Flintfields Horse Park was the scene of much national pride on Thursday afternoon as Team USA jumped to victory in the $75,000 CSIO3* FEI Nations Cup during Traverse City Horse Shows’ 2025 edition of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders.
The 11th season of GLEF proudly hosted its first-ever FEI Nations Cup, highlighting six weeks of FEI competition running through August 10. GLEF also features the FEI North American Youth Championships and the return of Major League Show Jumping CSI5* competition to Traverse City.
The United States led wire-to-wire in the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring as the only team to advance to the second round on a score of zero. Mimi Gochman of West Palm Beach, FL, Charlotte Jacobs of East Aurora, NY, and Jacob Pope of Columbia, MD, were fault-free in round one. Mia Bagnato of Fishkill, NY, posted the drop score of a single rail in her senior FEI Nations Cup debut riding Elan Farm’s Ballyoskill Big Bucks. Gochman piloted longtime partner Celina BH, Jacobs sat atop Korbach van de Renger, and Pope rode High FBH for owner Sherri S. Crawford.
The all-female Canadian team was comprised of Vanessa Mannix of Calgary, AB, with her own Carmela Z; Susan Horn of Bolton, ON, with Kingsfield Farm’s Balintore; Nicole Walker of Aurora, ON, with her own Leicester and Erynn Ballard, of Tottenham, ON, with Ilan Ferder’s Fave D’Authuit. The team was supported by chef d’équipe Ian Millar. Both Canada and Ireland remained in the hunt after round one on four faults apiece.
Ireland — led by chef d’équipe Darrah Kerins — answered back in the second round with clear rounds from Simon McCarthy riding Gotcha, Philip McGuane aboard Paso Doble SCF for owner Evergate Stables, and Darragh Kenny on Diaroubet. Carrying forward a clear from Conor Swail and Clonterm Obolensky, owned by Ollie Glancy, they sat in an even tie with the U.S. on four faults.
After Jacobs guaranteed the need for a tie-breaking jump-off, each nation chose one athlete to advance over a shortened track set by course designer Nick Granat (USA). U.S. chef d’équipe Anne Kursinski chose 20-year-old Gochman and her 10-year-old Canstakko mare to face off against McCarthy aboard the 14-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Rock Ridge Farms were selected to face off for gold with Ireland returning first.
Mimi Gochman and Celina BH had a speedy clear jumpoff round against Irish rider Simon McCarthy to clinch the win. (Megan Giese Media / TCHS)
Never to be counted out when it comes to speed, McCarthy stopped the clock at 39.71 seconds. Gochman returned with gold on the line and pipped Ireland by nearly a full second in a time of 38.85.
“I went in knowing Simon would be fast, but I definitely had the advantage going second,” said a beaming Gochman. “I got up to the last an hoped for the best; she always pulls through when I need her to.”
Nicole Walker and Leicester had one of two double-clear effort for Canada. (Photo by Giana Terranova)
Team Canada’s second round produced important clear efforts from Walker and Ballard, and four-fault rounds again from Mannix and Horn. After dropping one score, Canada finished in third on a very respectable final tally of eight-faults overall. Canada was led by chef d’équipe and ten-time Olympian Ian Millar, who commented, “Our Canadian Team did great here in Traverse City, finishing with a bronze performance and a total of eight faults. I’m very proud of this team yet again – we are developing a whole new level of top riders which is exactly what the three-star level of competition is all about.”
Team Mexico, comprised of Alejandro Leonardo Winkler, Karime Perez Nuñez, Ana Sofia Legorreta Hernandez and Maya Ines Denis Chambon, finished fourth with 24 faults.
Team Canada will be well represented next week in Williamsburg, MI, for the FEI North American Youth Championships in show jumping and dressage, running July 29 through August 3.
International jumping competition will come to a peak on Saturday during week four of GLEF with the $117,000 CSIO3* Traverse City Grand Prix.
Complete results from the $75,000 CSIO3* FEI Nations Cup can be found here.
~ with files from Traverse City Horse Shows and Equestrian Canada