The Mid-Year meeting of the Board of Directors was held on June 20-21 at Hamilton Farm in Gladstone, N.J., the headquarters for the USET Foundation and training center for our U.S. teams. Gladstone also provides offices for some USEF staff members from our Sport and Education Departments. This was a historical occasion as it was the first time that we have met at Gladstone since the Board's restructure. The Foundation graciously hosted a reception and provided an opportunity for board members to tour the magnificent stables, which are being beautifully restored to their original state.
It was an important event in our governance cycle as the Board elected our new USEF President, Murray Kessler, who will take office in January 2017. He has extensive experience as an equestrian, has served on several sport governance boards and committees, and in the corporate world has been Chairman of the Board and CEO of two Fortune 500 companies. Murray has broad skill sets and expertise in management, finance, marketing, strategic planning and business operations which will be of great benefit to the USEF as we enter the next phase of organizational development.
Also at the mid-year meeting, the Board chose Bill Moroney to fill the position of CEO and oversee the day-to-day operations of the USEF. He had been serving as Interim CEO since the USEF Annual Meeting last January. An equestrian and trainer, Bill has a thorough knowledge of the USEF structure, its rules and regulations, and has demonstrated strong leadership skills as President of the USHJA for the past 12 years. Murray and Bill will make a strong team and I look forward to working with them during our transition period as we continue to develop improved programs, services, and a clear strategic direction for the USEF. You will hear more directly from each of them as the transition progresses.
Earlier this year the Board approved a Steering Committee on Strategic Planning that included myself, Murray Kessler, Pete Kyle, Bill Moroney, and Cynthia Richardson. Murray agreed to take the lead in developing a comprehensive Strategic Plan, which involved many meetings with USEF departments and staff, volunteers, as well as leaders of our affiliate organizations and those of foreign federations. The plan, including all 160 pages of supporting data, was reviewed and unanimously approved in a special three-hour session with the Board and the Gladstone staff. Two days later, it was shared with the entire USEF staff in Kentucky.
This exciting new plan will be presented to the general membership at the January 2017 Annual Meeting. In the meantime, our entire team will be working hard on the plan's implementation. We look forward to showing you tangible differences to the USEF that will make the future of equestrian sports and your federation stronger. The initiatives that we are working on and will share with you in January are all designed to help us implement the new Vision for the USEF:
To bring the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible.
A number of other important decisions and discussions took place at the mid-year meeting:
First, the restructuring of the Federation to be more streamlined and efficient continued. The Board approved a resolution to consolidate and thereby create new FEI Sport Committees, one for each of the FEI disciplines, to be completed no later than January 31, 2017. This consolidation reduced the number of FEI Sport Committees from 24 to 8.
Second, the Board approved FEI Non-Olympic Sport Committees Charters. We value our volunteers' expertise and time, and these charters will result in more effective and efficient committee structures.
Third, the Board approved the recommendation from the Governance Committee to adopt an updated non-discrimination policy that reads:
The Federation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members and volunteers.
Finally, a special guest speaker, Dr. Lola Chambless, neurosurgeon from the Vanderbuilt University, presented a highly informative power-point lecture on Traumatic Brain Injuries in Equestrian Sports. Dr. Chambless highlighted the significant concerns related to the large number of concussions in equestrian sports. She also provided many meaningful recommendations on how to improve rider safety, including new technologies in helmets, suggested rules regarding returning to competition after a fall, increased awareness of the dangers of riding again too quickly after a fall, and others. As rider safety is one of the USEF's top priorities, the Board agreed to pursue Dr. Chambless' recommendations and also invited her to make a presentation at the 2017 Annual Meeting to the general membership. She has also agreed to serve as a consultant to the USEF.
Separately, I'd like to mention an Affiliates Round-Table teleconference that was held recently and very well attended by affiliate leadership. The agenda for this meeting included staff updates addressing topics such as: competition lite, licensing of officials, development of a crisis management package for competitions, creating more flexibility in policies and procedures, safe sport, the re-positioning of the USEF Network, and the strategic plan. Our International and National Sport Directors, Will Connell and Lori Nelson, respectively, presented reports on current programs. These sessions, along with follow-up meetings, have improved communications between the USEF and our affiliates and provide a valuable opportunity for an exchange of ideas on issues facing equestrian sport. We look forward to the second annual in-person affiliate round-table during the USEF Annual Meeting in January.
