The World Cup Final isn’t really the best 40 riders in the world–it’s the best so many from each region, because that’s the fundamental way the World Cup leagues work. That helps to spread the competition out throughout the world and give different people an opportunity to compete with the best.

I think that’s a valuable thing for a lot of people, because it exposes them to the highest end of the sport.

Only a very small handful of people can honestly predict to be really successful there. This year, I think you can expect Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Ludger Beerbaum, Marcus Ehning, Rodrigo Pessoa and Nick Skelton to be at or near the top.

Then there are ones who can reasonably hope to do well there. I think the American riders are on that second tier, where if things fall into place–and they’re going to try very hard to make them fall into place–it could happen. I think McLain Ward, Laura Kraut and Kim Frey are in a position to do that. It’s not them saying, “I’m going to go to the World Cup and try to win.” They’re saying, “I’m going to go to the World Cup and do the best I can, and then I might end up in a good spot.”

For the best–and that’s a tiny little group–they can expect to win if they don’t have bad luck.

For the others, they need some luck to win. I think a lot of these riders look at the World Cup in different ways. There are a lot of different reasons for doing it. Some go with the intention of winning. Some are just looking to finish with a personal best. And for many it’s a steppingstone in their education.

You have to really put it together for three days to get to the top of the heap, and very few riders can really do that. Lightning can strike and someone can win one leg, but it’s a much different thing to put all three legs together and come out on top. Someone like Meredith–with her horsepower and experience and skills–can plan on putting the three legs together.

But it’s difficult to go into one of these competitions unless you can plan to be successful. The consistency is very hard, and it’s also ex-
tremely hard to start out well. At many of the shows, you get going and rev up as the week goes on. But for this, you have to be firing on all eight cylinders right from the first day.

The first round is a speed round, and you can’t shoot yourself in the foot there. If you want to control your destiny, you have to win the first round. But that’s a hard thing, because it’s also easy to ruin your chances in trying so hard.

It’s probably easier to self-destruct in the first round than to win it. You have to compromise and say, “I have to go as well as I can while preserving my horse for the next two legs.” You have to be confident that the field will come back to you, but not expect it to come back to you too much.

You’re talking about five rounds in total–the speed round, the second round and its jump-off, and the two rounds on the last day. But it is a long road. If you’re in the middle of the pack early on in the game, it’s very easy to feel like the field isn’t going to come back to you. But if you look at it historically, it can change so quickly. You don’t have to win every day to win in the end–you just have to place consistently well in every leg. And that’s difficult to do.

I think that for riders with less experience, in the heat of battle, they have to make themselves remember that it’s just as hard for everybody else. Just because somebody’s ahead of you by a rail doesn’t mean it’s any easier for them to jump a clear round.

How The Riders Get To The Final

World Cup-qualifying classes are held at designated shows throughout the world. Riders earn points for placing in those classes, and at the conclusion of the qualifying period, the top-ranked riders from each league qualify for the final. Each league has a different number of riders who qualify for the final, based on that league’s performance in past finals.

For instance, the Western European League qualifies 18 riders, the U.S. East Coast seven, the U.S. West Coast three, and various other leagues will be represented by between one and three riders. The two U.S. leagues also were each granted a wild card slot each for this year’s final, as host country.

The following riders are listed in the respective leagues in which they qualified, in the order of their final placings in the league.

U.S. East Coast LEAGUE

1. McLAIN WARD: age 29, Brewster, N.Y.
SAPPHIRE: ch. m., 10, Belgian Warmblood by Darco–Idjaz, owned by Double H Farm.
GOLDIKA: b. m., 13, Holsteiner by Cor de la Bryere–Zelena, owned by Double H Farm.

A member of the silver-medal team at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Ward and Sapphire were second in the CSI-W at the Pennsylvania National and sixth in the $75,000 Grand Prix of Tampa (Fla.) CSI-W. Ward also won three other CSI-W classes on Goldika and Quickstar II Z. This will be Ward’s ninth World Cup Final; his best finish was fourth in 2002.

I know McLain has a real strong plan for what he’s doing. He’s got a real priority on the World Cup, and I think any time McLain puts a priority on something, he has a good chance of success. He’s gotten close to doing well at the World Cup in the past, but hasn’t pulled it off so far. Now that he’s got the Olympics under his belt, I think it’s important for him to do well there. You might have the consideration that Sapphire could be a little green in Las Vegas. She’s not a green horse by now, but I don’t think you could call her a seasoned indoor horse. She’s more experienced outdoors, on big fields.

