OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Longines League of Nations (LLN) trophy is now on its way to Switzerland following an intense four-day horse jumping competition at the World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Ocala that featured some of the most decorated athletes from all around the globe.

The final team event took place Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd at WEC’s grand arena.

The stakes were high with a grand total of $770,000 in prize money on the line. In addition, the event is also a qualifier for the LLN championship which takes place later this year in Barcelona, Spain.

The event was split into two rounds, with four riders per team each aiming to clear the hurdles cleanly and as quickly as possible. The top three riders per team would then advance to the second round. The team with the lowest number of penalties at the end is declared winner, with the overall time from both rounds acting as the tiebreaker.

The results were paper thin after the first round.

Team USA riders Laura Kraut, Kent Farrington, and McLain Ward all finished with clear rounds. Hometown horseman Aaron Vale, who is from Williston, committed just one penalty.

Aaron Vale who is from Williston, Florida, walks the course on Saturday before the Longines League of Nations at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, FL. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today
Fans cheer the United States team during the Longines League of Nations event in Ocala, FL. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today
Laura Kraut, of the United States, jumps a clean ride during the first round of the Longines League of Nations at the World Equestrian Center. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today
Spectators displayed an American flag during the first round of the Longines League of Nations at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, FL. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today
Local favorite, Aaron Vale, owns a farm/training facility just about 20 minutes away from the World Equestrian Center. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today

In the second round, USA’s Kraut advanced the team by posting the fastest time of the night, clocking in at 67.55 seconds. She was the only Team USA member that secured a double clear, finishing the night with zero penalties. Things turned when Farrington and Ward finished with 8 and 4 penalties, respectively.

The Irish team posted just five penalties in the second round, finishing first overall. The team from Switzerland, led by Martin Fuchs, finished in second. The United States secured third place.

|SEE MORE: Check out more photos from the final round of competition on social media

In a post event news conference, Kraut commented about the straightforwardness of the course that designer, Alan Wade, laid out for the final event. “There weren’t many options or tricks, and the time was really lenient,” said Kraut. Riders posted 18 clear rounds. Kraut ribbed that Wade probably wasn’t expecting that. “When everyone realized you could tone it down a bit, I think that produced probably more clears than he was hoping for,” said Kraut.

Team USA started off the night by proving the simplicity of the course, finishing round one with three clears. Kraut joked that Wade “got even” in the second round when the team racked up 12 penalties and lost their first-place position.

McLain Ward, of the US, jumps during the second round of the Longines League of Nations at WEC. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today
Fans vie for T-shirts being thrown into the crowd on Saturday at WEC. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today
Laura Kraut celebrates the United States’ third place finish after the second round of the Longines League of Nations event in Ocala. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today
Cian O’Connor celebrates his ride during the final round of competition of the Longines League of Nations at the World Equestrian Center. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today
The team from Ireland celebrates their first-place podium finish on Saturday. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today
The team from Ireland takes a victory lap to close out the Longines League of Nations event during a downpour in Ocala Saturday night. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today
Despite a downpour, a drone show delighted spectators who attended the final night of competition for the Longines League of Nations event. Courtesy: Alan Youngblood/352today

At the news conference after the event, Team Ireland’s Cian O’Connor and Daniel Coyle talked about the inexperience of their horses. Coyle, who had ridden the course before on a different horse, was pleased with how his horse, Legacy, performed after only her second attempt at completing the course. Coyle posted the fastest time on the night for Ireland, finishing the first round at 67.70 seconds.

The next stage of the LLN will be held in St. Gallen, Switzerland, from May 30 to June 2. From there, the competition moves to Rotterdam, Netherlands, on June 20 to 23. The championship will be in Barcelona, Spain, in October.

With two legs in the series complete, Team USA is in fourth place overall.