Bertalan De Nemethy Passes Away

Bertalan de Nemethy, 1992 AHSA Lifetime Achievement Award winner and coach
of the United States Equestrian show jumping team from 1955 to 1980, passed
away this morning, Wednesday, January 16, 2002.

A former Hungarian cavalry officer and riding instructor at the Royal
Hungarian Cavalry School, the 90-year-old de Nemethy moved to the U.S. in
1951 and his impact on the world of show jumping has been without equal.
His teams won the silver medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics and the 1972 Munich
Olympics as well as being Pan American Games Gold Medalists in 1959, 1963,
1975 and 1979. His individual riders, which include such names as William
Steinkraus and Frank Chapot, won 72 international grand prix's and over 400
international classes around the world. One of the most notable wins being
Steinkraus' gold medal at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. The methods
de Nemethy used to train world-class jumpers are outlined in his book, "The
de Nemethy Method."

Alan F. Balch, USA Equestrian President, said, "I feel Bert's loss so very
personally, and I think everyone who knew him must feel the same way. He
was one of those few people who could always engage you in a very personal
way, as though you were one most important person to him. Everyone knows
his horsemanship is legendary. So is his course designing. He had a great
sense of humor, too, and a sophisticated optimism that was inspiring. I
worked most closely with him in the years leading up to 1984 in Los Angeles,
where by acclamation his courses set a new standard of brilliance for the
Olympic Games. Those courses of his may be equaled for genius, but never
surpassed. He was a steadfast friend of the entire sport, and a great
teacher of the principles of indivisible horsemanship. All I can say is
that with all of the great horsemen and horsewomen we have lost in the last
year or so, and just in the last few months alone, there has to be some kind
of sensational reunion and partying going on in Heaven right now."

Memorial services will be held Tuesday, January 22, 2002 at Selby Gardens in
Sarasota, Florida.

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 77,000 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.