2. LAURA KRAUT: age 39, Oconomowoc, Wis.
ANTHEM: b. g., 14, Dutch Warmblood by Dutch Boy–Ecvalan, owned by Summit Syndicate.

Kraut and Anthem were fifth in the 2003 World Cup Final. Most recently, they won the $100,000 Budweiser AGA National Championship (Fla.) and the $50,000 Kilkenny/ICH Internationale Cup (Fla.). With Miss Independent, she was in the top three in four CSI-W classes.

Laura’s going to use Anthem for the Final. She’s been on a real hot streak lately at the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.). Laura had some bad luck last spring, and she’s pulled everything back together really well after that. She’s built a really good string of horses, and when you do that, it lets you use the horses properly. If you’re relying on one or two horses, it’s difficult to have the horses rise to the occasion when you want. But she’s been able to win on other horses and show Anthem when she needs to. I think the tough thing for her would be to maintain it for three rounds. For Anthem, the toughest thing for him is the consistency.

3. KIM FREY: age 39, Hume, Va.
MARLOU: ch. m., 11, warmblood by Jus de Pommes–Hippy, owned by Windmill Ranch LLC.

This will be Frey’s first World Cup Final and first major championship, although she’s represented the United States on many Nations Cup teams. Marlou won the CSI-W classes at the Capital Challenge (Md.) and American Gold Cup (Pa.) last fall.

Kim’s had Marlou on the back burner this winter, saving her to get her really ready for this. She has a good plan, and while she’s a little short on the experience for a World Cup Final, that horse is a very good indoor horse–quick and catty. Kim has had a lot of competitive experience, but if she can translate that to a championship is the real question. If planning and strategy count, she’s ahead of the game. Sometimes, though, when you have such a detailed plan, a little blip in it can throw you. I hope that as she brings Marlou up to the level she needs to, it all goes well.

4. ANNE KURSINSKI: age 45, Frenchtown, N.J.
ROXANA 112: b. m., 11, Hessen by Rodgau–Loret, owned by Scott Hakim.

Olympic and World Championship veteran Kursinski earned the vast majority of her World Cup points this winter. She and Roxana were in the top four at three of the CSI-W classes at the Winter Equestrian Festival, winning the $60,000 Idle Dice Classic (Fla.).

I’ve been shocked, but pleasantly, by how well Roxana has been going. I think the horse will be short on experience indoors, but it looks like Anne’s got a really nice horse for the future. She’s a bit green, and Anne hasn’t had her that long. Last year at this time the mare was doing the smaller classes with Ray Texel. Anne’s really clicked with her, but it’s a bit too soon. The horse maybe has a World Cup win in it, from what I’ve seen so far, but probably not this year. Anne’s a really good horsewoman, and I think she’ll be looking at the World Cup as part of Roxana’s education.

5. LAUREN HOUGH: age 38, Ocala, Fla.
CASADORA: ch. m., 9, Dutch Warmblood by Indoctro–Kadora, owned by The Casadora Group.
CLASIKO: b. g., 14, Holsteiner by Colando IV–Bola, owned by The Clasiko Group.

While Hough earned the majority of her World Cup points on Casadora–who was in the top three in three CSI-W classes last fall–she also has her 2000 Olympic Games partner Clasiko to turn to in Las Vegas.

Right now, Lauren is planning on using Casadora in the first leg, and Clasiko in the second two legs. I think it’s really difficult to have one horse who’s really good enough and prepared for a major championship, let alone two. But on paper it makes a lot of sense–Casadora is a fast, careful horse, and Clasiko has a little bit more jump and more mileage. But Casadora hasn’t been going that well. Clasiko is a little bit more of a specialty horse, and I think she’s been gearing him for the World Cup. He’s not really an everyday horse; if he’s prepared properly and asked to peak on the right day, he’s great. And historically, they’ve done a great job at that with him. He can jump everything, that’s for sure, so the thing will be to see if they can get him peaking that week.

