USEF will reconsider its chef d’equipe list

Following the controversy surrounding the appointment of a new US eventing chef d’equipe to replace Mark Phillips, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has performed a U-turn in its selection procedure.

There was uproar when it was initially announced that just two candidates — David O’Connor and Leslie Law — had been short-listed for the job.

Many people thought more experienced candidates had been overlooked.

It has now been announced following a committee meeting on 29 March, that the USEF Eligible Eventing Athletes committee will carry out second interviews with Law and O’Connor, and will re-consider some candidates who were not on the original short-list.

Acting chairman of the committee Philip Dutton said: “We would like to ask Leslie and David some more questions in an easier [closed session] environment.

“We are also reviewing other applicants that were not originally short-listed.”

Law and O’Connor will be interviewed again during this weekend’s Fork Horse Trials (6-10 April).

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (7 April, 2011)

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