Lexington, KY – Four California horse/rider combinations have made the long list to represent the U.S. show jumpers this fall at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Nicole Shahanian-Simpson of Thousand Oaks on Tristan along with Richard Spooner of Agua Dulce on Cristallo are listed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Top 15, while Ashlee Bond of Hidden Hills on Chivas Z and Shahanian-Simpson on Kilkenny Rindo were listed as alternates. The line-up comes at the heels of the USEF Selection Trials for the U.S. Show Jumping Team in Wellington, Fla. The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will be held in Lexington Sept. 25-Oct. 10.

The top nine horse/rider combinations were named according to their Final Overall Placing in the Selection Trials. The remaining six horse/rider combinations may be discretionary choices recommended by the Selectors. In this case, the Selectors exercised their option to use three discretionary choices. In addition, the Selectors name and rank up to five substitute horse/rider combinations to the Long List.

The ranking of Top 15 horse/rider combinations:
1. McLain Ward/Sapphire (Brewster, NY)
2. Laura Kraut/Cedric (Wellington, FL)
3. Lauren Hough/Quick Study (Wellington, FL)
4. Nicole Shahinian-Simpson/Tristan (Thousand Oaks, CA)
5. Richard Spooner/Cristallo (Agua Dulce, CA)
6T. Mario Deslauriers/Urico (New York, NY)
6T. Beezie Madden/Danny Boy (Cazenovia, NY)
8. McLain Ward/Rothchild (Brewster, NY)
9. Hillary Dobbs/Quincy B (Sussex, NJ)
10. Beezie Madden/ Mademoiselle (Cazenovia, NY)
11. Candice King/Skara Glen’s Davos (Wellington, FL)
12. Rich Fellers/Flexible (Wilsonville, OR)
13. Todd Minikus/Pavarotti (Loxahatchee, FL)
14. Cara Raether/Ublesco (North Palm Beach, FL)
15. Bob Kraut/Graf Lando (Oconomowoc, WI)

Alternates in order: Ashlee Bond/Chivas Z (Hidden Hills, CA); Georgina Bloomberg/Fiedi 3 (New York, NY); Jeffery Welles/Armani (Wellington, FL); Nicole Shahinian-Simpson Kilkenny Rindo (Thousand Oaks, CA); Charlie Jayne/Athena (Elgin, IL).