6. CANDICE KING: age 35, Ballew, N.C.
COCO CABANA: g. m., 10, Westphalian by Cantus–Granda, owned by Louisburg Farm LLC.

Two third places at the CSI-W classes at the Pennsylvania National and the Washington International earned King and Coco Cabana their spot. This will be King’s fifth World Cup Final–in 2001 she was fifth.

Candice has been saving Coco Cabana, but I don’t know if maybe they waited a little too long; the horse doesn’t really look on form. It’s really tricky, because they shouldn’t be peaking too soon, but you want them to be solid, and I’m not sure that that horse is game-ready at this point. Candice is a hell of a competitor, but I don’t know if the discipline–being able to say, “Today it has to happen”–is there. Experience in getting a horse to peak at the right time might be where her weakness is. She can win any class on any given day, but being able to say, “I’ve got to win today,” is another thing, and the level you need for the World Cup.

7. GEORGINA BLOOMBERG: age 22, New York, N.Y.
RIVIERA: b. g., 13, Dutch Warmblood by Carolus I–Pamir, owned by Gotham Enterprizes.

Second in the $100,000 National Horse Show Jumper Championship (Fla.) with Riviera and consistent other placings have resulted in her first World Cup Final appearance. Georgina is young and talented, and she has really good, quick, clever horses–and they’re great at winning. If she uses Riviera, he can do the biggest things. I think the World Cup would be a great experience for her as part of a building process in her career. She is short of experience at this level, but she keeps coming through all the time. She keeps doing things that are new for her, and succeeding. Georgina could be a little bit of a dark horse to come through and have a good finish.

8. SCHUYLER RILEY: age 33, Wellington, Fla.
ILIAN: b. g., 15, Dutch Warmblood by Suidhorn–Elan xx, owned by South Beach Stables.

Riley’s only other World Cup Final appearance was in Las Vegas in 2000, when she and Ilian placed eighth. With a fourth in the $60,000 Idle Dice Classic and another fourth-placed finish in the final CSI-W, she and Ilian clinched their qualification for the final.

For Schuyler, it will all come down to how Ilian is. Ilian is getting a little more age on him. He likes the ring in Vegas, and he’s a very good horse in tight quarters, but he’s a little older. It’s going to be a matter of how well they can manage the horse and have him peak at the right time.

But having seen Ilian lately, I’m pretty positive about what they can get done at the final. He looks like he’s ready to hit top stride. Schuyler is a really good competitor–she hasn’t had a ton of championship experience, but she doesn’t get affected by pressure. She’s very confident, and if she’s going well, she doesn’t care if she’s at the World Cup Finals or the schooling jumper ring. That can work to her advantage, but also to her disadvantage, because she doesn’t get that little competitive edge that sometimes a little bit of nerves give you.

U.S. West Coast LEAGUE

1. NICOLE SHAHINIAN SIMPSON: age 30, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
EL CAMPEON’S SO LONG: blk. g., 13, Holsteiner by Nissan–Sandro Z, owned by El Campeon Farm.

A veteran of the 2002 World Equestrian Games, Simpson will be competing in her sixth World Cup Final. Her best finish was ninth in 2001. With five top-three finishes in West Coast CSI-W classes, she won that league.

Nicole can get a lot done. I think it’s tough to go to the World Cup Final from jumping outside in California. The best ones from California can win anywhere, and Nicki’s one of the best. But there’s just not the depth of competition there, and riders’ sights might get lowered a bit by not knocking heads with top-level competition every week. I think going indoors makes a difference. I think the East Coast riders are getting a little more experience indoors–a few of them go to Europe for indoors. I can’t remember Nicki coming to indoors with her grand prix horses for the last few years. Inside, things come up quick for the rider and the horse. And So Long is a big, gangly horse. But Nicki is a real fighter. It’ll be interesting to see.

2. JOIE GATLIN: age 38, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
SUNCAL’S KING: b. g., 14, Holsteiner by Lavall I–Zestermuende, owned by Canyon Capital Inc.

Gatlin and Suncal’s King won the $75,000 HITS Desert Circuit IV CSI-W and had five other top-five CSI-W finishes to get to Vegas. This will be Gatlin’s first Final.

