Laura Kraut, who was fourth in the Rolex Grand Prix of Rotterdam in June and McLain Ward headline the U.S. squad competing in the Nations Cup at prestigious Aachen next week. Both have been presumed to be on the team for the Paris Olympics, but that squad won’t be named until after Aachen, and change is always possible.
McLain Ward and Callas. (Photo © 2024 by Nancy Jaffer)
Coach Robert Ridland likes to add younger riders to the mix when he can, in order to give the next generation experience, so Natalie Dean and Katie Dinan will be the other half of the team. No horses have been named as yet.
But Aachen, as always, will be a challenge. Among those competing in the Nations Cup from other countries are world number one, Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden, and defending Olympic individual gold medalist, Ben Maher of Great Britain.