ABU DHABI, UAE--Alise Oken on Gelvera jumped a beautiful clean round in the Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Feb. 9 during the League of Nations first competition leading up to the Nations Cup final in Barcelona this fall, but she didn't get to go in the jump-off.
Alise Oken on Gelera after a wi n in Norway last year (Photo by Astrid Marie Ardal)In a format seldom used, only the top 10 percent of the horses in the Grand Prix made the jump-off, so only the 10 fastest of the 13 clean went on to the jump-off.
"I was perfectly happy that Alise didn't have to go again," said chef d'equipe Robert Ridland. "We're here for one reason, and one reason only, and that's to do well in the Nations Cup. Our whole emphasis here has been to get ready for the Nations Cup."
Th team in Abu Dhabi includes Oken of Charlotte, N.C., Callie Schott of Lexington, Ky, Hannah Selleck of Westlake Village, Calif. and Aaron Vale of Williston, Fla., and it is competing against very strong teams from Sweden, Belgium, The Netherlands, Great Britain, Switzerland, Germany, France and Ireland as well as the home team from Abu Dhabi.
Ridland said that the format for the Nations Cup had been a big topic of conversation in Abu Dhabi.
"Most chefs d'equipe don't like it," he said.
"Alise went early, before time became a factor," said Ridland. "Still, I was happy she didn't have to go again. It takes a lot out of a horse. We only have one horse per rider here,and most Europeans have two horses. Most will use a different horse in the Nations Cup than they used in the Grand Prix."
VALE ON Carissimo was clean until the last fence in the Grand Prix, but then he had that down for four faults.
Selleck had a couple of rails down before a stop in the combination and elected to retire.
"Hannah had a mishap in the warm-up," said Ridland. "A horse cut her off as she was heading to a jump in the warm-up. That affected her ride. She felt she had to override to the first fences."
"Callie has done two 1.45m classes, and she jumped well," said Ridland. "We're pretty confident. We feel we'll exceed expectations."
Germany's David Will on Zinedream, sixth to go in the 10 horse jump-off, was clean in 44.68 for the win in the Grand Prix.
World ranked number one Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden on the great King Edward was second, clean in 46.10, and Rolf-Goren Bengtsson, also of Sweden, on Zuccero HV, the only other clean in the jump-off, was third in 50.79 seconds.
"It's such a complicated trip," said Ridland. "The horses went on a charter to Europe, and they spent three days in Europe before going on a charter to Abu Dhabi.Then they reverse it going home, but they have to spend seven days in Europe before getting on a charter to Florida."
"This is a fabulous facility, but the reality is we're up against the top nine countries in the world," he said. "The schedule is against us, but we're going to give it our best shot."
"We're in a huge Marriott hotel," said Ridland. "It's a very nice hotel,, and it's just two minutes from the event. This is a very modern country, and we're being treated as honored guests."
The Nations Cup is at 4:30 am Eastern time on Sunday, Feb. 11 and can be seen on ClipMyHorse live streamed.