Joie just won a bunch at Indio, but she had a rough go at the Olympic trials last year. I can’t really see her being a contender. I think it’s going to be really hard for her to be successful at that level. A championship like the World Cup is a couple of notches above what they’ve been jumping in California, and that makes it even more difficult. Joie is a great seat-of-the-pants rider, and I haven’t seen the horse much. But even if you have a top combination, it’s very difficult to switch from the level they’ve been jumping to the World Cup Finals. Joie’s a little short on experience.

3. RICHARD SPOONER: age 34, Burbank, Calif.
ROBINSON: gr. g., 17, Hanoverian by Raphael–Garina, Gardestern, owned by Half Moon Bay Ent.
HILTON FLIGHT: b. g., 12, Irish-bred by Errigal Flight–Occasion, owned by Freedom Farms LLC.
BRADFORD: gr. g., 15, Thoroughbred by Aly Dark–Virablee, owned by Tracey Kenly & Kenly Farms.

This will be Spooner’s seventh World Cup Final. He finished fourth in 1998 and 12th last year. He won the final West Coast qualifier, the $150,000 Ford Grand Prix of the Desert.

Richard has the best shot of all the Californians, in my opinion. He’s such a fighter all the time. If he doesn’t self-destruct–which he can do sometimes because he tries so hard–he’s got a great shot. And a lot will depend on how they have his horses peaking. Robinson is an older horse. But Richard is kind of a magician; he’s very good at getting things worked out.

If they can have Robinson and/or Hilton Flight going well, I think he definitely has a shot at the top 10. I don’t even have to know what form his horses are on, because Richard is one of the people who’s very good at rising to the occasion, good enough to be right there in the fight at the end. He’s got the same disadvantage as everyone coming from California, but he’s had the experience of winning at the top level, and he’s got a good idea of what he’s in for.

4. GABRIELLA SALICK: age 30, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
SANDSTONE LAURIN: gr. s., 16, Dutch Warmblood by Laurin–Zarah, Rebel I Z, owned by Sandstone Horse Sales.

Consistent CSI-W placings, including second at the $75,000 Bayer Grand Prix of Indio (Calif.,) helped Salick earn a trip to her second World Cup Final. She was 36th in the 2001 World Cup Final.

Sandstone Laurin is a really good horse, but it might be a tough road for that horse indoors. Again, Gabby is in the same situation as Joie–to go from one level to another is a difficult transition. Laurin has been a hot-and-cold horse his whole life. If they get that horse on form, really confident and solid, then she has a shot, but I can’t see that happening for three phases. That horse, even if he’s in the groove, is doubtful to be reliable enough for a multi-round championship.

Western European League

1. NICK SKELTON (GBR): age 47, Shrewley, Warwickshire, England.
ARKO: b. s., 11, Oldenburg by Argentinus–Unika, Beach Boy, owned by John and Lisa Hales.

Nick Skelton came back from a broken neck to ride Arko, on whom he won the Oslo (Sweden) CSI-W, and then placed in the top five in four more qualifying classes. In 2004, Arko finished tied for 11th in the Athens Olympics. Skelton won the World Cup in 1995 and was second in 1985.

Nick has to be one of the favorites. The horse is on a hot streak and is very talented; he just keeps going well. It’s sort of a little bit beyond belief. The only question is if Nick can have him on form for the final. He’s used him a lot since the Olympics. But Nick, for sure, has the experience to pull it off. The horse has had a little bit of a problem with being spooky; he had a stopping problem at the Royal Winter Fair (Ont.) in November. But Nick’s good enough to have worked that out. They’ll be a real threat.

2. MEREDITH MICHAELS-BEERBAUM (GER): age 31, Thedinghausen, Germany.
SHUTTERFLY: b. g., 12, Hanoverian by Silvio I–Famm, Forrest, owned by rider and Hyperion Farms.
CHECKMATE: b. g., 10, Hanoverian by Contender–Pik Bube II, owned by Hyperion Farms.

Second in the World Cup Final last year with Shutterfly, Michaels-Beerbaum was second and third at the Helsinki (Switzerland) and Oslo CSI-W classes on Checkmate. Then, Shutterfly won the CSI-W at ‘s-Hertogenbosch (the Netherlands).

Meredith has to be a favorite to win, period. She’s been on a tear, and she’s a great rider. I’m sure she’ll probably use Shutterfly, and he’s just a phenomenal horse. Unless something goes wrong, she should be looking for a top-three finish, not a surprise in the top three.

