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In Search of our Dream Teams


Learn how the U.S. selects the teams for the 2018 World Equestrian Games in all eight disciplines.


By Kim MacMillan


With the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 (WEG) fast approaching this September, the staff at the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), and the members of the USEF committees from each of the eight international eques- trian disciplines, are in full swing for selection of the U.S. teams over the next few months. In truth they have been hard at work on planning for the Tryon Games since the day after the 2014 Normandy Games ended. But the action has really intensified over the last 12 months and it only gets busier and more exciting from here on out! But what goes into selecting the


U.S. teams for dressage, driving, endur- ance, eventing, para-dressage, reining, show jumping and vaulting? The answer is as complicated as the mountains of documents listing everything from quali- fying requirements and selection criteria to the calendar of events that serve as either qualifiers, observation events or selection trials for the WEG. In summary, a lot of thought, expertise and hard work by many dedicated individuals goes into the process.


solely by the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and USEF sponsors and members. Add to that financial challenge the additional barriers of the size of the country and the fact that the historic roots of most of the international equestrian disciplines are based in Europe. It all boils down to a monumental task that USEF Director of Sport Will Connell and the staff at the USEF have taken on to develop, select, manage and support U.S. riders and horses in interna- tional competition.


T


THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF TEAMSELECTION Team selection starts with the national federation (NF), in this case the USEF. To understand the process of selection of the U.S. equestrian teams for WEG, it is necessary to have a rudimentary understanding of the structure of governance of the USEF, as well as knowing a few key terms. The USEF, also referred to as US Equestrian, is the national governing body for equestrian sport in the U.S. and is an “NF” in the eyes of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), which is the international governing body for equestrian sport. At the top of the USEF governance pyramid is the Board of Directors


(BOD). Listed directly under the Board in the superstructure are three coun- cils: the Administration and Finance Council; the National Breeds and Disci- plines Council (which includes all of the breeds and disciplines not included in FEI competition); and finally the one which directly applies to WEG team selection, the International Disciplines Council, or IDC, (which includes representatives from the FEI competition disciplines). In the next level down at USEF, and grouped within the IDC, are the


eight Sport Committees (SC), one for each of the eight FEI disciplines, and an Athlete Advisory Committee. These Sport Committees include USEF members representing each of the eight FEI disciplines and a USEF staff member who supports and guides each committee as well. To find this USEF governance structure, go to www.usef.org/about-us/councils-committees. It all comes down to how, why and who when selecting the WEG


teams—a very tall order. In general, for all of the sports, with the exception of reining and show jumping, the International Disciplines Council chooses


Warmbloods Today 19


he United States is one of the few countries which offers no govern- mental financial support to their equestrian sports teams. Therefore, the USEF International High Performance Programs are supported


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