McLain Ward and Clinta jumped quick and clean in the jump-off for team gold to help Team USA secure its first WEG jumping gold medal. | Photo: FEI/Martin Dokoupil

In a thrilling jump-off for gold, Team USA won the Bank of America team jumping championship at the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 on Sept. 21, but they were chased all the way to the line by a brilliant Swedish side that took silver. Germany claimed the bronze.

“It was unbelievable!” said U.S. Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland. “First off the odds were minuscule that there would be a jump-off for first place. It wasn’t what we were looking for, but the sport doesn’t get any better than this.”

Out in front as the action began, the Swiss lost their grip on first when Werner Muff’s 13-fault round with Daimler was followed by elimination for Janika Sprunger when Bacardi VDL crashed through the first fence and then refused to tackle the second on the 14-obstacle course. With six Olympic qualifying places also up for grabs all eyes were also on the minor placings, and in the end the Swiss booked their ticket to Tokyo 2020 when finishing fourth ahead of The Netherlands in fifth and the astonishing Australians who pipped the reigning European champions from Ireland for that coveted sixth spot