3. LARS NIEBERG (GER): age 41, Homberg, Germany.
LUCIE 55: b. m., 12, Hanoverian, owned by K. Geller-Herr.
LORENA: b. m., 15, Holsteiner by Lord–Othello, owned by Roberto Jessourun.

A team gold medalist at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics and 1998 World Championships, Nieberg won the CSI-W at Amsterdam (the Netherlands) on Lorena and was in the top five in four CSI-W classes with Lucie 55.

His horses just aren’t good enough to win. He’s a great rider, but he just doesn’t have the horsepower. Qualifying is one thing, but winning
the final is a whole other thing. He could be in the top 10, but he won’t be winning. That said, he could easily win one leg–I wouldn’t be surprised by that at all.

4. MARCO KUTSCHER (GER): age 29, Riesenbeck, Germany.
CONTROE: b. s., 13, Holsteiner by Contender–Aloube Z, owned by B&S Sportpferde GmbH.
MONTENDER: Dk. b. s., 11, Dutch Warmblood by Contender–Jesprit, Burggraaf, owned by B&S Sportpferde GmbH.

Kutscher and Montender collected team gold and placed fourth individually at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and were fifth in the 2004 World Cup Final. Controe had consistent CSI-W placings–including third at Gothenburg (Sweden)–and Montender tied for seventh in his first CSI-W outing this spring, at
‘s-Hertogenbosch in March.

Marco is a fantastic rider, and he’s gotten quite a lot of good experience lately. They’ve been breeding Montender, so I don’t know how on form the horse will be. But that combination is very solid.

5. GERCO SCHRÖ„ER (NED): age 26,Tubbergen, the Netherlands.
EUROCOMMERCE MONACO: b. g., 14, Holsteiner by Locato–Bravour II, Romino, owned by Eurocommerce Promotion.

Schr? and Eurocommerce Monaco were part of the fourth-placed Dutch team at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Placing fourth in the CSI-W at Paris-Bercy (France) and second at ‘s-Hertogenbosch in March earned Schr? a spot in the Final. He was 10th in the 2003 World Cup Final.

I don’t think Gerco has the mileage to be in the running to win. He’ll be getting there and getting in the fray and seeing what he can do. I think a top-10 finish would be really good for him. He’s a really nice guy and a good rider, but having the whole program and discipline to pull it all off is tough.

6. LUDO PHILIPPAERTS (BEL): age 41, Gruitrode, Belgium.
PARCO: gr. s., 13, Belgian Warmblood by Darco–Iliona V/H Carelshof, Attack Z, owned by Jan Bongaerts.

Every year from 2000 to 2004, Philippaerts has placed in the top 12 in the World Cup Final. He and Parco tied for fifth at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Ludo is unbelievably good. So much of this is about horsepower, and if he’s using Parco, we’ll have to see. Parco was not at his best at the Olympics, but he’s obviously been good enough to get to the World Cup. Ludo is a lot like Richard Spooner in that he’s such a fighter and competitor. If he doesn’t self-destruct in the speed round, he’ll have a plan and a strategy. He does pull off a lot of special things a lot of the time, and Parco is good enough to do it for him–if Parco’s in the mood to do it. He can be great, or he can be bad. I don’t see Ludo finishing in the middle of the field–he’s going to be at the top or at the bottom.

7. MICHAEL WHITAKER (GBR): age 45, Huddersfield, England.
PORTOFINO: b. m., Dutch Warmblood by Habsburg–Orthos, owned by Beverly Hills Equestrian Partners.

Whitaker clinched his World Cup Final berth with a win at the Tampa, Fla., CSI-W on Portofino, who also placed second at the Royal Winter Fair (Canada) CSI-W.

I don’t think Michael has quite enough horsepower. He rides well enough to win any championships anywhere, and his horses are good, but I just don’t think he’ll pull it off in Vegas.

I’d love for him to be in the running for a top placing, because I think he’s one of the handful of elite riders in the world, but I don’t know if I see the horses doing it for him.

8. RODRIGO PESSOA (BRA): age 32, Brussels, Belgium.
BALOUBET DU ROUET: ch. s., 16, Selle Franç¡©s by Galoubet A–Messange du Rouet, Starter, owned by Nicolet Preambe.

