Lexington, KY – The first FEI World Reining Championship held outside the World Equestrian Games gets underway tomorrow in Maneribo, Italy. Seventeen nations will be represented in a competition where the best of the US will go head to head with the best in the world.

The US will be represented at the Palasturla in Manerbio by four of the country’s best reiners. Pete Kyle, Jordan Larson, Tom McCutcheon and Craig Schmersal will take on the world.

McCutcheon will be having a homecoming of sorts in Italy. The Aubrey, TX reiner has earned over $1 million and is one of the elite riders in the world. He was a member of the Gold medal winning team at the 2002 World Equestrian Games, and spent some time in Europe training and reining.

“It always fun to compete on a U.S. team,” said the veteran McCutcheon. “But this competition is extra special since I lived in Italy for three or four years early in my career.”

McCutcheon will ride Ruf Hearted Jac, a 9-year-old Quarter Horse stallion owned by Sarah Willeman.

Craig Schmersal will ride Mr. Dual Rey, an 8-year-old Quarter Horse stallion owned Holly Casey. Schmersal has won more than $1.5 million and he was McCutcheon’s teammate on the gold medal winning team in 2002. Schmersal, who lives in Overbrook, OK made history last year by being the youngest trainer on the NRHA’s Top 10 list.

Pete Kyle will be contesting his first World Championship in Italy. The 51-year-old reiner, from Whitesboro, TX will ride the only mare on the team: 7-year-old A Bueno Poco Dunit. One of the most experienced reiners in the US, he was a member of the Silver medal winning 2001 Nations Cup team.

Rounding out the US Team is another Whitesboro native, 27-year-old Jordan Larson. The youngest rider on this team and in the NHRA Top 20 standings over the last two years has proved a formidable force on the US circuit. He brings all of his skill and 8-year-old Quarter Horse stallion Lena Gallo, to the World Championships.

The reiners will be under the watchful eye of Chef d’Equipe Jeff Petska, who served very successfully in that role at both the 2002 and 2006 World Equestrian Games and at the 2007 FEI World Reining Masters.

“We realize the competition each year gets stiffer and we are excited for this opportunity for the U.S. riders to showcase their talent and compete at the FEI World Reining Championship in Manerbio,” said Petska.

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the U.S.A will all be vying for top honors.

Follow all the action on www.usef.org and be sure to read USEF Director of Reining, Courtney Barnett’s blog from Italy at: http://www.usef.org/Contentpage2.aspx?id=reining.

For the USEF Media Guide, please see http://www.usef.org/documents/mediaGuides/USEF_Reining_2008.pdf.

ENDS