U.S. eventing team veteran Lauren Nicholson added a new feather to her cap Sunday in Arville, Belgium, by winning the Arville CCIO4*-NC-S with Larcot Z, marking her first European four-star victory, and helping the Defender U.S. Eventing Team take silver behind Germany in the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Belgium. The win makes Nicholson just the fifth U.S. rider to win at the four- or five-star level in Europe over the past decade, and it marks the U.S. team’s third consecutive Nations Cup silver medal this year.
“There was a lot of excellent work that went into this result and the whole week went very well for our team,” Chef d’Equipe Leslie Law said. “In the dressage, everyone was on target with their scores, which is what we’re looking for. We had four very strong performances on cross-country and finished the weekend on the podium, which is our intention every time we compete as a team.
“Lauren rode with great style throughout the week, and it was a truly well-deserved individual win for her and her entire team,” he continued. “It’s also important to note we had three combinations who have come through our development program, not only contributing major results as part of Nations Cup teams, but also taking away incredibly valuable experience as they continue to grow as athletes in top sport.”
Nicolson and Larcot Z, a 12-year-old Zangersheide (L’Arc De Triomphe—Kocote De La Londe, Socrate De Chivre) owned by Jacqueline Mars, arrived in Belgium for the event, held Aug. 13-17, off a June win in the Bromont CCI4*-L(Quebec) and proved they are still on winning form.
Competing with teammates Cosby Green riding Clever Louis, Caroline Pamukcu riding She’s The One, and Cassie Sanger on Redfield Fyre, Nicholson and Larcot Z led the way for Team USA by scoring 28.5 in dressage to put them in 10th place after the first phase.
On cross-country day, they moved further up the leaderboard to third place with a clean round and just 3.2 time faults—though her teammate Green made a bigger move, into second place behind Germany’s Libussa Lübbeke and Caramia 34, by producing one of only four clear rounds under the optimum time. Aided by Pamukcu’s fast round on She’s The One—jumping clean with just 0.4 time penalties moved the pair into fourth overall—the U.S. team moved into first place overall going into show jumping with a lead of just 1.8 penalties over Germany.
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The Nations Cup came down to a challenging show jumping day, where the German team’s consistency—all four of its riders finished inside the top 10 individually—earned it gold. Only nine riders jumped clear and inside the time, and Nicholson was one of them. Going into the ring after her, Green had a rail and 1.2 time penalties to drop to ninth place in the final standings, and overnight leader Lübbeke dropped the final rail and added 0.4 time penalties to slot into sixth place overall, handing Nicholson the win on a final score of 31.7 over Germany’s Calvin Böckmann and Phantom Of The Opera (32.8), who won the event last year, and Anna Siemer and FRH Butts Avondale (33.3).
“I love being on teams. It’s probably one of the most enjoyable things for me competing, the team environment and atmosphere,” Nicholson said. “You’re so focused on the team result that the personal result kind of snuck up on me.
“I always say it takes a few years to get to know them, and I really put this on our calendar as a goal,” she continued. “I feel like he’s at a point where we needed to put him under some pressure and see how he responded. I’m really pleased with how uncomplicated he was the whole week and was quick to adapt. I’m thrilled for Mrs. Mars and the team behind Larcot Z. There’s a lot of belief in this horse, and I’m excited to see what’s in store for the future.”
The German team of Lübbeke, Böckmann, Arne Bergendahl with Luthien NRW, and Nicolai Aldinger with Timmo won on a final score of 101.4 over the U.S. team’s second-placed total of 112.7. The Australian team of finished third with 131.0 points.
See complete results here.
