The first Nations Cup class that counts as a qualifying class for the Barcelona Nations Cup Finals this fall will be held on Sunday, Feb. 18 at HITS Ocala, and the grand prix usually held on Sunday is moved to Friday, Feb. 16.
The USEF named the riders on the team that will compete in the Nations Cup, but the horses they will ride has not yet been announced.
Chef d'Equipe Robert Ridland has a stellar team that includes four Olympians, three of them team gold medalists, for this first and very important Nations Cup competition.
The team consists of Lauren Hough of Wellington, Fla., Laura Kraut of Royal Palm Beach, Fla., Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, N.Y., Devin Ryan of Long Valley, N.J., and McLain Ward of Brewster, N.Y.
Kraur, Madden and Ward share team gold medals.
On Saturday, Feb. 17, there will be Junior and Children's team competitons at HITS Post Time Farm, and the USEF announced those teams, both riders and horses, along with their past performances.
THE FOLLOWING athlete/horse combinations will represent the U.S. in the Junior team competition, listed alphabetically:
Faith Davis of Gurley, Ala., with Da Vinci, Davis’s 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.
Davis competed as part of the Zone 4 team at the 2017 FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships and most recently placed second in the USHJA 3'3" Jumping Seat Medal class during week one of the WEFl.
Kyle Perkovich of Long Grove, Ill., with Tresor Du Perron, Brenda Perkovich’s 10-year-old Selle Français gelding.
Perkovich placed fourth in the Junior/Amateur Individual competition at the USHJA Zones 5 & 6 Jumper Team Championships in August and was part of the Zone 5 bronze medal-winning team in the Junior/Amateur Team Championship.
Carolina Villanueva Suarez of New York City, N.Y., with Zabel D, Villanueva Suarez’s 13-year-old KWPN gelding.
USHJA recognized Villanueva Suarez as USHJA Gold Star Emerging Jumper Rider in 2017.
THE FOLLOWING athlete/horse combinations will represent the U.S. in the Children’s team competition, listed alphabetically:
Emma Callanan of Lebanon, N.J., with Cocu, Renee Connors’s 12-year-old gelding of unknown breeding.
Callanan, a 2017 USHJA Gold Star Emerging Jumper Rider, competed on the Zone 2 team at the 2017 NAJYRC and was a member of the children’s team at CSIJCh Langley in May of 2017, where she also won the $1,500 Children's Grand Prix.
Ansgar Holtgers of Wellington, Fla., with Hookjipa XXX, Gut Einhaus, LLC’s 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, or Queretaro 2, an 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding.
In November, Holtgers and Hookjipa XXX placed first in the EEM.TV CSI1* at the Longines Masters of Paris.
Alexa Leong of Sacramento, Calif., with Hertogin Ter Drie Leien, Leong’s 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare.
Leong, a 2017 USHJA Gold Star Emerging Jumper Rider, and Hertogin Ter Drie Leien competed on the children’s team at CSIJCh Langley and were also part of the Zone 10 gold medal children’s team at the 2017 NAJYRC.
Genevieve Munson of Rogers, Ark., with Cassonetti, McKenna Sporthorse Sales, LLC’s 9-year-old German Sport Horse gelding.
Munson is a two-time USEF Pony Finals gold medalist and 2017 USHJA Gold Star Emerging Jumper Rider.
Both teams will compete under the direction of the U.S. Show Jumping Youth Chef d’Equipe/Technical Advisor DiAnn Langer.