The way forward for the USA to achieve top level eventing aspirations will be examined by a new panel, the Eventing Elite Program Task Force, which includes some of the discipline’s biggest names, announced today by the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Riders such as Aachen winner Will Coleman and Lynn Symansky will be working with Olympic cross-country course designer Derek di Grazia, U.S. Eventing Association President Max Corcoran, U.S. developing eventing coach Leslie Law, who won Olympic gold for his native Great Britain, will work with representatives of other interests in the sport. That includes Christine Turner, who owns several of Boyd Martin’s horses, and physician Dr. Mark Hart.
Olympic course designer Derek di Grazia is on the new U.S. eventing task force. (Photo © by Nancy Jaffer)
The task force will be aided by a facilitator in figuring out the best procedures for moving the U.S. eventers toward earning their first Olympic team medal since 2004. Erik Duvander, who held the performance manager title from 2017 until last month, did not have his contract renewed.
There is a question as to who should lead the effort to get the country’s eventing effort back on track. Will it be a coach, someone more akin to a team manager or perhaps a person playing another role? USEF Director of Sport Will Connell is going to act as the staff liaison for the task force.
The task force has to work fast, with the world championships in Italy on the horizon this summer, and the 2004 Paris Olympics on the horizon as well.
USEF is eager for input from its constituency, asking that all comments be directed to the USEF Eventing Elite Program Task Force on email, EEPTaskForce@usef.org.
Others on the task force are riders Ariel Grald, Liz Halliday-Sharp, and Eric Markell, one of the owners of Tamie Smith’s Mai Baum. USEF President Tom O’Mara and CEO Bill Moroney will attend all the meetings. USEF also is looking for a managing director of eventing to fill the vacancy left by Jenni Autry.