USET Mourns Passing of Bertalan de Nemethy

Gladstone, New Jersey –January 16, 2002—The United States Equestrian Team
(USET) mourns the passing of Bertalan de Nemethy, legendary USET Show
Jumping Coach from 1955 to 1980 who passed away on January 16, 2002 at the
age of 90.
Under de Nemethy’s guidance, USET Show Jumping teams won Silver Medals at
the 1960 Rome Olympics and 1972 Munich Olympics. de Nemethy’s teams were
also Pan American Games team Gold Medalists in 1959, 1963, 1975 and 1979.
Individual Pan American Games Medals won while de Nemethy was coach were by
Mary Mairs Chapot in 1963 and Michael Matz in 1979.
In all de Nemethy-coached teams competed in 144 Nations Cups, winning almost
half: 71. His individual riders also won 72 international grand prix and
over 400 international classes around the world. The most notable of the
individual victories was Bill Steinkraus’s Gold Medal at the 1968 Mexico
City Olympic Games and Neal Shapiro’s Individual Bronze at the 1972 Munich
Olympics. His teams won the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI)
President’s Trophy in 1966 and 1968.
de Nemethy was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 1987, a member
of the charter class along with Bill Steinkraus and the legendary jumper,
Idle Dice.
A former Hungarian cavalry officer and riding instructor at the Royal
Hungarian Cavalry School, de Nemethy came to the U.S. in 1952. He is
credited with originating a strict training regimen for American riders that
emphasized dressage and gymnastics.
Additionally, de Nemethy was a noted course designer who planned the show
jumping courses for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and 1989 Tampa World Cup
Finals. He also conducted many training clinics in England, Ireland,
Switzerland, Holland, Hungary, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela and
Columbia.
Dr. Armand Leone, Jr., USET President, commented, “The USET is deeply
saddened by the loss of Bertalan de Nemethy. Bert was not only a mentor and
coach, but also a friend whose genius enabled so many to enjoy the wonder of
horses. I will greatly miss him.”
A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, January 22 at 5:00 pm at the
Selby Gardens in Sarasota, FL.

The United States Equestrian Team is a non-profit organization that selects, trains, equips and finances equestrians of the highest possible standard to represent our country in major international competition, including the Olympic Games and the World Championships. To accomplish this, the USET seeks out and nurtures the development of talented athletes - riders, drivers and horses - and provides the support and guidance they need to help them attain their fullest potential. For more information on the USET, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org