We are so excited about the Team USA Gold Medal for lots of reasons. First, because they represent the United States. We got to know all of them through the Olympic Show Jumping Selection Trials earlier this year that we sponsored. We are incredibly honored to be a part of the process that got them to the Olympics.
Special thanks to Viviane Garner with Laura Kraut and Cedric. She kept us posted every step of the way while the team was performing in Hong Kong.
Congratulations Team USA: Laura Kraut and Cedric, Beezie Madden and Authentic, McClain Ward and Sapphire, and Will Simpson and Carlsson vom Dach.
You can click here to watch a replay of the finals, which even included the medal ceremony.
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HONG KONG (Reuters) - The United States snatched the equestrian team show jumping gold from Canada in a breathtaking jump-off at the Olympics on Monday. Canada took silver and Norway bronze.
The United States and Canada had tied for first place in the show jumping final with total penalties of 20 each. Both teams went into a jump-off, where riders tackle a shortened course against the clock.
This marked the second consecutive U.S. victory in Olympic team show jumping.
"I'm shocked, so thrilled with the way we did. So exciting," said American rider Laura Kraut. "We wanted that gold medal really bad."
When asked if he was disappointed to see Canada miss their first gold in the category since the 1968 Mexico City Games, rider Eric Lamaze said: "What we did was already amazing, so we're already very happy."
Thirty-five riders out of the 50 who rode on Monday will also go through to the individual show jumping final on Thursday. The top-ranking individual rider was Norway's Tony Andre Hansen with a total of 3 cumulative penalties.
"For the team to get a bronze medal is fantastic. It's really a team spirit and we helped each other," he said after his round.
The United States won the team show jumping gold at the Athens Games in 2004 and in Los Angeles in 1984.