Rodrigo Pessoa and Baloubet du Rouet have a legendary record at the World Cup Finals. From 1998 to 2003, they were never
worse than third, and they won for three years in a row–’98, ’99 and ’00. Pessoa withdrew Baloubet from the 2004 Final, but then went on to earn individual silver at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games with him.

You can never, ever, count Rodrigo and Baloubet out. I think they’ve been aiming Baloubet nicely for it. He’s got to be one of the top picks. Rodrigo [and father Nelson Pessoa] are excellent at having their horses ready at the right time. They’re great competitors, and they aim for the big things. And they’ve got pretty good aim.

9. ALOIS POLLMAN-SCHWECKHORST (GER): age 40, Warstein, Germany.
Cristallo: ch. g., 10, Holsteiner by Carthago, owned by Bettina Bahlsen.
DIAMOND’S DAYLIGHT: ch. g., 11, Rheinlander by Double Diamond–Salut, owned by Elmar Pollman-Schweckhorst.

Pollmann-Schweckhorst’s last World Cup Final was in 1999, and he was 26th there. He was in the top five at
four of the qualifying CSI-W classes.

I don’t think Alois has the seasoning to be a real contender. And I don’t think his horse is of the real championship grade. He’s a good rider, and he’s been able to do well in the qualifiers, but I think that the next step in level is going to be too much for
him.

10. MARCUS EHNING (GER): age 31, Borken, Germany.
ANKA: ch. m., 14, Oldenburg by Argentinus–Waidmann.
GITANA: g. m., 13, Holsteiner by Capitol I–Sacramento Song, owned by Bayside Farms.

The 2003 World Cup Final winner on Anka, Ehning was 13th last year. He won team gold medals at the 2000 Olympics and at two European Championships. Marcus didn’t use his best horses in the qualifiers, but I hear he’s revving up Anka for the World Cup. If he can have that horse saved and ready, I think he’s got a real shot to win it. These top, top riders are so good at not needing to do much with their horses to have them ready.

He knows Anka and has success with her. He’ll only take the horse if he knows she’ll be on. And if he thinks he can have her right there, he’s probably not wrong. You have to call them a good chance for the top five.

11. LUDGER BEERBAUM (GER): age 41, Riesenbeck, Germany.
GOLDFEVER: ch. s., 14, Hanoverian by Grosso Z–Gundula, Galvano, owned by Madeline Winter-Schulze.
COULEUR RUBIN: ch. s., 9, Oldenburg by Cordalme Z–Granns Granit,owned by Madeline Winter-Schulze.

Ludger Beerbaum has team gold from five Olympics (including the 1992 individual gold) and three World Championships. He will be competing in his 15th World Cup Final, having won in 1993. From 1995 to 2003, Beerbaum finished out of the top eight only once.
You can never consider Ludger not to be a favorite to be in the top three. Based on their record, they have to be a good bet.

13. PHILLIPE LEONI (FRA):
CYRENAIKA FRH: b. m., 11, Hanoverian by Cheenook–Lanthan, owned by rider.

Top-five placings at three CSI-W classes earned Leoni a spot at his first World Cup Final.

Phillipe has very nice horses, but he’s very short on experience at this level of competition. He’s gone well in the qualifiers, but I don’t think that when he’s butting heads with the best in the world he’ll come out on top. He’ll be looking at it as an educational experience.

14. JESSICA KURTEN (IRL): age 35, Rheinland, Germany.
QUIBELL: b. m., 11, Dutch Warmblood by Quidam de Revel–Lagano, owned by Lady Georgina Forbes.

Second place at the last qualifier, the Gothenburg CSI-W (Sweden), clinched a berth for Kurten. A member of Ireland’s Olympic team at Athens last year, her last World Cup Final was in 2001, when she was 16th.

Jessica has a way of pulling it off, but I don’t think she’ll be able to do it this time. She gets in there because she’s a scrapper and a fighter, but she doesn’t have the depth of quality in the horses to get it done in the final. She’ll be in the middle of the pack at best.

15. ERIC VAN DER VLEUTEN (NED): age 41, Mierlo, the Netherlands.
AUDI’S JIKKE: b. m., 14, Dutch Warmblood by Concorde–Surpise, Pantheon, owned by K. Vd Oetelaar and Family Watters and E. Berkhof and F. Vd Pas.

