The U.S. team of Jennie Brannigan, Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin and Lynn Symanski won the FEI Nations Cup CICO3* at Great Meadow International in The Plains, Va., July 7-10, for the second year in a row.
Joannie Morris served as chef d'equipe as U.S. eventing is between coaches.
The U.S. team finished on 151.5 with Canada second on 168.6, and Great Britain was third on 1000 in the only eventing competition held outside of Europe.
Brannigan, riding Nina Gardner's Cambalda, a 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, was the overall individual winner for the second time, having won that title previously in 2015.
Following the dressage phase on Friday, the U.S. led Canada by only 1.1, but Canada had some trouble in show jumping on Saturday, so Great Britain moved into second and the U.S. extended its lead to 12.5 points.
Martin of Cochranville, Pa., riding Steady Eddie owned by Gretchen and George Wintersteen, Pierre Colin and Denise Lahey, led off on cross country for the U.S., and with a double clear round finished on his dressage score of 58.3.
"It was an unusual team, actually," said Martin. "It's the first time the team hasn't had a coach. I think Joannie did a fantastic job, and Phillip was unofficially the team leader, captain, cross-country guy, and we followed his lead."
"I've gone first for a team a number of times, and it was a bit weird, because the first horse (Justine Dutton of Great Britain) fell, and it was hard to gauge how the next (Jessica Phoenix of Canada) went because she was held up so much. But I zipped around and everything rode really well. My horse came through for me. He was the only horse that finished on his dressage score."
"I came back and told Phillip the details of the course and met up with Jennie and Lynn in the warm-up and told them what I felt from the course," said Martin. "All three of them ripped around, thanks to my advice."
Symansky of Middleburg, Va., riding the Donner Syndicate LLC's Donner, was second for the U.S. and, adding just 1.2 time penalties to her dressage score, finished on 49.1 to place second individually.
"It's such a great cohesive group," said Symansky. "Everybody just works together and supports each other. We're all out here to win and do the best we can. It was awesome. The whole way around I heard people cheering me on, saying, `Come on. Lynn, you can do it.' It's cool to ride at your hometown event. It was a honor."
Brannigan of Reddick, Fla., riding Nina Gardner's Cambalda, had only 1.6 time faults to finish on 49,8 for the individual win.
"The first time I came, it was so exciting because it earned me a spot as a traveling alternate for the Pan Am Games, which was quite special for me" said Brannigan. "It's such an honor to get to ride for your country. Ping (Cambalda's barn name) has been an incredible horse in a lot of ways and is wonderful to me. I really appreciate his stepping up to the plate."
Riding anchor on Kristine and John Norton's I'm Sew Ready, Dutton of West Grove, Pa., knew that the U.S. had won the team event before he went, but the individual title was still up for grabs.
But Dutton incurred 5.6 time faults to finish third individually on 51.6.
"My teammates did it all for me," said Dutton. "Jennie came home, and I had a minute to go before I went in the box, and they said she only had a couple of time faults. I thought it was a good run for this horse. He's not the fastest, but I think I could have done a little better job at the galloping fences. Overall, though, I think it was a good run for him, and I'm pleased he went so well."
Because two of Great Britain's riders did not finish cross country, the team didn't have the required three qualifying scores so was given a drop score penalty of 1,000, thus finishing third.