Following the final Fédération Equestre Internationale Dressage World Cup qualifiers in North America, Courtney King and Jane Hannigan have earned the right to ride for the United States at the FEI World Cup Dressage Final in s’Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, March 27-30.
   
King, New Milford, Conn., rode Christine McCarthy’s Idocus in her first World Cup final last year in Las Vegas, Nev. The 18-year-old, Dutch Warmblood stallion (Equador—Eretha) placed sixth there.
   
This year she topped the North American League standings with a final point total of 221.85.
   
Hannigan, Harvard, Mass., grabbed the second spot with Maksymilian in a tightly contested race. Her 72.85 percent Grand Prix freestyle at the Phelpssports.com Palm Beach Dressage Derby with the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (El Caro—Eleanor) secured her position. Hannigan has never represented the United States in international competition before.

This is the first year that U.S. riders have qualified under the new system. In previous years, the U.S. Equestrian Federation sponsored a league final and freestyle championship, and the top two riders from that competition qualified for the World Cup.
   
All of North America receives only two spots for the World Cup this year, whereas in previous years, Canada was guaranteed a spot, and the United States received two places. Instead of a league final, riders across North America competed for points at CDI-Ws, similar to the Western European League’s system.
   
Only 15 riders will compete at this year’s World Cup Final, another change from previous riders when 18 riders contested the title.