Gladstone, NJ-July 20, 1998

The United States Equestrian Team (USET) has named Anne Kursinski of Flemington, NJ, Nona Garson of Lebanon, NJ, Eric Hasbrouck of Bedford, NY and Alison Firestone of Upperville, VA as its four- rider squad for the 1998 Show Jumping World Championships to be held as part of the World Equestrian Games in Rome, Italy, September 30-October 11.

The squad was named following the Fleet Financial Services final selection trials at the USET Olympic Training Center in Gladstone, NJ on Sunday, July 19. The team was based on horses' six best scores from eight rounds of selection trials held at the USET Olympic Training Center and at the I Love New York Horse Show in Lake Placid, NY. In addition to representing this country in the World Championships in Rome, the squad will also ride for the U.S. at CSIO Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada, September 9-13.

Kursinski, a three-time Olympic veteran and two-time Olympic team Silver Medalist, was named to the squad on Eros, owned by The Eros Group. They finished the trials with 8.5 total faults. Garson, a 1995 Pan American Games team Bronze Medalist, was named on Rhythmical, owned by Garson and the Kamine Family, with a total of 15.75 faults. "The key to getting through the trials is not to get emotional, but to keep your mind on what's next," said Garson. "You have to stay focused on the next round and forget what happened in the last one." Kursinski also placed third in the trials with 17.75 faults on Indeed, owned by The Group Indeed. "I'm dumbfounded with what he did." Kursinski said. " I knew he was talented, but he's still green. I didn't think he was ready to do this."

Hasbrouck, who won the trials held at the Cosequin/I Love New York Grandprix on July 5, was named to the team on Freestyle, owned by Trelawny Farm. They totaled 20 faults. "All I did was take each round one at a time and try to jump each fence clean," said Hasbrouck who never scored worse than eight faults in any of the eight trials. Firestone also totaled 20 faults on Major, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone. Firestone was the Leading Rider on the 1997 Samsung Nations' Cup World Series of Show Jumping.

Firestone came from the furthest back, turning in two fault-free rides on the final day to make the team on Major. "When I came here this morning, I didn't think I'd wind up going anywhere," the 21-year-old rider said. "I'm in shock that I made it."

Margie Goldstein-Engle of Wellington, FL was named as alternate to the team after finishing with 20 faults on Hidden Creek's Alvaretto, owned by Hidden Creek Farm. Ties in number of faults were broken based on placings in the selection trials.

Missing the team by the narrowest of margins, Engle was proud of Hidden Creek's Alvaretto. "He jumped well all the way through the trials," she said. "I couldn't have asked any more of him."

Engle's top mount, Hidden Creek's Laurel, had to miss the trials due to injury. The five-time Budweiser/ American Grandprix Association Rider of the Year then had a bad fall in Lake Placid the day before the trials there. Ignoring injuries that included a broken nose, 30 stitches in her face and several bumps and bruises on her head, she rode the next day going clean on each of her two horses in the trials before scoring eight and 12 faults in the second round.

"Margie is a tremendous rider as well as a phenomenal person," said Kursinski. "She gives us all lessons in what strong will and determination can accomplish. She would be an asset on any team."

Kursinski, the most seasoned international competitor, is confident about the USET's chances at Rome and feels that courses designed by Linda Allen and Robert Ridland helped upgrade the horses that made it. " I think everybody came out of the trials with better horses than when we began," she said. "There's no question in my mind that all the horses gained from the experience and I feel strongly that this is a team that can beat the Europeans."