The United States Equestrian Team has named Anne Kursinski of Flemington, NJ, Nona Garson of Lebanon, NJ, Eric Hasbrouck of Bedford, NY and Alison Firestone of Upperville, VA (pictured here) 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 final selection trials at the USET Olympic Training Center in Gladstone, NJ on Sunday, July 19. The team was based on horsesí 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.

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. 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. Firestone also totaled 20 faults on Major, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone. Firestone was the Leading Rider on the 1997 Nationsí Cup World Series of Show Jumping, a series of 20 international team competitions held under the jurisdiction of the International Equestrian Federation. Margie Goldstein-Engle of Wellington, FL was named as alternate to the team after finishing with 20 faults on Hidden Creekís Alvaretto, owned by Hidden Creek Farm. Ties in number of faults were broken based on placings in the selection trials.