Team USA delivered a composed, consistent and ultimately dominant performance to capture the 2025 Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup in Aachen, adding their name to the trophy for the eighth time — and for the second time in just four years after their 2021 success.

Coming into the class with a 29% win probability, USA were already favourites — but it was how they sustained, defended, and then decisively capitalised on their lead that set them apart. From Lillie Keenan’s double clear to Germany’s critical stumbles, the class was rich in drama, shifting probabilities, and performances under pressure.

Key Moments That Shaped the Nations Cup

Lillie Keenan’s Double Clear Sets the Tone

Lillie Keenan & Argan de Beliard’s textbook first round, clear and confident, helped the USA to a perfect start and preserved flexibility in Round 2. When she repeated the feat in Round 2, her second clear preserved USA’s discard and helped bump the team’s win chance to 76%, a moment that could be described as the moment they won it.

→ Impact: USA’s win probability jumped from 46% after Round 1 to 76% after Lillie Keenan’s round in Round 2, a critical rise driven by consistency.

Germany’s Double Triple Combination Struggle

The host nation Germany were serious contenders throughout, peaking at a 26% win chance after Round 1. But when Christian Kukuk’s Cepano Baloubet refused at the combination, the home crowd groaned and the algorithm reacted. Germany’s win chance plummeted from 27% to just 11% in a single moment.

Hans-Dieter Dreher & Elysium then attempted to bring the host nation back into the game with a superb clear round to bring their chances back up to 33%. Unfortunately, Sophie Hinners’ Iron Dames Combella took a significant hit in the combination, adding 11 penalties and reducing Germany’s win probability to 0%. Emotionally and statistically, this was the knockout punch.

→ Impact: This was a defining moment that took Germany out of the win equation, handing strategic control to the USA. The second major blow to Germany extinguished their podium ambitions, paving the way for Belgium and Great Britain.

Abdel Said Delivers for Belgium

Despite coming into Round 2 on a 78% podium chance, Jos Verlooy & Parise van den Dael’s 8-penalty round dropped Belgium’s podium chance down to 35%. Under intense pressure and with podium positions on the line, Abdel Said & Bonne Amie produced a clutch clear in Round 2, keeping Belgium in contention and raising their chances for silver. His recovery after a Round 1 struggle was a key turning point.

→ Impact: Belgium’s path to the podium stabilised after Abdel Said & Bonne Amie’s clear round, boosting their podium chances to 70%. They eventually finished second behind the USA.

Confirming GB Podium in Aachen Debut

In a class filled with veteran names and Olympic champions, Georgia Tame and the 9-year-old BE Golden Lynx delivered a pair of quietly brilliant rounds that proved crucial to Great Britain’s podium finish. Making her Aachen debut, she recorded just one time fault in each round of a tough Nations Cup, showing poise well beyond their experience. Their clear jumping round in Round 2 was not only technically sound but also pivotal in the prediction mode. 

→ Impact: Georgia Tame & BE Golden Lynx’s consistency helped boost Great Britain’s podium probability from 27% to 82% in a single effort and was instrumental in securing the bronze medal. Amongst all the drama, her cool execution stood out as a model of rising talent on a big stage.

Aachen Royalty

While many riders struggled to master the course at Aachen, two horses stood out not just for their performance in this class, but for their ongoing records of excellence at this iconic venue.

Vertigo du Desert, ridden by Luciana Diniz, extended his impeccable Aachen record to 6 clear rounds from 6 at 160 level, spanning appearances in 2019, 2021, and now 2025. He once again delivered a double clear under the lights, proving he’s one of Aachen’s most reliable performers.

Dallas Vegas Batilly, under Ben Maher, continued her own remarkable Aachen streak. After a podium finish in Wednesday’s Turkish Airlines-Prize of Europe, her double clear in this Nations Cup brought her record to 9 clears from 11 rounds at 160 at this venue, a strike rate of 82% that few can rival, and another reason Team GB finished on the podium.

In a sport where consistency is gold, Vertigo du Desert and Dallas Vegas Batilly are proving themselves Aachen legends.

A Masterclass in Momentum

What makes USA’s win particularly special is that their win chance never dropped below 29% across the competition and they never relinquished the lead in the prediction model. While other teams rode emotional highs and suffered heartbreaking lows, the Americans kept their rhythm, with standout performances from Lillie Keenan and McLain Ward underlining their depth.

This Nations Cup had it all: refusal drama, heroics under pressure, emotional crowd moments. Team USA emerged from it all, cool-headed and clear, to once again raise the trophy in Aachen.