WELLINGTON, FL - The United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation will host a gala evening benefit entitled "Hong Kong by Night" on February 8, 2008, at the International Polo Club in Wellington, Florida.

The fundraiser will benefit the U.S. equestrian teams competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Equestrian competition at the XXIX Olympiad will be contested at venues in Hong Kong and will take place in the evening. The festivities at the USET Foundation's "Hong Kong by Night" will feature a Beijing Olympic theme with a special focus on Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong by Night" will bring together more than 350 guests comprised of top equestrian athletes, supporters and friends. Highlights of the evening will include presentations of two USET Foundation annual awards to outstanding active athletes: the Whitney Stone Cup and the Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Award, a live auction, and dancing to the Michael Carney Orchestra.

Honorary Chairwoman of "Hong Kong by Night" is Abigail Wexner. Chairmen of the event are Jane Forbes Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Brownlee O. Currey, Jr., and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Malloch.

Vice Chairmen are Georgina Bloomberg, R. Bruce Duchossois, Mr. and Mrs. Murray Goodman, Mr. and Mrs. S. Tucker S. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. John Long, Mrs. Frank V. Lloyd, Jacqueline B. Mars, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Parsky, Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Pritzker, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Raether, and Mr. and Mrs. Kermit Sutton.

"We expect 'Hong Kong by Night' will be the most exciting, fun, and successful USET Foundation fundraiser in 2008," said USET Foundation Executive Director Bonnie B. Jenkins. "The evening will help increase awareness of our mission and raise funds for our U.S. equestrian teams. Funds raised through 'Hong Kong by Night' will help our U.S. equestrian teams achieve competitive excellence at the 2008 Olympic Games. The party's Olympic theme will get everyone enthusiastic about the Games and the potential of our teams to reach new heights of achievement on the world stage. It will be a tremendous evening."

Invitations to "Hong Kong by Night" will be mailed out in December. Tickets are $350 per person. Tables of 10 are available as follows: Bronze - $5,000; Silver - $15,000; and Gold - $25,000. To receive an invitation, please contact the USET Foundation offices by phone at (908) 234-1251 or by e-mail at [email protected].

The non-profit United States Equestrian Team Foundation supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America's elite and developing international, high-performance athletes and horses in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation. For more information about the USET Foundation or to make a donation, please call (908) 234-1251 or visit the USET Foundation website at www.uset.org.