Van der Vleuten will be competing in his eighth World Cup Final; his best finish was ninth in 1996, and he finished 14th last year.

Eric is a super-nice guy and a great rider. He’s a real tactician, but I don’t think all the tactics in the world are going to get him over the hump in the final. He got all his points at Syracuse (N.Y.) and Toronto (Canada)–he doesn’t have the horsepower. It’s a very careful and nice horse, but it won’t be competitive in the final.

18. RICHARD DAVENPORT (GBR): age 25, Manchester, Great Britain.
LAGUINA: b. m., 10, Oldenburg by Landfriese I–Grannus.

Davenport won the CSI-W at Olympia (England) and then placed at Mechelen and Leipzig (Germany). This will be his second World Cup Final; he was 30th in 2002.

Richard doesn’t have the experience for a championship like this, in my opinion. I think it will be a really good event for him to do, for experience, but I don’t think he’ll make it to the top five.

22. HUBERT BOURDY (FRA): age 58, Marlieux, France.
EVE DES ETISSES: b. m., 13, Selle Franç¡©s by Quidam de Rivel, owned by Dion Soens.

Winning the CSI-W in Bordeaux (France) earned Bourdy his World Cup start. He was 17th at the final last year. He rode on France’s gold-medal team at the 1990 World Championships and has ridden in two Olympic Games. This will be his fifth World Cup Final.

Hubert has a lot of experience, and his horses always jump well. He’s a good horseman, so I would think that if he’s going to make the effort to make the trip, he could be competitive. A lot of times, his horses are bought and sold, so he has a tough time getting con-
sistency with any one horse.

25. STEVE GUERDAT (SUI): age 22, Valkenswaard, the Netherlands
CAMPUS: gr. g., 11, Dutch Warmblood by Cathago, owned by BB Farms.
ISOLVAS ORCHIDEE: ch. m., 9, Dutch Warmblood by Kojak–Jasper, owned by rider.
ISOLVAS PIALOTTA: b. m., 14, Westphalian by Pilot, owned by Stal Tops & C. van Opstal.

Guerdat got the majority of his points early in the season, at the CSI-W classes in Oslo (Norway) and Verona (Italy). This will be his first World Cup Final.

Steve is a younger rider who works with Jan Tops in Holland. Campus can jump any course. I think it will be difficult in the tight confines of the arena for that horse, but he’s one of the horses that could be one of the top horses out there in the next few years.

His weakness is that it’s not the quickest horse in the world. Steve is a young guy, so this will be a really good mileage experience for him.

27. MARKUS BEERBAUM (GER): age 34, Thedinghausen, Germany.
LE MANS 8: ch. s., 10, German Warmblood by Lebus–Lavinia, owned by Hyperion Farms.

Markus Beerbaum was sixth in the CSI-W at Olympia (England) in December and then traveled to the United States. He spent the winter showing at the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.), where he earned more World Cup points. He was on Germany’s gold-medal team at the 1998 World Championships. This will be his first World Cup Final since 1993. He’s Ludger’s younger brother and Meredith’s husband.

Le Mans has a lot of quality. He’s an extremely careful horse and very agile. But I also think he’s a difficult horse. He drifts hard to the ight, which sometimes gets him in trouble. The small ring at Thomas & Mack and the complicated courses could be hard for him. Le Mans is showing that he’s a top-quality horse who takes a good horseman to have ready. Markus is a real good horseman, so I’m sure he’ll put a good effort in, but I think it will be tough for him to be consistent over three legs.

Title Holder

BRUNO BROUCQSAULT (FRA): age 55, Phalempin, France.
HOOLIGAN DE ROSYL: b. s., 10, Selle Francais by In Chala A, owned by J. Dubaille.

The defending title-holder from the World Cup Final last year in Milan, Italy, Broucqsault has to travel to Vegas without his partner for that victory. Dileme de Cephe was seriously injured at the Athens Olympics, so he’s got a less experienced mount for Las Vegas.

Dileme de Cephe horse was a genius and a special horse, and it’s a shame Bruno lost that horse. He’ll be going to defend his title and doing the best he can, but horses like his horse last year only come along very seldom.

