March 2, 2026 
A single rail down became the drop score for Team USA in Round 2 of the Saturday Night Lights CSIO4* Nations Cup during Week 8 of the Winter Equestrian Festival. For the 11th time in a quarter-century—and the second year in a row—the U.S. took a home-turf win in Wellington, ending on a final score of zero.
The squad was comprised of the Olympic silver medal-winning combination of Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque, Callie Schott and Garant, Marilyn Little and La Contessa—making their debut Senior Nations Cup appearance for Team USA—and McLain Ward and new ride, Jordan Molga M.
But despite some new mounts and fresh faces, the U.S. came out swinging. After posting three zeros in the first round, Ward opted to not jump in Round 1 as his score could not improve the team’s total.
“I’m very lucky to have such a strong team—they put me in a pretty nice position,” said the longtime anchor rider, who has been paired with the 12-year-old KWPN gelding, Jordan Molga M, a former Nicolas Delmotte (FRA) ride, since December.
“It’s always a good feeling knowing you’re going to either jump-off or win.”
Ward did have to jump, but only once after Ireland battled back in Round 2. Naturally, the World No. 10 made it count, logging a clear on Course Designers Nick Granat and Steve Stephens’ track to clinch the win for Team USA. Ireland took second on a score of four; Canada was third on 13 faults.
While Cook and Caracole De la Roque dropped a single pole in Round 2, which became the drop score, Schott and Garant notched back-to-back zeros for the team just two months after earning their career-high win in the Go Rentals CSI5* Grand Prix in Thermal in December.
“It was really exciting to jump double-clear and be there for the team. I trust Garant so much—he loves to run and jump, and if I trust him and be there for him, he’s there for me,” Schott said of the pair’s first Nations Cup performance on home soil.
“He was very excited to be coming back for a second round, I think he thought he was coming back for a jump-off,” Schott joked. “But he held us together.”
According to Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland, this particular Nations Cup always comes with a little extra pressure for his team. “It’s a home Nations Cup and it’s a big deal for us. And, at the same time, it’s early in the year, and you also need to play the long ball game,” he said.
Whatever Ridland’s ‘long ball game’ ultimately shapes up to be, he’ll likely be keeping in mind the combination of Little and La Contessa. Like Schott, the former double-gold Pan American medalist in eventing and the 11-year-old Mecklenberg also jumped double-clear on Saturday in their debut Nations Cup appearance at this level.
“[La Contessa’s] consistency is absolutely fabulous. It’s a blessing to have a partner you can really count on,” Little reflected of the elegantly dish-faced mare, her partner of two years.
The Wellington CSIO4* Nations Cup has a way of predicting future greatness, giving horses a chance to shine (or not) under the lights and in front of buzzy Wellington crowds in a way that few other venues can. In 2018, for example, Ben Maher’s future individual Olympic gold medal-winning mount Explosion W first burst onto the international stage with Emily Mason after jumping double clear in the Wellington 4* Nations Cup for Great Britain.
In 2024, with just five international appearances under their belts, the then-brand-new combination of McLain Ward and Ilex would jump 0/4 in the Wellington Nations Cup. Five months later, they were in Paris, helping to earn the team silver medal for America at the 2024 Olympic Games.
In other words, to be selected for this class is both a big deal and a potentially career-altering stepping stone—a fact that Little well seems to recognize.
“This was a dream about 12 months ago,” she said. “To be here, with a horse like [Contessa], on a team like this with mentors, and in my hometown—it’s a dream come true.”
