IntNewsGroup- STRATEGIC PLANNING INITIATIVE ENDS; AHSA TO ANNOUNCE FINAL PLAN

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

>		FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>January 24, 2001
>		AHSA Web site: www.ahsa.org <http://www.ahsa.org>
>
>
>
>		STRATEGIC PLANNING INITIATIVE ENDS; AHSA TO ANNOUNCE FINAL
>PLAN
>
>
>		The American Horse Shows Association (AHSA) announced today
>that the facilitated Strategic Planning Initiative (SPI) to consider the
>future governance of equestrian sport, commenced in early October under
>auspices of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), is apparently at an
>end.
>
>		James C. Wofford and Katharine E. Jackson, AHSA's
>representatives to the SPI Steering Committee, said that actions taken by
>the trustees of the United States Equestrian Team (USET) at a meeting in
>Florida on Monday, January 22, 2001, apparently ended the effort.  "The
USET
>trustees were urged to vote between options which we thought were to be
>presented to them only for suggestions and comment," said Jackson.  "Our
>clear mutual understanding within the SPI task force on January 9 was that
>the options were to be presented to the boards of the AHSA and USET in
>person, for input and discussion, not votes, so that we could continue to
>come together for the good of the sport.  However, the USET leadership
>recommended a confrontational path instead."
>
>		The USET trustees voted by a wide margin Monday to endorse
>an option for the governance of the sport calling for the USET to be
>re-named, and then seek to become the National Governing Body (NGB) for
>equestrian sport, reversing roles with the AHSA, which has been NGB since
>the term was codified in federal law in 1978.
>
>		"Monday was a sad day for all horsemen," said Alan F. Balch,
>AHSA president.  "The USET's action is divisive, and pits organization
>against organization, horseman against horseman, and athlete against
>athlete.  The proposal presented Monday was another variation of what has
>changed each time we've seen it.  It is exclusionary, elitist, and
>adversarial.  It seeks to raise funding for new USET functions on the back
>of international and aspiring athletes, claiming to generate nearly $1.5
>million in new funds through a combination of new fees on international
>competitors, young riders, juniors, and owners, $100 mandatory membership
>fees, and $15 per horse drug fees, as well as removing hundreds of
thousands
>of dollars in existing revenues from the AHSA.  I don't think it will stand
>scrutiny, and I don't think it is practical. Many of those who would have
to
>pay these added fees have objected to the existing fees charged by the AHSA
>as too high right now.  Worse, this plan won't come close to raising what
>the USET would really need.  I would say it relies on a seriously flawed
>business model."
>
>		Balch said that the AHSA will announce its final plans for
>meeting the NGB compliance requirements of the USOC in the very near
future.
>"We are now scheduling new meetings of our national and international
>affiliate organizations, officers, and directors.  Personally, I am
>disappointed that the USET has chosen the path it has, refusing the option
>of consolidation with the AHSA.  There can be no question that that would
>have been the most efficient and positive outcome of the strategic planning
>process.  The option we preferred was inclusive, democratic, and
>conciliatory, and provided a framework of complete access to all equestrian
>functions, throughout the entire pyramid from grass roots to elite, by all
>members and adherents of the sport."
>
>		ENDS
>
>		For more information, please contact Christine E. Stafford,
>Director of Communications on (859) 225 6923 or via email at
>cstafford@ahsa.org <mailto:cstafford@ahsa.org> .   AHSA press releases are
>available on our web site - www.ahsa.org <http://www.ahsa.org> .
>
>
>
>
>		The American Horse Shows Association, as the National
>Equestrian Federation of the U.S., is the regulatory body for the Olympic
>and World Championship sports of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing,
>reining, show jumping, and vaulting, as well as 19 other breeds and
>disciplines of equestrian competition.  As the country's largest
multi-breed
>organization, the AHSA has over 70,000 members and recognizes more than
>2,600 competitions nationwide each year.  It governs all aspects of
>competition, including educating and licensing all judges, stewards, and
>technical delegates who officiate at these shows.
>
>
>
Tony Benedetti
Chief Financial Officer

http://www.honigwine.com