William C. Steinkraus, the first American to win an individual Olympic equestrian gold medal, has been awarded the FEI Award for Dedicated and Distinguished Services to Equestrian Sport. The trophy was presented by the FEI President, HRH The Infanta Dova Pilar de Borbin, during the CSI-W Wellington, Florida, on March 3, 2002.

Steinkraus was named the American Horse Shows Association's (now known as USA Equestrian) Horseman of the year in 1966 and was presented with the Jimmy A. Williams trophy for Lifetime Achievement in 1993. This award is presented annually by USA Equestrian to an outstanding equestrian whose lifetime experience and accomplishments exemplify uncommon devotion to the sport of horse showing and whose equestrian career and horsemanship have continually elevated the sport's excellence.

Steinkraus began his illustrious career when he won numerous equitation titles as a junior rider including the Adrian Van Sinderen trophy for the highest number of points in the AHSA Medal Class in 1940. He went on to medal in four Olympic games, won two gold medals in the Pan American Games and was the winner of more than 100 individual international competitions. He has served on USA Equestrian Committees and is a past president and chairman of USET.

William C. Steinkraus joins His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh who received the first FEI Award for Dedicated and Distinguished Services to Equestrian Sport late last year.

For more information, please contact Sarah Holt, Public Relations on (859) 225 6974 or via email at sholt@equestrian.org. USA Equestrian press releases are available on our web site - http://www.equestrian.org/ .

USA Equestrian Inc., 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 Federation has over 80,000 members and recognizes more than 2,800 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.