In an exciting start to the Samsung Super League Nations Cup competition, the All Girl Team from the USA took first place honours when they put in a super performance - the team of Beezie Madden and Judgement,Georgina Bloomberg and Riviera, Schuyler Riley and Ilian, Laura Kraut and Miss Independent were full of praise for new American Chef d'Equipe, George Morrison and lay much of the praise for their success at his feet.

At La Baule, there were only two double clears and they were both produced by lady riders - one coming from America's Schuyler Riley and the other from Great Britain's Ellen Whitaker.

Course Designers Frederic Cottier and Serge Houtman gave the riders a tough opening round course and all eight teams were looking for a good start to the season, which would then give them the confidence needed for the remaining 7 competitions - but the Americans are the ones going into round two full of confidence whereas for the Irish life continues to be difficult when controversy hit this opening round.

Frederic Cottier said that his brief was "to make it more difficult for the riders and more comfortable for the horses - it was not a very demanding course for horses - the triple near the lake was testing and in the last line there was a choice of strides between the double and the next, four or five strides - riders who waited and could not make a quick decision were in trouble there".

Angelique Hoorn for The Netherlands, had a horror start to the season when first into the ring, everything was looking good until the double, which was three from home and the mare VDL Oranta decided she was simply not going to jump - no matter how hard Hoorn tried to point the mare in the direction of the double, she would not go and they left the arena with an elimination - not a good start!

After the first round, the French and the Americans were doing battle for first place honours when Christian Hermon and Ephebe for Ever La Silla finished their round with the all clear on jumping and time and it was great to see Lauren Goffinet and the unorthodox and talented stallion Flipper d'Elle also leaving the arena with the all clear meaning that with Herve Godignon's four fault round on Obelix leaving Jean Marc Nicolas's five faults from JPC Modesto Equifoam as the drop score.

At then end of the first round both France and America were sitting with four faults on the board,

By the end of the first round the home-side heroes were vying for the lead with the Americans. Christian Hermon and Ephebe for Ever La Silla left all the fences intact and the five faults picked up by JPC Modesto Equifoam and Jean Marc Nicolas could be discounted when Herve Godignon hit only the oxer at fence seven to leave France with just four faults on the board.

Britain and Switzerland (the new entries into the Super League) were sitting with 8 faults after round one, Germany sat on 12 faults, Belgium were on 16 faults and The Netherlands and Ireland were on 24 faults.

The confusion began when after round one the commentator announced that an enquiry was taling place into the Irish result and then nothing more was mentioned - the Irish do not need any further controversy after the nightmare of the Olympic Gold medal and Cian O'Connor, but it seemed at this stage that 2005 was not going to look good for them either!

Harry Marshall, in his new partnership with the Irish bred mare Ado Annie fell foul of the rules, when it was discovered the mare's tongue had been tied down today, La Baule represented the new partnership with their first big test together. Initially Marshall, who knocked only the final fence in round one, was eliminated, but after the rules were checked and a call had been made to FEI headquarters in Lausanne, it was decided he should receive only a fine and he was allowed to come back again in round two.

Tying a horses tongue down is not a cruel practice and is sometimes done to stop the horse from getting his tongue over the bit making it very difficult to control them - but it is apparently not permitted to do this in competition, even though it is not an offence which carries elimination. The Ground Jury decided to fine the rider and issue a warning. New Irish Chef d'Equipe, Taylor Vard insisted it was "an innocent mistake".

Round Two saw things change dramatically as fences fell like trees in a forest for many of the teams!

The French team finished the second round with a disappointing 19 faults, which was not helped uncharacteristically by Flipper d'Elle putting in a stop when after hitting the first part of the treble ducked out at the second part and finishing with the drop score of 11 faults. The Frenc final total of 23 faults did give them third place however and the euro23,000.

