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USA
Equestrian Board Meets, Considers Governance Issues
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The
Board of Directors of USA Equestrian, Inc., national equestrian
federation of the United States, held its regularly scheduled
mid-year meeting in Lexington, Kentucky on July 9. The turnout
for the 5-hour session was among the largest in history for the
summer meeting, with 43 directors in attendance, an overflow audience
of general members, and hundreds more listening by Internet web
cast.
Among
the most noteworthy items considered was the status of the sport's
governance, in the wake of a recommendation of a United States
Olympic Committee hearing panel to the USOC board. Nearly 3 hours
was devoted to discussion of the matter. On a vote of 39 in favor,
2 opposed, and 2 abstaining, the board directed that negotiations
be continued with United States Equestrian Team to resolve the
outstanding governance issues. Neither of the current presidents
of either organization will participate in these negotiations,
provided the USET is willing to participate. If the matter is
not resolved prior to any deadline for filing a demand for arbitration,
USA Equestrian, as the incumbent National Governing Body, is authorized
to make such a demand in accordance with federal law.
In
other business, directors received a financial report, indicating
a mid-year performance on target for meeting the goal of finishing
the year with a surplus, absent any extraordinary expenses that
may be incurred in resolving the governance issues. Proposed changes
to the Federation's constitution and pending extraordinary rule
changes were deferred to future meetings.
All
meeting materials are available at http://www.equestrian.org/webcasts/7-9-2002/index.asp.
Please address comments and questions to gov@equestrian.org
.
USA
Equestrian Inc., as the National Equestrian Federation of the
U.S., is the regulatory body for the Olympic and World Championship
sports of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining, show
jumping, and vaulting, as well as 19 other breeds and disciplines
of equestrian competition. As
the country's largest multi-breed organization, the Federation
has over 80,000 members and recognizes more than 2,800 competitions
nationwide each year. It governs all aspects of competition, including
educating and licensing all judges, stewards, and technical delegates
who officiate at these shows.
VISION STATEMENT
The vision of USA Equestrian is to provide leadership for equestrian
sport in the United States of America, promoting the pursuit of
excellence from the grass roots to the Olympic Games, based on
a foundation of fair, safe competition and the welfare of its
horses, and embracing this vision, to be the best national equestrian
federation in the world.
www.equestrian.org
.
