By KENNETH J. BRADDICK
HAGEN, Germany, July 3, 2026–A group of American riders mostly inexperienced in the intensity of European competitions earned the bronze medal in the Nations Cup Friday with Jordan LaPlaca overcoming the stress of a horse with a temporary fitness issue to lead the team.
Along with the performance by the veteran Ashley Holzer across the English Channel hopes were raised of presenting a credible team at the World Championships in nearby Aachen next month.
The USA posted a team score of 210.957 behind the Germany’s gold medalists on 230.834 and Spain with silver on 212.892 in which the top three of the four horse and rider combinations counted.
U.S. horses incur more stress than most in Europe with the trans-Atlantic journey and change in environment with the Nations Cup staged here this year because the usual location, Aachen, is the site of the quadrennial championships.
The stress level was elevated for the Americans, first dealing with replacement of one of the four team members and then Jordan LaPlaca’s Gold Play failing the initial veterinary inspection a day before the competition.
The day and night for the 11-year-old Gold Play to recover to pass re-inspection paid off.
Jordan of Ledyard, Connecticut and Gold Play scored a personal best 70.478% to place 8th iindividually–among those ahead of the pair were the German Olympic gold medal combinations of Isabell Werth on Wendy de Fontaine and Frederic Wandres on Bluetooth OLD.
“Well I can only say this was, of course, extremely stressful when he had to go to be reinspected,” said Christine Traurig, the official chef d’equipe that is the team coach.
“But I can tell you this young man can clear his head, put his mind to the job at task, meaning down the center line and with complete focus. He knows his horse and his horse is a really good partner with him. They know each other so well. And I think he has highlights in the test that definitely caught the attention of the judges as well as many other professionals watching. And I think there is a lot of quality in that horse.”
Christian Simonson, although only aged 23 but maybe the most experienced at top sport as reserve champion at this year’s World Cup, rode the 16-year-old Fleau de Baian to 9th place individually on 70.478%.
Geñay Vaughn on Gino, the 15-year-old gelding she competed at the 2025 World Cup Final, were awarded 69.848% to place 11th individually.
Meagan Davis on Toronto Lightfoot, the 13-year-old gelding on the combination’s first European excursion that scored 68.565% for 18th place individually, surprised Christine as the pair have been training well.
“Between Genay and Jordan and Christian and Megan, I think we can be proud,” Christine said. “We have four younger people. They’ve got a lot of talent that you can develop, they’re moldable, they’re shapeable, they have the grit, they’re ambitious.”
The team of four plus Kasey Perry-Glass on Heartbeat W.P. and Quinn Iverson on Gremlin competing in other classes in Hagen as well as Ashley Holzer in England give selectors seven combination from which to choose a team for the World Championships by the deadline in two weeks.
Adrienne Lyle on Helix and Ellesse Gundersen on Quintessential also competing here are not eligible for the team as they did not sign up for consideration.
Another event, national or international level or pieced together at their training camp, may be on the schedule before a championship team is decided.
