2002 World Equestrian Games

Show Jumping: A French Day in Spain

For the Nations Cup the scores from the 1st Qualifier are added to two more rounds where riders jump the same course twice. One rider's score is then dropped from each round (the lowest one) and then the final scores are tallied. The team scoring the lowest amount of faults is the winner.

The U.S. had started off in seventh place after the first qualifier and were three rails behind the leading team. So, they had to be exceptionally good for both goes in the team competition if they wanted to achieve a medal victory.

Our riders had their ups and downs in the Nations Cup. For the first round of the day Peter Wylde, riding the 12-year-old Holsteiner bay mare set the pace with a clear round. Later that morning Beezie Madden on Judgement, an 11-year-old black stallion also went clear.

In between an odd thing happened with Nicole Simpson and her 12-year-old bay Selle Francais stallion. They had a rail down early in the course. Then at fence #8 her horse sort of refused but so close to the fence that the rails came down and he kept going. It was up to the judges to decide whether this was a refusal or a knockdown. At the time the sound system had failed and the judge's were unable to ring the bell. So, Simpson circled and continued on the course as if it had been a knockdown. Once finished the announcer came back on the sound system and apologized for the lack of an announcement. In the meantime, Simpson had totaled 16 faults with 4 fences down and was headed out when they called her back and had her rejump the course starting with fence #8. In her repeat performance she dropped one rail and her final tally for the first round was 12 faults.