Lexington, Ky. - The nation's top saddle seat riders will compete at William Woods University in Fulton, Mo., on December 5, in hopes of earning a spot on the 2016 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. The Saddle Seat World Cup consists of six team members selected for both the three-gaited and five-gaited sections of rail and pattern work. Athletes selected will represent the United States in July 2016 during the International Saddle Seat World Cup competition held in South Africa.
The Saddle Seat World Cup is a bi-annual international competition originating in the early 1980s as an informal exchange of saddle seat riders between the United States and South Africa. Teams from as many as five nations now compete for the coveted World Cup titles.
Nearly 80 applications were received from 27 states, all vying for a chance to compete in the Trials. These riders represent some of the United States' most experienced and talented saddle seat riders. Similar to what they will experience in the competition, the finalists below will compete in the trials riding two unfamiliar horses. The Trials are held in two phases, each consisting of one rail ride and one pattern. Participants will ride horses donated to William Woods University that may be any breed or crossbreed suited for and trained in the saddle seat discipline.
The riders that were selected for the Trials are as follows:
Three-Gaited
Aleia Brown - Dayton, Ohio
Megan Buckley - Zionsville, Ind.
Sydney Budzinski - Mukwonago, Wis.
Molly Codeanne - Wethersfield, Conn.
Katelynn Cox - Custer, Mich.
Audrey Crites - Waukee, Iowa
Raven Gropp - Augusta, Ga.
Matt Huke - Westfield, Ind.
Ada Johnson - Stillwater, Minn.
Cameron Kay - W. Bloomfield, Mich.
Kristina Mauro - Carlsbad, Calif.
Clara McCool - Newburyport, Mass.
Courtney McGinnis - Santa Barbara, Calif.
Lauren Osborne - Oklahoma City, Okla.
Faith Robbins - Carmel, Ind.
Alice Rowland - Kansas City, Mo.
Kasey Saccocia - Halifax, Mass.
Madison Stringer - Scottsdale, Ariz.
Isabella Templeton - West Des Moines, Iowa
Victoria Walz - Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Five-Gaited
Ashley Brandies - Jesup, Ga.
Cailin Bridges - Salisbury, Mass.
Abigail Kastenholz - Pewaukee, Wis.
Jennifer McGowan - Louisville, Ky.
Anne Pateman - New Orleans, La.
Laura Plant - Advance, N.C.
Allie Poovey - Winston-Salem, N.C.
Eleanor Rainbolt-Forbes - Oklahoma City, Okla.
Ashley Stewart - Pfafftown, N.C.
Catherine Wheeler - Keswick, Va.
Rose Marie Wheeler - Anchorage, Ky.
Jade Woods - Altoona, Iowa
Spectators are welcome to attend the Trials. The Three-Gaited Trials will be held 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. CT and the Five-Gaited Trials will be held 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. CT. For a complete schedule and information regarding hotels and directions, go to www.usasaddleseatworldcup.org.
The U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team is supported by grants from USA Equestrian Trust and the United Professional Horsemen's Association. The USEF is pleased to partner with ModJods to provide practice jods to members of the 2016 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. Learn more about additional contribution opportunities.
For additional information or questions regarding the Saddle Seat World Cup, please contact Lori Nelson, Senior Director of National Affiliate, Competition and Alliance Partner Relationships, by phone at (859) 225-6957 or via email at [email protected].