Just like the Olympics, the World Show Jumping Championships take place every four years, for the last 12 as part of the World Equestrian Games. The WEG, in Jerez, Spain, in September, is on a par with the Olympics, so it’s truly a very big deal. I spent the end of June and beginning of July in Calgary, Alta., at Spruce Meadows, where most of the horses and riders were preparing for the U.S. Equestrian Team selection trials on July 18-21 and 26-28 in Del Mar and San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The two sites also hosted our 2000 Olympic trials.

So, using the USET Show Jumping computer rankings, I’m going to run through a list of horses and riders that you might end up seeing at the WEG. If I don’t mention a horse or a rider, it’s probably because they’re too far down the list or their recent form doesn’t warrant mentioning.

McLain Ward is one of the best riders in the world today. Not only was Harry Gill’s Viktor fourth at the FEI World Cup Finals in May, but he has also been our most consistent horse the last two years. McLain and his support staff know how to play at the championship level. I suspect Rio, another of Harry Gill’s horses, will be McLain’s second horse.

Everybody knows what a competitor Margie Engle is. She is a great team player and a fighter. Her No. 1 horse is Hidden Creek’s Perin, a veteran of the Sydney Olympics who is also a great Nations Cup horse. One can always count on him for a clear or four-fault round. Hidden Creek’s Jones will likely be Margie’s second horse.

Laura Kraut is a great rider and competitor. She is a veteran of the 2000 Olympics and was also the reserve rider in 1992. Laura has smoothly put herself through several European tours in the last couple of years, giving both of her good horses, Anthem and Liberty, plenty of international mileage. Anthem is probably her No. 1 horse at this time.

Leslie Howard is an Olympic team gold medalist and a World Cup champion, and she’s one of the greatest ring riders and competitors the country has ever seen. Look for her on Priobert De Kalvarie, a big, brown gelding. He is probably the best jumper in the country. Yes, he can still be a little green at the water, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Leslie swapping horses in the individual final on the last day in Jerez.

Lauren Hough now has the mileage she might have lacked in Sydney, and she has two great horses that are completely different. Windy City is fast, careful and has enough scope. Clasiko is powerful and scopey and careful enough. Lauren has developed into a top rider and is an extremely hard worker. She’s a real pro!

Chris Kappler has matured into a world-class rider. He is a seasoned veteran of 100 World Cup classes and a few World Cup Finals. He’s got a horse of a lifetime in Royal Kaliber, owned by Hal and Kathy Kamine. This horse could go on to the final day after being great in the Nations Cup. Chris’ other horse could be either Rafiki or Ursa Major.

Nicole Shahinian-Simpson has always been a rider of enormous talent, plus being cool and tough under pressure. I think she has two lovely horses for the job, El Campeon’s Cirka Z and El Campeon’s Petri. Both are horses of championship scope and bravery. Don’t be surprised to see Nicole on the team.

Richard Spooner is a winning machine. He can attack any problem on the course and come out the other side. Last year Richard finished fourth on the Rider’s Tour in Europe against all the big guys. I would suspect Robinson FRH, Richard’s most successful horse ever, would be his best shot for the trials, although he does have other good ones.

Todd Minikus and his trusty Oh Star could be a very strong force to be reckoned with. Todd is a top athlete and all heart when it comes to a big-pressure situation. His horse appears fresh and in top form, and he can jump any course. Gardenio may be his second horse, but he may be a bit green.

I have taught Misti Cassar in a clinic, but I don’t know her two horses, Fahrenheit and Pasadena. I understand that one is very careful and one is very scopey. Misti participated on a USET developing riders tour and proved to be a very aggressive, tough competitor in Europe.

We all know Norman Dello Joio. The World Cup champion in 1983 and the Olympic individual bronze medalist in 1992, Norman has all the talent, experience, and cool under pressure that one could want on this team. Norman will be relying on Glasgow, a horse he’s had brilliant success with over the past two years. Glasgow appears to be in top form and will be a favorite to make the team.

Candice King has gotten a bit of good East Coast and European mileage over the last two years. Her relatively new acquisition, Caliskan, is quite a brilliant horse, possessing both scope and carefulness. If his greenness doesn’t come out, this horse could be tough.

Kimberly Frey, much like Candice, has gained lots of valuable mileage the last few years. Both girls went to Europe last summer on a successful USET developing riders tour. Kim is a strong, determined rider. Her biggest and more recent successes have been with Bergerac, with whom she won the grand prix at Upperville (Va.) in June. She also could show her rather electric Conawara.

Ray Texel appears to be in good form with his two bay mares, Fleur and Pershing. Ray and these two mares now have lots of mileage between the West Coast, East Coast and Europe. They could be strong additions to any team. Ray’s recent form, both at the World Cup and here in Calgary, has been impressive.

Jimmy Torano is a talented, natural rider, and he’s been around now for quite awhile at the higher levels. He’s had quite a run with Aguila, a big bay with a white blaze. I like this horse. He is a very correct jumper, possesses scope, and looks to be careful.

Schuyler Riley is a seasoned veteran at this point in her career. She’s been to the World Cup Finals and on European tours on more than one occasion. Her best horse (and what a lovely horse he is!) is her reliable Ilian. She’s won major grand prix events with this horse.

Nobody rides better than Beezie Madden anywhere in the world. Even the Europeans would say that. Anybody would want Beezie on their championship team, and she could have a very strong horse with Judgement. He is really a championship-type horse—very scopey and quite careful. I would think her other entry would be the chestnut Innocence.

Will Simpson just won a major grand prix at Spruce Meadows with El Campeon’s Ado Annie. He and this mare can be very competitive together. Will is a great natural rider, and the mare is all heart and try. The question is whether the mare has the experience to go the distance.

Molly Ashe has always been a natural and gifted rider. Now she has quite a bit of experience, both here and abroad. Molly’s one entry for the trials is the mare Kroon Gravin, a mare that is arguably one of the best we have in the country. Molly saves the mare for big events, so we don’t see her show much.

Alison Firestone, America’s highest-placed show jumper at the last WEG, has more experience both here and abroad than almost anybody. She has three potential entries for the trials—Royal Future, Crocodile Dandy and Casanova. While the first two are perhaps more brilliant horses, Casanova has shown good, steady form up here in Calgary.

Mark Leone has all kinds of mileage. And now coupled with the big chestnut Pinkata De Longpre, he has had some very good results in some very big events. If the horse is in form, this could be a strong partnership.

Anne Kursinski, a veteran of four Olympic Games, as well as the last WEG, could surprise everyone with a comeback on her Thoroughbred Eros. Earlier this spring, he was in very good form. If she does take him to California, with his enormous scope and desire, he could be a contender.

Joe Fargis, master horseman and the individual gold medalist at the 1984 Olympics, is riding better than ever at the ripe young age of 54. He is up here in Calgary giving everyone a riding lesson by winning big classes with his German-bred Edgar, an extremely careful horse. His scope depends on his confidence, which Joe instills in every horse. It would be a remarkable renaissance for Joe to make the team.

Peter Wylde is coming to California from Europe, where he’s been based the last few years. Peter rides as well as anyone. In fact, he was our individual silver medalist at the 1999 Pan Am Games. Peter will ride Fein Cera, a mare of great scope and technique. Peter and the mare have had some very good wins and placings abroad over the last year, and they could surprise everyone.

This list was taken from the top 24 on the June 21st USET Computer List. It is in no way an order of preference or seeding. Yes, I’m sure I left out some good riders and horses that might make the team. But I don’t know some of them, and some I don’t believe have the mileage to beat the ones higher on the list. And that’s what objective trials are all about—the possibility of longshots!