(Lexington, KY) – Pam Lane has joined the United States Equestrian Federation as Director of Para-Equestrian and Vaulting effective March 5th. She is located in the Gladstone, New Jersey office and will report to Jim Wolf, Executive Director of Sports Programs.

Pam has extensive experience with the USEF and the dressage discipline. Since 1997 she has organized West Coast athlete and developing rider training sessions and has been an event organizer for such competitions as the 2002 qualifiers for the North American Young Riders Championship and the National Disability Sports Alliance Championship; the 2003 USET Festival of Champions Grand Prix and Intermediaire Championship and Selection Trials for the Pan American Games; served as co-manager for the 2004 Olympic Selection Trials for Dressage; organized the 2005 and 2006 USET Foundation Dressage Festival of Champions featuring the selection trials for the 2006 World Equestrian Games. In 2006 Pam was the assistant Dressage Team Leader at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. She has also organized symposiums, educational clinics, and seminars on such topics as event organization, equine nutrition, and training.

Pam grew up in the thoroughbred industry and as a youth competed in 4H western events. She has also competed in the hunter ring and in the last decade she has been competing in dressage up to the FEI level. “I’m thrilled to join the USEF and taking over the Vaulting program from Sarah Ike who has done a tremendous job. Our Vaulting success from the 2006 World Games is a catalyst for greater development of the sport in this country and will lead to even more medals in the future. I very much look forward to working with our Para-Equestrian athletes, especially with the Paralympics coming up in 2008 and for the Alltech/FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010.”

“We’re fortunate to have Pam on board with us because of her multi-faceted expertise with horses, event organization, and with high performance team training and support,” said Jim Wolf, Executive Director of Sports Programs. “She is very well known and respected in the dressage discipline and has a great interest in both Para-Equestrian and Vaulting.”

A graduate of Skidmore College and a former competitive equestrian, Sara Ike moves from the USEF Director of Vaulting position to High Performance Director of Eventing reporting to Torri Nahorniak, Managing Director of Eventing. Sara will remain in the Gladstone, New Jersey office and will continue to serve as the USEF coordinator of the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency Programs.

At the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games, Sara managed the United States’ Vaulting Team that brought home the team silver medal, the highest honor a US team has won in international competition, and the individual women’s gold medal won by Megan Benjamin, the first gold won by a woman from the U.S in an international championship.

“Sara has demonstrated the discipline needed to manage a medal-winning team,” said Wolf. “Her management skills and games expertise are greatly needed as we broaden our three-day eventing programs to train developing riders and create a pipeline for the future.”

“I’m very excited to work with Eventing High Performance athletes and I’m looking forward to contributing to an already excellent program,” said Ike.

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