Their team of Nicolas Pizarro, Juan Jose Zendejas Salgado, Federico Fernandez and Jose Antonio Chedraui produced a strong first round of the competition to place themselves in contention against Canada and the United States.

Pizarro and Chedraui proved to be the stars after going clear in the second round, as they had done in the first, to help the Mexican team end with a total of eight faults.

Canada and the US ended tied for second place in the standings, with both teams ending with 12 faults after the two rounds.

The result saw Mexico end their 26-year wait for a Nations Cup victory, with their last having come in New York in 1990.

“I think the course today was absolutely fantastic, we really did witness some world class jumping,” said Pizarro.

“I really felt we were getting better and better as a team as each jump progressed.

“I am so happy to jump a double clear for the first time in my life and great to have been able to do it in my home country as well.” 

Mexico now have a 10-point lead over the American team heading into the third and final qualifier of the North and Central America and Caribbean League.

In the US, Germany’s Michael Jung topped the standings after the dressage competition at the FEI Classics Kentucky three-day event.

The reigning Olympic champion finished with a points total of 34.4 to move to the head of the leaderboard, with the United States’ Alison Springer second on 39.7.

Her compatriot Marilyn Little remains well placed in third, having achieved a score of 42.5 and will hope to close on her rivals in tomorrow’s cross-country event.