The British Team put in a super second round helped immensely by the double clear from young Ellen Whitaker and the 9 year old mare AK Locarno. Nick Skelton and Russell added four faults to their first round four faults, John Whitaker and Exploit du Roulard had two down in each round, with their first round score being the drop score but in round two when William Funnel dropped two fences and claimed a time penalty this was the drop score. Their final total of 20 penatlies was good enough to take 2nd place money of euro30,000.

For the Americans to take first place, their fourth rider, Laura Kraut and Miss Inpendent did not even need to start as their combined score for both rounds sat at 16 giving them the win and the euro40,000 prize money.

Speaking after the event, the girls said that they "owed much of their success to their new Chef d'Equipe, George Morris as he has tried to create more team spirit and we have been working really well together."

Laura Kraut went on to explain that this victory was "the beginning of a new era for American showjumping, and George makes you believe you can do it - he is fantastic!"

Beezie Madden, also could not contain her excitement at the win and said "We came here with high hopes and we thought we had a good chance - George expected us to win!"

"The American effort has been a mammoth committment in money and resources" said George Morris as his team heads to Rome for the second leg of the Samsung Super League series later this month.

RESULTS:

1. USA - 16 faults : Judgement/Beezie Madden 8+4, Riviera/Georgina Bloomberg 0+8, Ilian/Schuyler Riley 0+0, Miss Independent/Laura Kraut 4+DNS.

2. Great Britain - 20 faults : Russel (Nick Skelton) 4+4, AK Locarno (Ellen Whitaker) 0+0, Cortaflex Mondrian (William Funnell) 4+9, Exploit du Roulard (John Whitaker) 8+8.

3. France - 23 faults: Flipper d'Elle/Laurent Goffinet 0+11, Ephebe for Ever La Silla (Christian Hermon) 0+6, JPC Modesto Equifoam/Jean Marc Nicolas 5+9, Obelix/Herve Godignon 4+4.

4. Germany - 28 faults: Hofgut Liederbach's Abrisca/Pia-Luise Aufrecht 4+12, Countess G (Mylene Diederichsmeier) 0+4, Montender (Marco Kutscher) 8+12, Dobel's Cento (Otto Becker) 8+0.

Equal 5. Belgium - 32 faults : Karioka del Folee (Philippe Le Jeune) 0+12, Osta Rugs Quintus (Jean Claude Vangeenberghe) 8+0, Orlando VD Heffinck (Dirk Demeersman) 8+4, Kira (Ludo Philippaerts) Elim+19.

Equal 5. Switzerland - 32 faults : La Toya (Markus Fuchs) 0+8, LB No Mercy (Christina Liebherr) 4+12, Madame Pompadour M (Fabio Crotta) 4+8, Cantus (Niklaus Schurtenburger) Ret+8.

7. The Netherlands - 45 faults : BCO VDL Oranta (Angelique Hoorn) Elim+Elim, BMC Nassau (Jeroen Dubbeldam) 8+1, Lowina (Albert Zoer)8+12, Broere VDL Atlantic (Wout-Jan Van der Schans) 8+8.

8. Ireland - 48 faults : Ashdale Futuro (David Quigley) 8+12, Ado Annie (Harry Marshall) 4+8, Domingo (Denis Lynch) 12+8, Clarion Hotel's Coolcorron Cool Diamond (Robert Splaine) 12+8.

SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE LEADERBOARD (after Round 1 at La Baule) :
1. USA -10 points
2. Great Britain - 7
3. France - 5
4. Germany - 4
Eq 5. Switzerland - 2.5
Eq 5. Belgium - 2.5
7. The Netherlands- 1
8. Ireland - 0.5

SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE - NATIONAL PRIDE, INTERNATIONAL PASSION!

The Samsung Super league consists of the eight most prestigious horse shows at which the world's eight best national teams compare their merit. The Super League is connected to the Samsung Nations Cup series through a promotion/relegation system at the end of each season.

Samsung Electronics, one of the world's largest electronics companies, is committed to supporting international sporting events thereby returning corporate profits to the public and working towards a more harmonious and equitable society.