The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation announced that in 2005 it awarded $1.9 million to the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) in support of its high-performance programs: dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining, show jumping and vaulting. The grant was made possible by the generous donations of contributors in response to the USET Foundation’s successful fundraising efforts.

“I can’t thank the wonderful and generous contributors to the USET Foundation enough,” said Frank V. Lloyd, Chairman of the Board. “Our success in fundraising and providing financial support to the Federation’s high-performance programs has directly impacted our athletes’ success in the international arena this year. The USET Foundation is pleased to be able to have such a positive influence on this country’s ability to win at the highest levels of equestrian competition.”

Funding, in whole or part, from the USET Foundation helped support national and international participation in all high-performance disciplines. Highlights include the U.S. show jumping team’s first ever win of the Samsung Super League championship, an eight-city tour culminating in Barcelona, Spain; Suzy Stafford’s Individual Gold medal at the World Combined Pony Driving Championships; and Craig Schmersal’s Individual Gold medal at the FEI World Reining Masters Championship in Manerbio, Italy. Funding was also provided for dressage athletes to compete in the World Cup Final in Las Vegas and at the prestigious CDIO in Aachen, Germany, where the team scored an impressive third place finish. The grant assisted the U.S. high-performance endurance athletes to participate in three major FEI events--in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Argentina and the United States--and allowed U.S. vaulting athletes to travel to four major international competitions. The eventing athletes continued to expand and enhance their coaching program in 2005. In other support, the USET Foundation hosted the Dressage Festival of Champions at its historic Gladstone, NJ, headquarters.

As the USET Foundation’s mission also encompasses training and international competition for young developing equestrians, funding in 2005 was provided for Klaus Balkenhol to train two dressage athletes at his farm in Germany and allowed four developing eventing riders to compete in Germany at the Luhmuehlen CCI****, gaining valuable international experience and seasoning. At home, the Foundation hosted the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search East Coast Finals at Gladstone.

“It is highly gratifying that the Foundation met its goal this year and that our teams had so much success as a result of this funding. The Foundation has now set a very positive tone as we move forward to the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen and as we plan for the 2010 Games in Kentucky. It is because of our positive relationship with the USET Foundation that we field the finest equestrian teams in the world and can develop new opportunities for our young stars of the future,” said John Long, Chief Executive Officer of the United States Equestrian Federation.


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