Who’s headed to Gothenburg, Sweden, for the Longines FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final on March 23-28? Seven riders are invited from the top finishers on the East Coast, and three from the West Coast. If a qualified rider declines to attend, the spot is offered to the next-ranked U.S. rider on the list.

The qualifying classes are over, and here’s how things look for the Longines North American League…

FROM THE EAST COAST:

1. Kent Farrington

Farrington topped the East Coast standings with two World Cup qualifier wins—at the National Horse Show, Ky., in October and in Wellington, Fla., in February. But Farrington, a veteran of five World Cup Finals, isn’t planning on going to Gothenburg. “You need a top indoor horse to do well in the Finals, and we’re focused on the Rio Olympic Games,” Farrington said.

Quentin Judge on HH Copin van de Broy Photo by Ann Glavan

2. Jack Hardin Towell

Towell, who jumped in his first FEI World Cup Final last year in Las Vegas, is headed to Gothenburg. He’ll take Lucifer V and New York to Sweden.

3. Quentin Judge  

Judge is headed to his first FEI World Cup Final with HH Copin van de Broy. They were second at the CSI-W in Rancho Murieta (Calif.) in Sept. 2015 and picked up points in five other World Cup classes.

4. Callan Solem  

A second place at the Washington International President’s Cup (D.C.) in October, added with placings in four other CSI-Ws, landed Solem squarely in line for her first World Cup Final. She’ll head to Gothenburg with VDL Wizard.

Callan Solem on VDL Wizard Photo by Ann Glavan

5. McLain Ward

Ward, a veteran of 16 World Cup Finals, has decided to give the final a miss this year. “It doesn’t work with the schedule,” Ward said, as he’s carefully preparing for the Rio Olympic Games.

6. Laura Kraut

Kraut has eight World Cup Final appearances to her record and she was second in two CSI-Ws (the American Gold Cup [N.Y.] and the National Horse Show), but she’ll decline her invitation this year.

7. Beezie Madden

Madden, the winner of the 2013 Rolex FEI World Cup Final with Simon, will be not be headed to Gothenburg this year.

9. Katie Dinan

Because Farrington, Ward and Kraut declined their invitations, the next three riders down the list will be invited, and Dinan plans to attend her fourth consecutive World Cup Final. She’ll bring Nougat du Vallet to Gothenburg.

“We competed at the World Cup in Gothenburg in 2013 and I always wanted to go back together, so I am excited to be qualified again this year!” Dinan said. “’NuNu’ and I have jumped two World Cup Finals together, and he felt great at the Wellington Masters [CSI-W where they were seventh] a few weeks ago, so I am looking forward to Gothenburg in a few weeks.”

Peter Lutz on Robin de Ponthual Photo by Molly Sorge

10. Peter Lutz  

Lutz made some major steps toward his first World Cup Final with a win in the Las Vegas CSI-W in November aboard Robin de Ponthual. He plans to take both that horse and Retiro to Gothenburg for the Final. “The opportunity to expose our horses to such a level of international competition is truly exciting and invaluable,” he said. “Further, competing in a team environment for the USA has long been a personal goal of mine, and I’m thankful to both the USET and [the horses’ owners] Katherine Gallagher and Michael Meller for this experience.”

11. Charlie Jacobs

Jacobs jumped in his first World Cup Final in 2014 in Lyon, France, where he finished 20^th. This year, he plans to ship both Flaming Star and Cassinja S to Sweden for his second Final. “Going to the World Cup Finals is a wonderful honor. I am really looking forward to competing in Gothenburg, as the World Cup Finals enjoys a great history with the city and it’s historic venue,” Jacobs said.

FROM THE WEST COAST:

1. Karl Cook

Cook, who picked up the most West Coast World Cup points with placings in five CSI-Ws aboard Tembla, will not be shipping the 12-year-old mare to Sweden for the final. “She’s an emotional mare, and I’d like to have the same horse after the World Cup Final as I did before it,” Cook said. “I just don’t think it’s the right environment for her to progress, not yet. Hopefully in the future it will be.”

2. Rich Fellers

Fellers and the indomitable 20-year-old stallion Flexible won the 2012 Rolex FEI World Cup Final together, breaking a 20-year drought of U.S. wins. After they won both the grand prix classes during Week 5 of the HITS Desert Circuit (Calif.) Fellers says Flexi feels as good as ever and he’s planning to go give the World Cup another go. Flexible has jumped in seven World Cup Finals and been first (2012), second (2008) and seventh (2015).

3. Richard Spooner

Spooner, vaulted up the West Coast rankings with a second place in the Wellington, Fla., CSI-W in February aboard Big Red, but he’s only been riding the horse for a few months, so Spooner is not booking a ticket to Sweden.

“Red just needs more time develop before I show him at that level of competition,” Spooner said. “Our relationship is not advanced enough at this point. He and I need to keep working on our partnership, and at this point we are gearing up towards Spruce Meadows and the Global Champions Tour in Mexico City. We just need a little more time.”

4. Will Simpson

Will Simpson was second in the first West Coast CSI-W, in Langley, British Columbia in August, but he doesn’t plan to ship The Dude, his top horse, to Sweden. “It’s just not in the cards,” he said.

11. Allyssa Hecht

Allysa Hecht, who finished 11^th in the West Coast League after a number of non-U.S. riders, did not respond to calls asking about if she planned to attend the World Cup Final since Spooner, Simpson and Cook declined their invitations. She rode Calero to top-10 placings at Langley (British Columbia) and Rancho Murieta (Calif.) last fall, but she hasn’t shown him since November. 

Check out the U.S. dressage riders attending the competition.