October 2003 / Octobre 2003

Les USA aussi veulent faire le forcing pour améliorer leur système de sélection et d'entraînement. Les mauvaises performances des dernières années ont marqué les esprits et il semble bien que le système pratiqué auparavant ait vécu. Donc plus de conditions de sélection exagérées où les chevaux arrivent fatigués lors des échéances à cause du programme de sélection, mais plutôt un système de recrutement des meilleurs éléments et une préparation adéquate (et aussi une protection apparemment) tout au long de la saison.

Wait and see...

USET Announces the 2004 US National Endurance Team

2004 US National Endurance Team
RIDER HORSE
Candy Barbo Zalmara Din
Carol Giles Sar Tiki Stranger
Beverly Gray Regalidon
Becky Harris Ga Tyfa Mynte
Suzanne Hayes Tezeros Gold
Valerie Kanavy Shahdon
Cia Reis Catch A Wave
Michele Roush, DVM PR Tallymark
Meg Sleeper, VMD Syrocco Blair
Dennis Summers Ebony Rose

The USET Selection Committee met on Thursday, October 9 to name the

2004 National Team. In accordance with the Selection Procedures for

the 2004 World Endurance Championship National Team and Traveling

Squad which states that up to 15 horse/rider combinations may be

named, the first 10 member horse/rider combinations were named to the

National Team. All remaining nominees have been placed on the Reserve

List. The National Team and Reserve Lists are enclosed. Both of

these lists are pending approval of the International High Performance

Endurance Committee and USEF Executive Committees.

Any horse/rider combination on the Reserve List is eligible to be

named to the National Team in the future provided they have completed

either a 2003 USET Selection Trial or a 2004 USET Training Event.

Those horse/rider combinations on the Reserve List who have not

completed a 2003 USET Selection Trial, as a nominee, must complete a

2004 USET Training Event.

The horse/rider combinations named to the National Team will now come

under the direction and control of the Chef dEquipe. Riders will be

expected to submit new Ride Schedules for the remainder of 2003 as

well as for 2004 (form enclosed) and their plans on how to peak for

the World Championship. Riders will also be expected to complete a

daily Log Book detailing every aspect of their nominated horses

training and management program (including feeding, turn out etc.).

The rider will keep these Log Books but the Chef dEquipe will

periodically ask to see them so they must be kept current.

Additionally, the National Team members and their equine partners will

be required to participate in feed, supplement and general health and

strategy evaluations through the 2004 WEC Staff.

All National Team and Reserve List riders will also be required to

submit Self-Evaluation Forms (enclosed) after each ride of 50 or more

miles that they compete in, jointly or individually, for the remainder

of 2003 and for their 2004 rides. Any changes to Ride Schedules must

be sent, in writing, to either the National Selectors Chair, Linda

Voigt or to Mary Lutz at the USET in advance of the originally

scheduled ride.

There will be three USET Training Events held throughout 2004. Dates

and locations of these events will be distributed shortly. All

members of the National Team will be required to attend all three USET

Training Events and must attend at least one USET Training Event with

their nominated horse. USET will provide travel expenses for the

National Team members to attend these USET Training Events and will

find horses for National Team members to borrow for those events where

the distance is too great to bring a nominated horse.

At these USET Training Events, the National Team members will be

divided into groups, each with their own Chef dEquipe (the Team Vets

will act as Chefs dEquipe at these events) who will help them

develop a riding plan with their teammates (also intended to fit their

horsesabilities that day). This will give the USET Selectors and

the 2004 WEC Staff an opportunity to discover more about the riders

and their horses and what things work and what things do not.

Crewing standards will also be reviewed and refined. Each National

Team members crew will be expected to crew according to a plan at

these events in preparation for the World Championship. It will also

be an opportunity for the riders and horses to find their comfort

niche with things they may be asked to do at the World Championship in

the United Arab Emirates. It will not be necessary for National Team

members to complete these Training Events. In fact, the 2004 WEC

staff may choose to have a nominated horse withdraw from the ride if

it is deemed to be in the horses or teams best interest.

The USET Selection Committee and 2004 WEC Staff will meet following

each USET Training Event to discuss any possible

additions/eliminations to the National Team and to review additional

feedback to be provided to the National Team members. Once the date

for the 2004 World Endurance Championships has been confirmed and

there is a better idea of when the squad will be traveling to the

United Arab Emirates, a date will be set to name the Traveling Squad

which will represent the United States at the 2004 World Endurance

Championship. All National Team members and Reserve List combinations

will receive periodic updates about the progress of the selection

process.

The International High Performance Endurance Committee has determined

that there are enough funds remaining in the 2003 budget to hold a

small training session for members of the National Team. This session

will be held at the USET Headquarters in Gladstone, NJ early in

December. This session will concentrate on the new U.S. Crewing

Protocol which is currently being developed. USET will provide travel

funding for the National Team members and will attempt to secure an

inexpensive hotel rate for any Reserve List member interested in

auditing. It will not be necessary to bring horses to this training

session as there will be no mounted instruction. Local horses will be

secured for practice crewing sessions. (See the enclosed Training

Session memo and form.)

Thank you for your interest in representing the United States at the

2004 World Endurance Championship. If you have any questions about

any of the process, please feel free to contact any of us at any time.