IntNewsGroup: USET REQUIRED TO REHOLD ANNUAL MEETING

["Lori & Rick Stewart" <rk-ld.stewart@usa.net>]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:	Marty Bauman, (508) 698-6810, uset.pr@verizon.net
		Joanna Smith, (908) 234-1251, jsmith@uset.org


USET REQUIRED TO REHOLD ANNUAL MEETING

Gladstone, NJ-August 21, 2001-As a result of a ruling by the Superior Court
of New Jersey stemming from a lawsuit filed by American Horse Shows
Association (AHSA) President Alan F. Balch against the United States
Equestrian Team (USET), the USET is being required to re-conduct its 2001
Annual Meeting.
In granting Mr. Balch's request for USET financial and other information,
the court questioned Mr. Balch's motives, stating "As abhorrent as Mr.
Balch's effort to secure documents from USET may be to that organization and
in spite of the fact that his true motivation may be the advancement of
interests of AHSA of which he is the president, New Jersey law is crystal
clear respecting his absolute and unfettered right to have copies of the
documents he has requested."
The Court also found, in response to Balch's complaint, that the newly
adopted by-laws that appointed various ex officio trustees from other
equestrian organizations (e.g. National Hunter-Jumper Council, National
Disability Sports Alliance) were not in strict conformance with the
Certificate of Incorporation and has required that those appointments be
removed.
The Court did, however, make clear that "notwithstanding the foregoing, the
suggestion that [Balch] pursued this course out of concern for the USET is
without any merit. In point of fact, each of the parties has pursued the
course it has chosen as a corollary to the dispute before the USOC. . . The
Court finds that plaintiff's [Balch's] suggestion that he acted only out of
a concern for USET to be meritless."
"The USET will comply fully and promptly with the ruling of the Superior
Court of New Jersey," said USET Vice Chairman Armand Leone, Jr.  "The USET
had reservations about the type of individualized information that Mr. Balch
was requesting, but in view of the Court's order, the USET will supply Mr.
Balch with any and all information he seeks, even though the court has cited
his personal motivation and lack of good faith.  Ultimately, however, Mr.
Balch's attempts to derail the challenge before the United States Olympic
Committee (USOC) will fail and the USOC Hearing Panel will render a decision
based on the merits and the best interests of equestrian sport."
The United States Equestrian Team is a non-profit organization that selects,
trains, equips and finances equestrians of the highest possible standard to
represent our country in major international competition, including the
Olympic Games and the World Championships. To accomplish this the USET seeks
out and nurtures the development of talented athletes - riders, drivers and
horses - and provides the support and guidance they need to help them attain
their fullest potential.  For more information on the USET, please call
(908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org.




Meg B. Schermerhorn
Classic Communications
38 Mechanic Street, Suite 101
Foxboro, MA 02035
(508) 698-6810 - phone
(508) 698-6811 - fax