The already reduced United States squad for the FEI World Cup Final of Jumping, being held in Asia for the first time, scratched the West Coast horse Mc Guinness, who was running a fever Wednesday.

Ten U.S. riders, seven from the East Coast and three from the West Coast, were selected to compete against 40 other riders from 22 countries in the 28th annual indoor riding championships.

However, before the competition began, McLain Ward of Brewster, NY and Jimmy Torano of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, pulled out. Ward, a 2004 Athens Olympic Gold Medalist, is scheduled to be on the American team that launches its defense of the Samsung Super League title in the first of eight competitions in La Baule, France next week.

Torano opted not to take part in the World Cup, being held in this tropical capital of Malaysia, the first Asian venue for the championship, that is typically held in Western Europe or the United States. Kuala Lumpur is so humid that the temporary tent stables are air conditioned, as is the entire indoor riding arena.

McGuinness, an 11-year-old gelding, was to be ridden by Rich Fellers. A U.S. team spokesperson said that after the long flight from Los Angeles, broken up with a two-day stay in Amsterdam to help ease travel stress, the horse was discovered to have a temperature on arrival in Kuala Lumpur. Such reactions to long flights, with significant temperature changes, are not unusual, and the spokesperson said that the decision was made to scratch McGuinness for the sake of the horse's health, rather than wait to see if he recovered sufficiently to compete.

The remaining U.S. riders in the World Cup Final jumped their horses in a warm-up class on Wednesday in the large indoor arena within a complex of stadiums and sports facilities built in 1998 for the Commonwealth Games.

The Americans that are scheduled to ride in the competition that begins Thursday, with Finals held on Sunday, are Margie Engle of Wellington, FL with Hidden Creek's Alibi and Quervo Gold; Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc, WI and Anthem; Kent Farrington of Chicago, IL and Madison; Beezie Madden of Cazenovia, NY and Judgement; Alison Firestone of Upperville, VA and Secret Love; Richard Spooner of Glendale, CA and Cameron Hills Shanroe; and Joie Gaitlin of San Juan Capistrano, CA and SunCal’s King.

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