Canadian League

1. ERIC LAMAZE (CAN): age 37, Schomberg, Ont., Canada.
TEMPETE V/H LINDEHOF: blk. g., 18, Belgian Warmblood by Darco–Iliena, Almkugel, owned by Stacey Krembil.
LORRAIN Z: b. m., 10, Belgian Warmblood by Lord Z–Prudence, Randel Z, owned by Ashland Stables.

Lamaze’s last World Cup Final appearance was in 1998, when he finished 23rd. He won the CSI-W at Caledon (Ont.) and was third at Bromont (Que.).

Eric’s got a couple of nice horses, but I don’t think he’ll be a real contender. He’s a guy who can do some serious horseback riding, but in my opinion, for a championship, he’s got a severe lack of discipline. He’s a great talent, and could he win a leg, sure, but I don’t think he could come through for three days straight.

2. JILL HENSELWOOD: age 43, Oxford Mills, Ont., Canada.
SPECIAL ED: b. g., 11, Oldenburg by Argentinus–Rappe, Grannus, owned by Juniper Farms.

Henselwood last competed in the World Cup Final in 1992. Fourth at the CSI-W at the Royal Winter Fair (Ont.), she also earned World Cup points in California. She then tied for seventh in the ‘s-Hertogenbosch CSI-W.

Special Ed is a nice horse, and she’ll be going there to give it her best, but I don’t think she could be very realistic about hoping for a top finish. I think that if
she was to be in the top 15, she’d consider it a victory. Jill will be looking for her own sort of personal best out of it.

3. ERIC FLAMENG (BEL):
ROXANNE: dk. b. m., 11, by Ramiro Z–Flower.

This will be Flameng’s first World Cup Final. Top-five finishes at three different CSI-W classes in Canada qualified him.

I think the horses he has are nice, but I don’t think he has enough horsepower. It’s just not there. He’s a very good rider and does a lot of good things, but his tool belt is a little bit empty.

Other Leagues

A lot of these people are coming a long way for this. They’re in isolated countries where it’s very difficult to have a lot of contact with the center of the sport, which is Western Europe. North America is a weak sister to Europe, but we have contact with Western Europe, which is a positive for us.

I think that the World Cup is a fantastic bridge between the more remote countries of the equestrian community and the mainstream. They have a lower level of competition, and a lot less depth of competitors, so there’s not much chance for those riders to be really successful at the final. The World Cup is a wonderful thing to bridge some of these gaps and expose people to the top level.

Regardless of how they go at the final, they can each have personal victories and personal successes. And they can each go into it with the attitude of trying to improve the sport in their region.

Central EUROPEAN LEAGUE

1. ALES OPATMY (CZE)
GRAND: b. s., 14, by Duman–Morava, Granat.
CRAZY LOVE: b. m., 10, Oldenburg by Rex Fritz–Miss Filia, Rheinkampe.
Opatmy finished 19th in his World Cup Final debut in 2003.

2. GUNNAR KLETTENBERG (EST)
NOVESTA: b. m., 10, Dutch Warmblood by Lux–Ivesta, Cavalier.
PICASSO: dk. b. g., 9, Trakhener by Palladium–Pobeda, Eskort.
Last year, Klettenberg ended up 31st at the World Cup Final.

3. GRZEGORZ KUBIAK (POL)
ORKISZ: dk. b. s., 15, warmblood by Dido Han–Orawa WLKP–Kadyks.
CARLON: b. s., 10, Holsteiner by Carpaccio–Eyleen, Capitol I.
DIANE DES FANTENIS: b. m., 14, Selle Franç¡©s by Stew Boy–Pepita Du, Grand Vene.

Kubiak competed in World Cup Finals in 2001, ’03 and ’04. His best finish was 20th last year.

Central Asian LEAGUE

1. SADIR MAMITOV (KAZ)
LANDGRAAF II: b g., 12, Holsteiner by Landgraf I–Schilda, Calypso II.

Japan League

1. AKHIRO OKABE (JPN)
LORDLESTER 62: b. g., 10, Oldenburg by Landsieger–Birke, Traumdeuter.
ROCCO

This will be Okabe’s first World Cup Final.

New Zealand League

1. JOHN COTTLE (NZL):
TELEGRAPH: gr. s., 11, Telereigh–Quat.

Cottle was 34th at the 1996 World Cup Final.