Tag Archives: USET Foundation

The USET Foundation Mourns Loss of John H. “Jack” Fritz: 1925 – 2012

John H. "Jack" Fritz: 1925 - 2012. Photo courtesy of the client

Gladstone, NJ – February 10, 2012 – The United States Equestrian Team Foundation remembers today John H. Fritz, 87, of Rockford, IL and formerly of Gladstone, N.J. Fritz was a graduate of Princeton University and a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, played a key role in nearly every aspect of the equestrian world from founding organizations to governing and officiating. Jack Fritz dedicated his life to promoting equestrian sports.

Fritz was an integral part of the United States Equestrian Team for nearly three decades. He was a member of the USET Board of Directors since the early 1960s and an officer since 1974 which includes his role as USET Vice President for Administration and Chief Executive Officer from 1974-1989. He served as Secretary for nearly two decades before retiring in 1999. After retiring he continued to serve as a volunteer member of the Board and Assistant Secretary, and was an Honorary Trustee at the time of his passing.

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USET Foundation Welcomes New Trustees

Gladstone, NJ – February 6, 2012 – The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce the election of new Trustees Georgina Bloomberg, George Davis, Elizabeth Juliano, Murray Kessler, Lyle Lovett, Misdee Wrigley Miller, MK Pritzker and Philip Richter. The new Trustees were elected to the Board on January 28, 2012 during the USET Foundation’s Annual Meeting. They will aid and assist the USET Foundation in its mission to support the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America’s elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.

Georgina Bloomberg of North Salem, NY and Wellington, FL has been competing in Show Jumping at the international level for many years. She has represented the United States at the World Cup Finals and also in Nations Cup competitions. Bloomberg won the Maxine Beard Award in 2004 and she also founded The Rider’s Closet to distribute used clothing and equipment to college equestrian teams and pony clubs.

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USEF Dressage Kicks Off 2012 with USET/USEF Pre-Olympic Games Clinics and USEF Developing Dressage Clinic

Heather Blitz, Betsy Juliano, Anne Gribbons, James Kofford on Pharaoh and Steffen Peters (USEF Archive)

Lexington, KY – Continuing with preparations for the 2012 Olympic Games, the United States Equestrian Team Foundation (USET) and United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) kicked off 2012 with two training sessions for Dressage Olympic hopefuls. Betsy Juliano graciously opened the doors of her Havensafe Farm South to riders in Wellington, FL, January 6-8. The following weekend, Steffen Peters hosted a session for West coast riders at his Arroyo Del Mar farm in San Diego, CA. Also taking place in California, the first USEF Developing Dressage Clinic of 2012 was held at Epona Farms, owned by Michael and Linda Fowler in Thousand Oaks, CA.

The USET/USEF pre-Olympic Games clinics, made possible by a gift from Betsy Juliano to the USET Foundation, featured instruction from USEF Technical Advisor and Coach Anne Gribbons and Olympian Steffen Peters. At the Florida clinic were seven horses (six riders) including 2011 Pan American Games Team Gold and Individual Silver medalists Heather Blitz and Paragon. Over three days the combinations worked with Peters and Gribbons individually, rode the Olympic Grand Prix Special and reviewed video of the tests with Gribbons.

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USET Foundation’s “An English Country Evening” Benefit Raises over One Million Dollars

Tom Tisbo, Jeannie Tisbo, Bruce Springsteen, Hunter Julo, Hunter Harrison, Kaitlin Creel, Keith Creel and Ginger Creel. Photos By: Phelps Media Group

Wellington, FL – January 30, 2012 – On Friday, January 27, 2012, the United States Equestrian Team Foundation hosted a benefit event at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. With over 500 guests in attendance, “An English Country Evening” featured honorary chairs NBC Today Show host Matt Lauer and his wife Annette, an avid equestrian. The celebratory evening included award presentations, an elegant dinner, and a lively auction, which helped raise over one million dollars for the USET Foundation.

“An English Country Evening” was held in the Special Events Pavilion at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, which was transformed into a beautiful English country garden by designer Reed McIlvaine (Renny and Reed), and included an exquisite dinner by Ken Rose catering. USET Foundation President Jane Forbes Clark, Board of Trustee Members Robin Parsky and Bruce Duchossois, and Executive Director Bonnie Jenkins all helped organize the very successful event.

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USET Foundation Awards 2012 Lionel Guerrand-Hermès Trophy to Lucy Davis

Lucy Davis (far right) was awarded the 2012 Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy by the United States Equestrian Team Foundation. Photo By: Phelps Media Group

Gladstone, NJ – January 30, 2012 – The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2012 Lionel Guerrand-Hermes Trophy will be talented show jumping rider Lucy Davis of Los Angeles, CA. Each year this award is presented to a Young Rider in one of the Olympic disciplines who exemplifies both sportsmanship and horsemanship. In 2011, Davis set the west on fire, winning four grand prix events in a row at HITS Thermal, including the $200,000 Lamborghini Grand Prix of the Desert aboard her brilliant mount Nemo 119.

Davis, a 19-year-old freshman at Stanford University, was presented with the trophy during the USET Foundation’s benefit, “An English Country Evening,” at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, on January 27, 2012.

“It’s a really big honor and I am very excited to have won the award,” said Davis. “I got the call when I was in the middle of finals, and it really changed my mood. I am very honored because I know there are a lot of really incredible young riders in the United States, so this is really exciting to win.”

