Gladstone, New Jersey – March 14, 2002 – Will Simpson of Westlake Village, CA; Ray Texel of Beverly Hills, CA; and Richard Spooner of Glendale, CA have qualified from the U.S. West Coast League for the Show Jumping World Cup Final in Leipzig, Germany May 1-5, 2002. The USET will send a squad of 11 riders to the Final – three from the West Coast League, seven from the East plus Robert Chelberg, a U.S. citizen living in Prague who won the Eastern European League. The U.S. East Coast riders will be named following the last class in the East Coast League on March 28.

Veteran grand prix rider Will Simpson won the West Coast League with a near perfect score of 91 points. West Coast riders were able to count their five best scores with a maximum potential of 100 points. Simpson’s score of 91 was the highest ever achieved in the U.S. West Coast League. Simpson will be making his second appearance at a Show Jumping World Cup Final. Texel placed second in the league with 75 points. He made his first appearance at the World Cup Final in 2001 in Gothenburg, Sweden where he placed second on Fleur Z in the first round.

Spooner will be riding in the World Cup Final for the fifth consecutive year. In 1998 he placed fourth in the Final in Helsinki, Finland, the highest U.S. finish since Michael Matz placed third in 1993.

The United States Equestrian Team is a non-profit organization that selects, trains, equips and finances equestrians of the highest possible standard to represent our country in major international competition, including the Olympic Games and the World Championships. To accomplish this the USET seeks out and nurtures the development of talented athletes - riders, drivers and horses - and provides the support and guidance they need to help them attain their fullest potential. For more information on the USET, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org.