This Time It Was Team USA That Was Victorious in the Las Vegas World Cup Challenge
Text and Photos by Diana Derosa

The Competition

While show jumpers are judged on what happens in the ring based on objective criteria (where faults are accumulated and speed is a factor in who wins), hunters are judged subjectively, with the scoring based on the horse’s smooth way of going, jumping style and overall presentation.

The competition consisted of two rounds. In the first round each team of four riders competed over a 3’6” course and were judged by three pairs of judges and received three scores, which were then averaged. The lowest scoring competitors total was dropped for the team competition and the remaining scores added together for a single round team cumulative total.

The second round was a handy course where the rider’s interpretation of the course was rewarded and emphasis was placed on turns and promptness (again the lowest score was dropped). Riders competed on a different horse. The scores of both the first and second rounds were combined.

The horses were divided into two teams and a draw took place on Wednesday night along with the draw for the World Cup horses. Once each rider completed his or her first round, then the teams switched horses for the Handy competition, which included turns, gallops, inside tracks and a trot jump.

The Show Jumping Manager for the event was Robert Ridland. Healey and Teall were the Chef d’Equipe of the US Team, Ann Symes for the European Team. Serio captained the U.S. Team while Pessoa headed up the European team.

In addition to George (Wellington, FL), the judges included: Scott Williamson, Wellington, FL; Julie Winkle, Reno, NV; Linda Hough, Wellington, FL; Ralph Caristo, Saugerties, NY and Tom Wright, Cincinnati, OH.