How important is the first Longines League of Nations competition in the U.S.?
The home team that was just named Wednesday for the competition at the World Equestrian Center in
Ocala includes the top three U.S. riders on the world ranking list—perennial squad members Kent Farrington, McLain Ward and Laura Kraut, Olympic team medalists all. They will be facing contingents from nine other countries, all looking to win a place in the league final in Barcelona this fall.
But the fourth U.S. rider will be a refreshing surprise to some. It’s 54-year-old Aaron Vale, who rode with a different squad at the first League competition in Abu Dhabi last month, when he was sixth individually with Debbie Smith’s Carissimo 25. He’s one of the best riders who doesn’t get the recognition he deserves, but U.S. show jumping coach Robert Ridland has long been aware of Aaron’s talent.
Aaron Vale, who thinks like a horse. (Photo © 2023 by Lawrence J. Nagy)
“Abu Dhabi cemented his position. He was great down there,” said the coach.
“It’s a wonderful horse and he’s one heck of a horseman,” Robert told me.
“His teammates have so much respect for him, too. He’s a great rider. He’s been a big fish in a little pond for his whole career. It’s just great to see him in the big pond, because he deserves to be there.”
Last September, Aaron took over Carissimo, an 11-year-old Holsteiner previously ridden by Mavis Spencer, who appeared on the chestnut in the 2023 Nations Cup in Wellington. Aaron began working with Olympic medalist Chris Kappler at that time. Aaron said he “was feeling like Carissimo was the horse of a lifetime,” Chris reported, “and he wanted some help developing the horse.”
In December, Aaron won a 4-star grand prix in Wellington with Carissimo. The pairing went on to take a grand prix qualifier March 8.
Aaron and Chris began working with an eye toward the 2026 world championships at Aachen. Chris went to Abu Dhabi with Aaron during the League of Nations. He recalled he had been there on “a busman’s holiday” for the Global Champions Tour 11 years ago.
“I never realized I’d be back there, and there I was,” Chris chuckled.
“It’s been fun working with Aaron. He’s a great rider, it’s not like he needs help with the riding. We’ve just been developing a plan together and taking our days step by step. We sort of went into this thinking, `How can we use this year and next year to be ready for WEG (the world championships at Aachen in 2026)?’ That was our original mindset.”
But the Paris Olympics are this year.
“There are a lot of good horse/rider combinations and we’re just sort of new with this horse stepping in. It’s a big order going to the Olympic Games with a new horse/rider combination,” Chris observed.
“I always like to think of long-term plans and work your way through these steps of developing yourselves, your team and trying to get the results and show your consistency and that you really are wanting to be an international team rider. That’s what we’ve been trying to do,” Chris pointed out.
Abu Dhabi “was a big development week for us. That helped us a lot. Right now, we’re trying to focus on our performance and continuing to develop the partnership between Aaron and the horse and the surrounding support team.”
Chris added, “I have a ton of respect for Aaron and I thought it would be a fun team to join in with.”
A native of Texas, Aaron. operates his aptly named Thinkslikeahorse business out of Williston, Fla.