Gladstone, New Jersey—February 14, 2002—The United States Equestrian Team (USET) has announced the dates during which the Selection Trials for dressage riders for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) will take place. The Trials will be held on June 1 and 2 and June 8 and 9 at the USET Olympic Training Center in Gladstone, NJ. The Trials will also serve as the 2002 USET Grand Prix Championship.

The competition on June 1 will consist of a Grand Prix to count for 30% of riders’ overall scores. On June 2 will be the Grand Prix Special to count for 25%. There will be a second Grand Prix on June 8, again to count for 30%. The final competition, held on June 9, will be the Grand Prix Freestyle, which will count for the remaining 15% of riders’ scores. Up to six horse-and-rider combinations will then travel to Europe for further selection trials to determine the final team for the WEG. The final team will consist of four riders and one alternate. The WEG will take place September 10-22 in Jerez, Spain. The WEG is held every four years. As many as 60 countries compete for team and individual medals. The first WEG was held in 1990 in Stockholm. Since then the Games have been held in The Hague (1994) and Rome (1998).

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.