Another area of great interest is the USEF's partnership with the American Horse Council (AHC). In mid-June, the AHC Annual Convention was held in Washington, DC. I serve on the Board of Trustees and attended those meetings, as well as many committee meetings and an Issues Forum. I also participated in the annual Ride-In to the Hill for meetings with Congressional members staff regarding the PAST Act and the National Forestry Act, both of which have an impact on the equine industry. It was interesting to see government in action and have a seat at the table. In addition, Bill Moroney was named to the AHC's Horse Show Committee, and Dr. Stephen Schumacher to the Animal Welfare Committee. Julie Broadway, formerly Executive Director of the American Morgan Horse Association, took over the duties of President of the AHC following the official retirement of Jay Hickey, who has represented the interests of the horse industry in Washington for over 20 years.
The USEF was well represented by Summer Stoffel along with USHJA's Mary Babick on the forum panel that included Matt Iuliano, Executive Vice President of the Jockey Club, discussing the microchipping of horses. The Jockey Club and the FEI currently require microchipping for horses and APHIS (Animal Plant and Health Inspection Services division of the USDA) indicated that they are moving ahead with trace-ability of horses, disease outbreak, and border protection, and are in support of microchipping. We will continue to coordinate with US organizations on the requirements as they develop, and it is clear that microchipping is in our not-too-distant future. Regarding disease outbreak, the AHC, USEF and American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) launched the Equine Disease Control Center on July 1, and the USEF will be providing call center services in the case of an outbreak.
The USEF has participated in the AHC's Marketing Alliance for many years, and this year Colby Connell, USEF Chief Marketing Officer, joined the committee. The USEF is actively involved in the "Time To Ride" program that introduces non-equestrians to the world of horses. More information will be forth-coming on this, along with the AHC's "Take A Friend Riding" Sweepstakes to be offered in September. These initiatives present a great opportunity for us to increase the awareness of horse sports.
One of the greatest concerns expressed to us from a wide variety of our constituents is the need for sport growth. Partnering with programs like the AHC's, and those of our affiliates, will be vital to the success of expanding equestrian sport. Growing our membership is a key initiative in our new strategic plan, and by working together we can create innovative ways to increase access and encourage participation in all levels of our sport. There is much to be accomplished, and I urge everyone to get involved and become an active participant in ensuring the success of the USEF's future vision.
With these important meetings behind us, and work well underway on a Strategic Plan that will benefit our members, all eyes are now on the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Rio. Although Rio is fraught with challenges in preparation for the Games, our athletes in Dressage, Eventing, Show Jumping, and Para-Equestrian Dressage have all completed impressive selection performances, and strong teams have been named and we are poised for Olympic success. The USEF has joined other USOC National Governing Bodies in supporting the USOC's commitment to the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) and First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative to raise a healthier generation of kids. To build on the inspiration of the Summer Games, NBC Olympics is providing a path to the playing field through its Gold Map program that leads young viewers on a journey from watching the Olympics to participating in an Olympic sport in their local area. Tune in to the Games to cheer on our athletes, and go to www.usef.org/goldmap/ to check out our equestrian page.
The Saddle Seat World Cup will be held in South Africa this year, as well as FEI World Championships in Europe for Driving, Endurance, Reining, and Vaulting. Our stellar Saddle Seat World Cup riders are primed to continue their impressive record of garnering Gold medals for the U.S. Our Driving, Vaulting, Reining, and Endurance teams are ready and will be in hot pursuit of World Championship medals. It's a very exciting year of international competition for our teams and we wish the ALL the best of luck!
On the home front, we have many upcoming, hotly-contested national championships on the line and an action-packed calendar for all our equestrian sports in the United States. I wish everyone a successful and enjoyable summer season with your wonderful equine partners, and look forward to sharing our exciting plans with you in person at the USEF's Annual Meeting.
Best Regards,
Chrystine J. Tauber
President