By-Law Changes Ensure USET's Continued Olympic Eligibility

Gladstone, NJ, Dec. 15, 1998 - In keeping with its mission to advance medal-caliber equestrian athletes in major international competition, the United States Equestrian Team (USET) announced by-law changes approved by its Board of Trustees.

Spurred by recent amendments in the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, which were signed into law by President Clinton on October 21, 1998, and at the request of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), the USET amended its by-laws to be in full compliance with the requirements of the Sports Act and the USOC. This fulfills USET's requirements along with the American Horse Shows Association as the National Governing Body. All active athletes, who are currently trustees of the USET, voted unanimously in favor of the revised bylaws, which were originally presented at the November 4 board meeting in New York City.

"We are very proud of USET's illustrious 88-year Olympic history and look forward to successful results in Sydney in 2000," said Finn Caspersen, Chairman of the USET Board of Trustees. "As the recipient of all USOC funding specific to equestrian sport and in response to the USOC's request to comply with its by-laws, we felt it our duty to the USOC and to our teams to come into compliance as soon as possible."

The by-law changes focused on two central issues: active athlete participation on the board of trustees and various committees; and the use of prohibited substances in competition. If USET did not comply with the requirements of the Sports Act and the USOC constitution, the USET risked losing its USOC funding. In preparation for the Olympics in Sydney, USET plans on taking a pro-active role in educating its athletes about the by-law changes.

In 1996, USET was one of only a handful of organizations cited by the USOC auditors for its compliance with USOC requirements concerning both centralized funding and athlete support.

The United States Equestrian Team is a non-profit organization, headquartered in Gladstone, N.J., which selects, trains, equips, finances and promotes equestrians of the highest possible standard for major international competition, including the Olympics. In doing so, USET seeks out and nurtures the growth of talented athletes - both horses and riders - providing the support and guidance to enable them to achieve their dreams.