IntNewsGroup- EQUESTRIAN ATHLETES ON USET BOARD CHOOSE PLAN

["Lori & Rick Stewart" <rk-ld.stewart@usa.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: asamuelson@rubenstein.com [mailto:asamuelson@rubenstein.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2001 4:42 PM
To: Alexander Samuelson
Subject: EQUESTRIAN ATHLETES ON USET BOARD CHOOSE PLAN



FROM: 	United States Equestrian Team
		Pottersville Road, Gladstone, NJ 07934

Contact: 	Armand Leone, Jr., USET, armand@drleone.com
		or Alex Samuelson, Rubenstein Associates, Inc. 212-843-8286



EQUESTRIAN ATHLETES ON USET BOARD CHOOSE PLAN

Unanimous Vote from Olympic Discipline Athletes for USET Plan

Wellington, Florida, January 22, 2001 - Active athletes at the United States
Equestrian Team (USET) Board of Trustees meeting today voted overwhelmingly
to endorse the USET's plan for governance of equestrian sport. Active
Athletes from the Olympic disciplines voted 22 to 0 for the USET plan.  In
total, the USET plan was endorsed 26 to 2 by the athletes.  The vote came
after presentations of and discussion on two distinct proposals for NGB
status from the American Horse Shows Association (AHSA) and the USET.

Active Athletes at the meeting and also on the USET Board compete in
equestrian sport events including Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing, Driving
and Endurance.  These athletes represent the United States in the Olympics,
Pan American Games, Nations Cup, World Cup and other prestigious events.

"The vote by our active athlete Board members speaks for itself," said Finn
M.W. Caspersen, USET Chairman. "The vote reinforces our belief that our
efforts to become USA Equestrian are best for athletes.  The USET proposal
is best for continuity of service, fundraising, ongoing training efforts and
all the many assignments that go into creating Olympic-caliber athletes.  We
are encouraged by the athletes' endorsement and belief that this solution is
best for equestrian sport."

To comply with the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, the Boards of
the American Horse Shows Association (AHSA) and the U.S. Equestrian Team
(USET) must vote on separate proposals to present to the U.S. Olympic
Committee for awarding NGB status for U.S. equestrian sport. The AHSA has a
plan for a merger/consolidation of the two organizations; the USET a
solution to become USA Equestrian with a coordinated affiliate structure.
Both plans were first presented at the AHSA Convention in Colorado Springs
on January 11.

The USET plan, as presented by appointed USET Strategic Planning Initiative
(SPI) Steering Committee representatives Armand Leone, Jr. and Robert
Standish, meets USOC and FEI requirements and is the most effective for the
athletes with the least amount of organizational upheaval. USA Equestrian is
similar to other NGBs that use Affiliate Organizations to coordinate the
sport at the local and regional levels. USOC representatives have advised
that the NGB is responsible for national governance relating to the
international competitive effort, but it does not have to and should not
take on every national responsibility at the local and regional level,
especially for non-international matters. The NGB should not preclude other
organizations from running national programs and should not exercise
monopolistic power over the sport.

USA Shooting is one example of an NGB where a focused and coordinated
affiliate structure was found superior to one massive organization. USA
Shooting, an 8,000 member organization, is focused on supporting the
international competitive effort, and holds National Championships and
Selections Trials under international rules. The NRA, which previously was
the NGB and has 4.3 million members, was decertified by the USOC in 1994, is
an affiliate member organization of USA Shooting and runs competitions on
the local and national levels under its own NRA rules. Other NGB examples of
coordinated affiliate structures are USA Wrestling and USA Baseball.

Similarly, USA Equestrian allows affiliate member organizations to operate
on the local, regional and national levels without delegating matters that
are central to the international equestrian competitive effort. It can
maximize and support the international competitive effort; coordinate the
affiliate sport organizations at the local, regional and national levels;
and provide a pathway for athletes to progress from the grass roots to the
Olympic level. The USET can fulfill the requirements of an NGB and provide
the focus on the international effort needed that a cumbersome, all breed
organization can never provide. The AHSA would continue to hold competitions
under its association rules, just as other equestrian organizations do. The
USET has its own developmental programs, such as the BET Talent Search,
Young Rider and Developing Rider Programs that provide a pathway from the
regional and local level to the international one.

###

This release is open to publish unaltered in any print or electronic media.


___________________________________
The information contained in this eMail is confidential; it is intended only
for the use of the individual or entity named above.  If the reader of this
message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that any
dissemination, distribution or use of this information is strictly
prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please
contact us immediately at the telephone number or email address set forth
above.  Although this eMail is believed to be free of any virus or other
defect that might affect any computer system in which it is received, it is
the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that it is virus free;
Rubenstein accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage arising in any
way from its use.