Febrary 1, 2001, To the Equestrian Community:

The stakes are high regarding the governance issues now pending before the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). Its decision regarding our NGB (National Governing Body) status will likely affect every participant in the sport, from the children in pony rings to the elite athletes. The AHSA has a duty to bring all relevant information to light, in its role as the long-standing NGB for the sport, so that everyone in the sport will have the opportunity to be well-informed. In no way do we intend any informational effort to be divisive. The debate now underway will bring forward differing perspectives so that each individual in the sport may discuss the issues at hand, on the merits.

The facilitated Strategic Planning Process (SPI), underway since November 2000, has been a worthy effort with moments of real progress as both AHSA and United States Equestrian Team (USET) representatives struggled to set aside differences and grapple with what is in the best interest of our sport. However, with the most recent vote of the USET Board indicating its unwillingness to further consider any merger of the two organizations' capabilities, we at the AHSA have reached the conclusion that this collaborative effort has come to a close.

The AHSA is not closing the door on the best thinking and the spirit of a unified equestrian community that existed at the last meeting of the SPI. Our next step is to prepare a proposal to be considered by the USOC Membership and Credentials Committee. The proposal will be inclusive of many of the best ideas emerging from the SPI while examining and taking steps to address any governance issues for the AHSA that have been questioned by the USOC.

We believe, and the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act along with the FEI and AHSA rules require, that the NGB of equestrian sport must fulfill an active leadership role, assuring:

• The health and well-being of horses
• National and international competitive excellence.
• Fair and consistent application of the rules and regulations of our sport.
• Fair, transparent and conflict-free selection procedures and selection processes for all international and national teams and tours
• A clear connection and opportunity for grassroots riders to both support and aspire to the ranks of Olympic competitive excellence.
• Efficiency and elimination of duplication among organizations to enhance direct and indirect financial support of our athletes, with 'one stop shopping' for fulfilling their needs.

AHSA supports unifying the equestrian sport, providing focus for athletes and participants at every level and attention across disciplines and breeds, and expanding the support base to enable more athletes to compete.

Unfortunately, we believe our equestrian sport has for too long been perceived as an elite sport with competitions often out of the reach of many who might otherwise be qualified to excel.

At the same time, we also know the financial capability to nurture and field world class teams is critical to success. We believe a broad-based financial program managed by a unified organization with financial stability, solid infrastructure and sound stewardship can best do this for today's athletes and tomorrow's. Our sense of today and our wish for the future both prompt us to think about how our sport is funded and how it is perceived and marketed. We believe there is an exciting opportunity to raise awareness and enthusiasm, funds from many sources, and the support necessary to enhance our new profile and our competitive excellence.

We continue to encourage the USET to consider joining the best of its capabilities with the best of ours. As the next few weeks unfold, we will flesh out the most basic concepts for the USOC to consider. One is a potential consolidation of organizational capabilities with a minimum of disruption - a transformed NGB with full responsibility for today's stewardship of the sport and a vision for tomorrow's potential.

We must fulfill the USOC's mandate for governance of the sport. Even if the USOC did not require it, the AHSA believes that having a single, consolidated organization as the NGB is in the best interest of the sport long-term. The time has long since come for unified, aggressive management of the total sport - harnessing all of the financial, operational, marketing, and human resource strengths that implies - to generate the public interest and revenue needed to support every participant. Our proposal will include a structure that guarantees focus for athletes and participants at every level - from beginner to Olympian - and attention across both national and international disciplines and breeds.

The "pyramid" of the sport - athletes and other participants that we serve - needs to be inclusive, not exclusive. The governance of the sport needs to be democratic, not elitist. If the top of the sport pyramid is cut off to stand by itself, it is still a pyramid, but is a small one among the giants of other sports in the Olympic movement. Equestrian sport is small enough as it is now in comparison with other sports. Why divide it further?

We believe that finger-pointing is not constructive. We will engage our membership through increased communication, as time permits, in a positive and informative way.

We hope the principles outlined here can clear the air and allow the focus to be on what is best for the sport. Your thoughts are welcome as we work to enhance the AHSA proposal in preparation for our February 24, 2001 meeting with the USOC.

The Officers of the AHSA, with address and discipline affiliations, are:

• Alan F. Balch, New York and Kentucky, Hunter/Jumper, President
• Judith Werner, Illinois, Saddlebred, Vice President
• Linda Allen, California, Hunter/Jumper, Secretary
• Kathy Knill Meyer, Colorado, Arabian, Treasurer
• David O'Connor, Virginia, Eventing, Assistant Secretary
• Stephen O. Hawkins, New Jersey, Hunter/Jumper, Assistant Treasurer

Related Links
Read the USET's Official statement on this subject
ahsa.org