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USET
To Send Show Jumping Team To CSIO Athens
Berth
in 2004 Samsung Super League At Stake
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GLADSTONE, NEW JERSEY—September 18, 2003—The United
States Equestrian Team (USET) is sending a show jumping team to
compete in CSIO Athens, October 2-5, 2003. The decision, approved
by the Executive Sub-Committees of the USET and USA Equestrian
upon recommendation of the Show Jumping High Performance Committee,
was made to give the U.S. a chance at qualifying for the 2004
Samsung Super League.
Named to the team are Joe Fargis with Edgar, Laura Kraut with
Allegiance, Debbie Stephens with Cosequin’s CEO and Candice
King with Camillo.
The
Samsung Super League began in 2003. This important series limits
participation in eight select CSIO competitions (La Baule, Rome,
St. Gallen, Aachen, Dublin, Hickstead, Rotterdam, and Barcelona)
to the eight countries (France, Ireland, Great Britain, The Netherlands,
Germany, Belgium, Sweden, and Italy) who qualified for the series
in 2002 according to results in that year’s Nations’
Cup competition.
Participation
at the level offered in the Samsung Super League events is a critical
component of the USET’s strategic plan for Olympic and international
success. However, participation in Samsung Super League events
as a “wild card” is often difficult to obtain. While
the US was granted entry this year for CHIO Aachen, requests for
invitations to Hickstead and Dublin were denied. Consequently,
the best way to gain this invaluable international competition
experience is to be one of the eight Super League countries.
Each year, the country finishing last in the Super League drops
off and is replaced by the country finishing first in the year-long
series of the seventeen CSIOs outside the Super League. With three
CSIOs remaining this year (CSIO Zagreb, Croatia; CSIO Athens,
Greece, and CSIO Buenos Aires, Argentina), the US is tied for
first place with Switzerland and thus in a possible position to
move into the Super League for 2004. Given this unexpected opportunity,
the Show Jumping High Performance Committee recommended entering
a team at Athens.
The USET will provide financial grants to the riders selected
to the Team. The USET will also fund the expenses to send a Coach/Chef
d' Equipe.
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
.