DUBLIN, Ireland — After nearly four months of top competition between the best show jumping nations in the world, the title of Meydan FEI Nations Cup Champion came down to the final round of the final leg at the Dublin International Horse Show.

With the U.S. show jumping team holding their own throughout the duration of the European tour, they ended up barely beaten for the top spot in the standings by France. The U.S. team, which included Californians Richard Spooner and Ashlee Bond, was tied for fourth place overall leading up to the finals, which left Team France with a four-point advantage over the U.S. team’s total points in the ranks.

During the past four months, the U.S. team scored major wins at CSIO Rome, Italy; and CSIO St. Gallen, Switzerland. The team also took second place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands; and had fourth place finishes in Aachen, Germany and Dublin. The Americans and the French battled for the top spot all season.

Under the management of legendary U.S. Chef d’Equipe George Morris, the Americans put a total of 11 different riders on the field of play during the eight shows, ranging from Ashlee Bond–who dominated on her first overseas trip–to McLain Ward, a two-time Olympic Gold medalist–and Richard Spooner, who helped the U.S. clinch wins in the jump-offs.

For complete results, visit the Web site: www.meydanfeinationscup.org