Gladstone, NJ-April 13, 1998
The United States Equestrian Team (USET) has selected combined drivers Tom Hilgenberg of Newnan, GA; Randy McFarland of Riverside, CA; and Kim Wheeler of Chesapeake City, MD to represent the U.S. at the first World Singles Championship in Ebbs, Austria June 25-28, 1998. First alternate is Kelly Valdes of Edgemont, PA and second alternate is Pam Pruitt of Durham, CT. Two-time Cosequin/USET Pairs Driving Champion Lisa Singer of Chadds Ford, PA will serve as coach and trainer and USET Director of Driving Activities Pauwla Groenewoud will serve as chef d'equipe.

The squad was announced at Mr. and Mrs. Donald Tober's Yellowframe Farm in Southern Pines, NC, site of the sixth and final selection trial for the Advanced Single Horse Driving division. On Friday, April 10, McFarland scored an impressive 27.7 in the dressage phase before learning that his father had suffered a heart attack. Despite the pressure of competing while knowing that his father was in the hospital, McFarland returned on Saturday to score a 69.0 in the marathon, just four tenths of a point behind Hilgenberg, who won the marathon with a score of 68.6. McFarland went into the last day of competition with an eight-point lead and was then the only driver to finish the cones phase without incurring a course penalty. McFarland did have 4 time penalties in the cones phase, but won the final USET selection trial with a total of 100.7 points.

Valdes, who held second place throughout the first two phases with a 33.9 in dressage and a 70.8 in the marathon for a combined score of 104.7, had 15 course penalties and 6 time penalties on the last day to finish in fifth place with 125.7. Wheeler, who began in fourth position after a 42.1 in dressage, climbed to third place with a 70.0 in the marathon and, after adding 5 course penalties, placed second overall with 117.1 points. Just as Friday's chilly rain gave way to Saturday's and Sunday's warm breeze and sunshine, Pruitt one of 17 competitors, turned her ninth place finish in dressage into a fifth place finish after the marathon and finally a third place finish after Sunday. Her scores were 45.9 in dressage, 69.4 in the marathon and 5 course penalties in cones, which gave her a total of 120.3 points.

Hilgenberg consistently dominated the marathon phases at all the selection trials and placed seventh overall at Yellowframe with a total of 131 points. Hilgenberg is a former President of the American Driving Society, a retired Delta pilot, a recognized AHSA judge and technical delegate and coordinator of the Georgia International CDE. According to USET Vice President for Driving Jack Wetzel, "Hilgenberg has proven to be a very strong marathon competitor, McFarland is strong in dressage and Wheeler consistently places in the top three of all phases which makes this a text book example of the type of team one wants for a World Championship competition."

This year's championship marks the first time the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) has presented a World Championship for singles. The second World Singles Championship will be hosted by the Gladstone Equestrian Association at USET Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ, October 18-22, 2000.