan added four faults to the team score, before Heers, Moggre, and Spring- steen ultimately clinched the victory producing three consecutive clear efforts to finish on an unbeatable final team score of just a single fault. Springsteen and Keenan noted that the pressure of compet- ing on home soil in the team’s first outing of the year intensified the atmosphere. Both have represent- ed the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team on numerous occasions, but with the first team competition of 2021 now behind them, they said that winning at home is incomparable. “I think you always feel more pressure when you're representing your country. It was the first Nations Cup in a long time, and we all were so excited this whole week. It was a really fun team,” said Springsteen, who was presented the M. Michael Meller StyleAward in honor of Kate Nash Boone. The award is given to the international equestrian who exemplifies the best riding style and maintains a sportsmanlike composure while competing in the CSIO4* at theWinter Equestrian Festival during Nations Cup week. “To be able to bring home a win on home soil is thrilling. It's what we set out to do and we had a plan. I had fantastic teammates, our Chef d'Equipe, Robert Ridland, and our manager, Lizzy Chesson do an unparalleled job and we are ridiculously lucky. We're grateful to rise to the occa- sion,” concluded Keenan. Springsteen Anchors Nation’s Cup Win