Martofte, Denmark – The U.S. Jumping Team started their European CSIO3* Tour at the 2025 LONGINES EEF Nations Cup Martofte CSIO3*, held at Stutteri Ask og Blue Hors in Martofte, Denmark, finishing fifth out of thirteen competitive teams. Under the leadership of Chef d’Equipe Anne Kursinski and Team Leader Erin Keating, the team concluded the competition with a final total of 20 faults after two rounds. All four team members—Alessandra Volpi, Cathleen Driscoll, Raleigh Hiler, and Alise Oken—have previous Nations Cup experience, adding valuable depth to the squad.
The home team of Denmark claimed victory with an impressive score of just one fault, followed by Poland in second place with five faults and Germany in third on 12 faults.
“Our athletes did well today, despite the cold, pouring rain and we could have used a little luck, but I know they all learned a lot,” said Kursinski. “The experience that they and the horses get by jumping in these Nations Cups is invaluable. Each of them learned important lessons and will grow and improve from today. If things had swung our way, we could’ve been on the podium. I know they will all come back in two weeks for Drammen ready to push for the podium again.”
The day began with Alessandra Volpi (Woodside, Calif.) and Gipsy Love, the 2014 Czech Warmblood mare (Guidam Sohn x L’Esprit) owned by Cedar Fox, LLC, leading off the team as pathfinders. Earlier in the week, Volpi found success in Martofte with a top finish in the Grand Prix Qualifier aboard her second mount, Candy Luck Z. The pair picked up two unlucky rails to add eight faults to their score in their first team competition representing in the U.S. together. Next up in the rotation was Cathleen Driscoll (Elk Mills, Md.) and Idalgo, a 2013 KWPN gelding (Catoki x Quidam de Revel) owned by Donald Stewart. Driscoll started strong with a clear round and set a solid foundation for the team.
Raleigh Hiler (Boston, Mass.) and Obora’s Chloe, a 2011 Warmblood mare (Chacco Blue x Alina) owned by Kurt Hiler, making their second appearance on the team after an impressive performance last year in the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Vejer de la Frontera CSIO3*, faced a tough round with an elimination, which served as the drop score in the first round for the team. As the final combination in for the team, Alise Oken (Charlotte, N.C.) and her up-and-coming partner, Forrestal, a 2014 Oldenburg gelding (Don Diarado x Kannelle de la Baie) owned by Hi Hopes Farm, LLC, anchored the team, producing a clear round, with the team moving forward to the second round in fifth of the 13 teams contesting the class in the first round.
In round two, Volpi and Gipsy Love returned, setting out to improve their score from round one. The pair navigated the challenging track designed by Gérard Lachat (SUI) and nudged the plank from the cups early in the course to accrue four faults in their second effort for the team. Driscoll and Idalgo, showing their potential in the first round, produced a solid score, adding a single rail and finishing the day with just four faults individually after both rounds.
Hiler and Obora’s Chloe regrouped after a tough first round, applying what they learned to finish round two with an efficient time and a counting score for the team of four faults. Oken and Forrestal delivered another strong round, finishing their second tour of the course with just four faults after dropping the careful plank at fence five to round out the team’s efforts for the day and secure their fifth-place finish.
The U.S. Jumping Pathways program continues to play a vital role in nurturing young talent, providing the essential skills and experiences needed to excel on the international stage. As the season progresses, the team looks forward to further opportunities to compete and grow together.
The next stop on the U.S. Jumping Team European Development Tour will be the LONGINES EEF Nations Cup Drammen CSIO3* held at Gjelsten Arena in Drammen, Norway from June 5-9.
Results
Follow US Equestrian
Stay up to date on the U.S. Jumping Teams by following USA Jumping on Facebook and Instagram and US Equestrian on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok. Use #USAJumping.
The USEF International High-Performance Programs and the USEF High Performance Pathway Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, the philanthropic partner to USEF. High Performance Program support is also provided by the USOPC and USEF sponsors and members.
