New! Lightweight! Eco-friendly! Searchable!

Lexington, KY — Those USEF members who wish to receive a 2008 USEF Rule Book now have a choice of formats. Beginning with the 2008 competition year, the entire USEF Rule Book will be available on a convenient USB flash drive commonly known as a “memory stick.” This initiative is sponsored by the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. When you renew your membership for 2008, and if you desire a USEF Rule Book, you can choose to either receive the two-ounce, two-inch lightweight memory stick or the four-inch thick, three-pound printed USEF Rule Book. Since the entire USEF Rule Book can be conveniently accessed and searched online at www.usef.org, most members choose not to have one sent to them. Members of the USEF Board of Directors test drove the virtual version over the last six months and gave it rave reviews.

“I love it because I keep it in my briefcase and it goes everywhere with me. I couldn’t do that with the old book,” said Board member Jan Weber. I love that we are coming into the modern age.”

In addition to being convenient to carry with you, other documents of your choice can be stored on the 256 megabyte memory stick. It comes with a lanyard so you can also wear it around your neck. Use of the memory stick is eco-friendly as it saves a considerable amount of paper and energy used in printing.

“I think it is a wonderful, wonderful step forward - it is great progress,” said Keith Bartz, who has been a Board member for over fifteen years. “I’m a little bit challenged electronically, I’m from the old guard, but I have enough knowledge that I can make use of this. I’m very impressed and I think it will go down in history as being monumental for our organization. To get that rule book on the thumb drive will be like moving the office from New York and building our own office in Lexington. I think it is a very important change.”

If necessary, it is easy to print a hard copy of whatever section of the USEF Rule Book that you need. It is also more cost effective for the USEF to mail to you, thereby saving money for the many USEF breed and discipline programs.

“I think it is a great idea,” said Board member Chrystine Tauber. “It certainly makes it very handy for people who travel on the road, need the rule book and have their laptop. It is modern technology used to our benefit and I’m happy to see it introduced.”

Not only does the memory stick contain the entire USEF Rule Book plus the Roster of Licensed Officials, you can easily download all rule change updates directly from the USEF website onto the memory stick, thereby keeping you as current as possible on USEF rules. You can also conduct searches of the USEF Rule Book stored on it. Except for downloads from the USEF website, you do not have to be online to access the information you need. All of the rules, the roster and the search function can be accessed from nearly any computer by just plugging in your USEF memory stick.

Hagyard continues their support of the equine industry with this initiative.

“This initiative is sponsored by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute whose Sport Horse division incorporates comprehensive services extending beyond its Lexington, Kentucky location across from the Kentucky Horse Park, to serve clients competing across the country from Florida to California,” said Lisa Floyd, Director of Operations at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.

To request either a printed USEF Rule Book or the memory stick, make your choice when you renew your membership online at www.usef.org or on the appropriate area of the membership renewal form you receive in the mail.

ENDS