Olympian Laura Kraut leads the list of nine U.S.riders traveling to Basel, Switzerland to compete in the World Cup Final in three weeks, but World number two Kent Farrington and World number six McLain Ward, both of whom qualified to go, have decided to skip the competition this year,
In the North America League, qualification places are allocated into regions.
Seven places are available to East riders, three to West, two to Canada and two to Mexico.
With two wins across the North America League, Farrington led the league's standings,but Farrington will not compete in Basel nor will fifth placed Ward.
The absence of two of USA's 'big guns' sees the East seven qualification places pass down the line, but only six of these places will be taken up in Basel.
Finishing second, third and fourth for East, Kirsten Vanderveen, Alise Oken and Lillie Keenan have confirmed their participation in Basel.
Having finished sixth, seventh and eighth in the league, Olympic and World gold medalist Laura Kraut, McKayla Langmeier and Katherine Dinan will compete in the Swiss city next month.
The three qualification spots allocated to West were won by Kaitlin Campbell, Karl Cook and Skylar Wireman.
Cook and Wireman turned down their place in Basel, so will be replaced by the West USA’s first and second subs, Shawn Cassidy and Alessandra Volpi who head to the final along with Campbell.
ERYNN BALLARD and Tiffany Foster secured the two qualification spots allocated to Canada via the North America League; however, neither athlete will compete in Basel.
Similarly, Alejandro Mills and Miguel Maron Kahwagi earned the two spots available to Mexico but, like their Canadian counterparts, declined their places in Basel.
Consequently, neither Mexico nor Canada will be represented via the North America League at this year’s s FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final.
Ireland's Daniel Coyle, who lives in North America and consequently registered to compete in the North America League, qualifies as an 'Extra Athlete' in the North America League East.
In order to qualify as an extra athlete, he was required to have obtained at least as many points as the last qualified East rider.
Coyle's compatriots, Darragh Kenny and Shane Sweetnam, as well as Israel's Daniel Bluman, were also eligible for qualification via the extra athlete system through the League, but have elected not to compete in Basel.
Defending Champion Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden has not only dominated the World Rankings for 32 consecutive months, but successfully defended his World Cup Final 2023 title and was Champion once again in Riyadh last year on King Edward.
Von Eckermann returns this year in a bid to emulate the five riders that have won this title three times apiece - Hugo Simon of Austria, Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany Marcus Ehning of Germany and Steve Guerdat of Switzerland.
Von Eckermann returns once again but is not riding King Edward this year.
If he could win in Basel, he would join Pessoa in becoming the only two riders to have taken the title in three consecutive years.
There will be 42 riders representing 23 countries competing in Basel.
Among those competing are Ben Maher and Robert Whitaker of Great Britain, Richie Vogel and March Ehning of Germany, Kevin Staut of France and Martin Fuchs of Switzerland.
The first competition of the World Cup Final is on April 3, with the third and final competition on April 6.
For the USA, the following riders with their horses are listed in alphabetical order:
Kaitlin Campbell of Temecula, Calif., on Castlefield Cornelious, a 2011 Oldenburg stallion.
Shawn Casady of Harriman, Tenn., on Cool Quarz, 2012 Holsteiner gelding.
Katie Dinan of New York, N.Y., on Out of the Blue SCF, a 2014 Belgian Warmblood mare.
Lillie Keenan of New York, N.Y., on Kick On, a 2014 British Sport Horse stallion.
Laura Kraut of Royal Palm Beach, Fla., on Baloutinue, 2010 Hanoverian gelding.
McKayla Langmeier of Wellington, Fla., on Mimosa vd Rollebeek, a 2012 Belgian Warmblood mare.
Alise Oken of Charlotte, N.C., on Gelvera, a 2011 KWPN mare.
Kristen Vanderveen of Wellington, Fla., on Bull Run’s Jireh, a 2014 Holsteiner gelding.
Alessandra Volpi of Woodside Calif., on Gipsy Love, a 2014 Silesian Warmblood mare. (
FOR USA Dressage, the following riders and horses will compete in Dressage World Cup Final and are listed in alphabetical order:
Kevin Kohmann of Wellington, Fla., on Duenensee, a 2009 KWPN gelding.
Adrienne Lyle of Wellington, Fla.,on Helix, a 2012 KWPN gelding.
Geñay Vaughn of Elk Grove, Calif., on Gino, a 2011 KWPN gelding.
