The United States Equestrian Federation today announced the Short List for the 2004 Olympic Show Jumping Team. The four horse/rider combinations and two substitutes are as follows:

Rider Age Hometown Horse Age, Breed, Sex

1. Beezie Madden 41 Cazenovia, NY Authentic Age 9, Dutch Warmblood, gelding
2. Peter Wylde 39 Maastricht, Netherlands Fein Cera Age 13, Holsteiner, mare
3. McLain Ward 29 Brewster, NY Sapphire Age 9, Selle Francais, mare
4. Chris Kappler 37 Pittstown, NJ Royal Kaliber Age 12, Dutch Warmblood, stallion

Two alternate/substitute combinations have been named:

Rider Age Hometown Horse Age, Breed, Sex

1. Alison Firestone 28 Upperville, VA Casanova Age 14, Swedish Warmblood, gelding
2. Lauren Hough 27 Wellington, FL Clasiko Age 13, Holsteiner, gelding

Madden, Wylde and Ward qualified for the Short List by finishing first, second and third respectively in the six Olympic Selection Trials held May 14th and 15th in Del Mar, California, and May 22nd and 23rd in San Juan Capistrano, California. Based on his exceptional record and performances on Royal Kaliber, Chris Kappler, 2003 Equestrian of the Year, was named as a discretionary selection to the Short List on April 29th and did not have to compete in the Trials. Firestone and Hough finished 4th and 5th in the Trials series.

"We have a superb team of talented and experienced riders who know how to win at the international level and world class horses capable of winning an Olympic medal," said Frank Chapot, Coach of the United States Show Jumping Team. "Leopoldo Palacios' courses for the Trials not only tested the horses and riders to the Olympic standard, but prepared them for the challenges they'll meet in Athens."

Madden, Wylde, Ward, Kappler, and Firestone will compete at CSI*** Hachenburg, Germany, July 1-4 and CSIO***** Aachen, Germany, July 13 - 18 as their final preparation for the Olympic Games, August 13 - 29.

Short List selections are subject to approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

ENDS
For more information, please contact Maria Partlow, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications on (859) 225-6941 or via email at mpartlow@usef.org. USEF press releases are available on our web site - www.usef.org.

The United States Equestrian Federation Inc.(USEF), as the National Equestrian Federation of the U.S., is the regulatory body for the Olympic and World Championship sports of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining, show jumping, and vaulting, as well as 19 other breeds and disciplines of equestrian competition. As the country's largest multi-breed organization, the Federation has over 80,000 members and recognizes more than 2,800 competitions nationwide each year. It governs all aspects of competition, including educating and licensing all judges, stewards, and technical delegates who officiate at these shows.

VISION STATEMENT
The vision of the United States Equestrian Federation is to provide leadership for equestrian sport in the United States of America, promoting the pursuit of excellence from the grass roots to the Olympic Games, based on a foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare of its horses, and embracing this vision, to be the best national equestrian federation in the world.