nbsp;   The sixth of seven regular-season Samsung Super League Nations Cups concluded today at the Longines Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead, Great Britain.  The U.S. team pulled itself out of a first round slump to add nothing to their total in the second round, putting them into a tie for third.  The Germans, who lead the series standings, finished seventh.  Now, the margin of Germany’s lead over the U.S. has shrunk to 3.125 points.  France, the second in the Super League at Hickstead, have jumped to third, just a point behind the U.S.

    The U.S. team just couldn’t put a clear round together in Round 1.  Anne Kursinski and Roxanne collected 12 faults for the drop score, while Molly Ashe on Neuville and Christine McCrea on Vegas each had just one rail.  The anchor, Laura Kraut, posted an eight-fault score on Anthem.  At the end of Round 1, the Americans were ties with Germany for fifth, with 16 faults.

    But they rallied in Round 2, as Kursinski, McCrea and Kraut were all able to put clear rounds on the board.  They dropped Ashe’s 4 faults in Round 2, and held on to a tie for third with the Netherlands.  Germany’s team—Thomas Voss on Leonardo B, Rene Tebbel on T. Harmony Coupe de Couer, Ulrich Kirkoff on Carino, and Heindrich Engemann on Aboyeur W—didn’t post a clean round all day, and their 33 total faults left them in seventh.

    The Brits—with a strong team filled with riders jockeying for World Equestrian Team slots—won the day with just 10 faults to their names.  Robert Smith turned in five-fault and clear rounds aboard Marius Claudius, while William Funnell increased his WEG hopes with a clear in Round 1 and 8 faults in Round 2 aboard Cortaflex Mondriaan.  Michael Whitaker guided Mozart des Hayettes to rounds of four- and one-fault, while John Whitaker anchored the team on his new star, Peppermill, with a 12-fault go and a second round clear.

    Super League action resumes on Aug. 11 at the Dublin Horse Show (Ireland).  From there, the eight teams will compete in the Final, held in Barcelona, Spain on Sept. 14-17.  With Germany’s lead so narrow, chances are good for the U.S. to defend their 2005 Super League Nations Cup Series title.

SERIES STANDINGS
Country                        Points
1. Germany                    35.125
2. United States            32
3. France                        31
4. Switzerland               26.625
5. Great Britain              26
6. Sweden                     18.125
7. the Netherlands       14.125
8. Ireland                        12