The deadline for submission of applications for the 2010 US Saddle Seat World Cup Team Selection has been extended to January 15, 2010. Applications are available online for riders interested in pursuing an opportunity to qualify for the teams that will represent the United States at the 2010 International Saddle Seat Equitation World Cup event, to be held October 6-8, 2010 at the Kentucky Fall Classic Horse Show in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

In addition, the Saddle Seat World Cup will be a featured part of the 2010 World Equestrian Games Equine Village at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Riders from the US teams as well as members of the visiting International Saddle Seat World Cup teams will have the opportunity to participate in the prestigious WEG Equine Village.

"We are extremely excited about 2010. We’re looking forward to hosting a first-rate competition in Shelbyville, but we’re even more proud that we have the chance to be featured in the World Equestrian Games at the Equine Village in Lexington. This will be the opportunity that we’ve been waiting for, to show the world how incredible our athletes and our horses are," said Ellen Beard, Executive Director of the organization. "The US Team Selection Trials will be the beginning of what we know will be a very exciting year for us, as we select the team we hope will return the gold medals and the World Cup trophies to the USA."

Riders from all Saddle Seat breeds are strongly encouraged to apply for the 2010 teams, each of which consists of five team members and an alternate. The purpose of the Saddle Seat World Cup is to promote the discipline of Saddle Seat Equitation on an international level. The diverse breed affiliations involved in Saddle Seat Equitation in the United States create the unique opportunity to draw from an expanded pool of top riders. Horses from the Saddlebred, Morgan, Arabian and National Show Horse breeds will be used in the competition.

A total of twenty finalists will compete to become one of five team members or an alternate for the US Three-Gaited team. Up to 12 finalists will have earned their bids to the trials by winning one of several designated qualifying finals or by virtue of a breed association nomination. In addition, ten finalists will compete for the honors of Five-Gaited Team membership. Two automatic bids for this team will be extended to the winners of designated Five-Gaited equitation events while the remaining eight finalists are chosen from a pool of applicants.

The remaining finalists for the three-gaited team will be chosen from a pool of applicants. In the event of multiple finals wins or declined automatic bids, remaining finalist slots will be selected from the pool eligible applicants

Riders may apply for both the three- and five-gaited teams but must submit separate application materials and fees for each team. In addition, in the event a rider qualifies for both teams, they may only represent the US on one team.

The US Team Selection Trials are slated for March 26-28, 2010 on the campus of William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri. William Woods graciously provides the horses used for the trials, which is designed to prepare riders for the atmosphere of the International event. The Team Selection Trials will consist of two days of competition during which riders will complete two rail sessions, two individual patterns and one personal interview. Scoring will be equally weighted among the riding portions to total 90%, while the interview will account for the remaining 10% of each rider’s total score. Teams will be announced on the final day of the trials.