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Christine McCrea Honored with 2012 Whitney Stone Cup from USET Foundation

The USET Foundation presented Christine McCrea (center) with the Whitney Stone Cup. Photo By: Phelps Media Group

Gladstone, NJ – January 30, 2012 – The United States Equestrian Team Foundation is pleased to announce that Pan American Games Show Jumping Team and Individual Gold medalist Christine McCrea of East Windsor, CT, is the recipient of the 2012 Whitney Stone Cup. The award is presented annually to an active competitor who displays consistent excellence in international competition and high standards of sportsmanlike conduct while serving as an ambassador for the United States and equestrian sport. McCrea represented the United States on numerous occasions in 2011 with her talented mount, Romantovich Take One, and earned Show Jumping’s Individual Gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games with five clear rounds.

McCrea was presented with the trophy during the USET Foundation’s benefit, “An English Country Evening”, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL, on January 27, 2012.

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“Salute to Driving” Benefit to Support the USET Foundation

The "Salute to Driving" will take place February 18-20, 2012. Photo By: Vicki Long.

Aiken, SC – January 4, 2012 – The Second Annual Salute to Driving fundraising event is pleased to announce that it will once again be held in Aiken, and Windsor SC, February 18-20, 2012, and will feature many exciting new additions. Last year’s debut event benefited this country’s High Performance Driving programs for the United States Equestrian Team Foundation, raising over $30,000. The exciting weekend event will feature a beautiful dinner and auction on Saturday evening, multiple driving clinics with some of the world’s top trainers, and a Combined Test Competition for any drivers Preliminary-Advanced on Monday. The Salute to Driving event is being held to help raise awareness and educate different audiences about the discipline of driving.

Salute to Driving will kick off its festivities on Saturday, February 18, 2012, with dressage clinics by Tjreed Velstra of The Netherlands and Hardy Zantke of California at Chateau Log and Courage to Lead Farms. Auditing these clinics is free, and Velstra will lead the USEF long listed drivers while Zantke teaches the developing drivers. Other special events include a hazard demonstration and clinic, harnessing demonstrations, and a carriage exhibit.

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USEF Report from First Pre-Olympic Games Dressage Clinic

David Wightman on Partous with Anne Gribbons and Steffen Peters (Photo: USEF Archives)

Lexington, KY – The first of six pre-Olympic Games Dressage Clinics kicked off at beautiful Epona Farm in Thousand Oaks, CA. These clinics, a joint effort by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the USET Foundation will help prepare horses and riders for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Linda and Michael Fowler were gracious hosts at Epona Farm. Nine horses (with seven riders) worked with USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons and Olympian Steffens Peters. For two days the riders focused on schooling the Grand Prix and then rode a test in front of Gribbons. Gribbons is also an FEI 5* judge.

“Going into 2012 it was useful for the riders to practice the new Olympic Grand Prix Special test,” said Jenny Van Wieren-Page USEF Director of Dressage, High Performance. “Another important aspect of these clinics is planning the 2012 competition and training schedules with Anne.”

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USEF and USET Foundation Set to Host Six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage Clinics

Anne Gribbons at a 2011 Training Session (Photo: USEF Archives)

Lexington, KY – Beginning in December, the USEF and USET Foundation will host six Olympic Games Preparation Dressage training sessions/clinics. Riders will have the unique opportunity to work with USEF Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons and U.S. Olympic, World Equestrian Games and Pan American Games medalist Steffen Peters. These clinics will focus on preparing potential team riders for the 2012 Olympic Games Selection Trials and Olympic Games.

The clinics are by invitation only, based on criteria set forth by the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee and concentrating on athlete/horse combinations with international competition experience and the prospect of contributing to a Team or Individual medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. For more information please see the USEF website. Clinics will take place December 2011 – April 2012 with three being held in California and three in Florida.

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Through a Gift from Akiko Yamazaki and the Red Husky Foundation, the USET Foundation Provides Funding for an Expanded USEF Developing Dressage Program in 2012

Gladstone, NJ and Lexington, KY – October 3, 2011 – As part of the overall USEF Dressage High Performance Program, the USEF is expanding the Dressage Developing Program, in 2012 thanks to the generous support from the USET Foundation through a gift from USET Foundation Trustee Akiko Yamazaki. The Developing Program will include seven Developing Clinics and two Developing Training Camps in 2012. Under the guidance of USEF Developing Coach Debbie McDonald, the clinics and camps aid in the development of the nation’s up-and-coming dressage horses and riders who show potential to represent the U.S. in international competition.

New in 2012, the clinic schedule is set to include Developing Training Camps in the fall. These four day sessions will include individual lessons with McDonald and group discussions on topics ranging from sports psychology to media training. Invitations to these camps will be based on rider’s performances at Developing Clinics and in CDI competitions throughout the year. There will be two camps, one held in New Jersey and one in California.

Taking place in Florida, New Jersey and California, the clinics will be by invitation only, based on the criteria set forth by the USEF High Performance Dressage Committee. Priority is given to those athlete/horse combinations that are on the Developing Rider list for training.

“Akiko’s knowledge and her passion for Dressage has been a motivating influence for this country’s high performance programs. She is not only a true leader as a horse owner but also in her charitable giving in support of our United States Equestrian Teams,” remarked Jane Forbes Clark, USET Foundation President.

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