Over the past few weeks, the USEF Eventing Chef/Technical Advisor search has been progressing behind the closed and silent walls of the USEF. The Search Committee’s phone interviews with the candidates have wrapped up this week and we are in a holding pattern as they work to create a short list. As a quick review the Search Committee is comprised of the following members (this is public, so no secret info here):
Chairman Eric Straus
Amy Tryon
Kim Severson
Katie Prudent
Mike Huber
George Morris
Kevin Freeman
We all know most of these names, but as a quick note on Eric, he has been the CEO of the Washington International Horse Show and he is a a really well respected member of the equestrian community. Kevin Freeman represented the US in three Olympics and won team gold and individual silver at 1963 Pan American Games. Mr. Freeman was inducted into the USEA Hall of Fame in 2009 and gave one of the best speeches that evening.
There are of course two show jumpers on the Search Committee with Katie and George, and I can’t think of two better members to have on a search committee. The committee is rounded out with three very well respected eventers. Kim and Amy are both as straightforward and unbiased as I think you could find considering the candidates, and I am really glad that they are on the committee. While I don’t know Mike as well as Kim and Amy, he has a great reputation from all the Texans I know.
Since the interviews are now over, the Seach Committee will now work to winnow the list of applicants down to a short list, which will be announced to the public. No one knows exactly when the final short list will be announced, but I would expect it within the next two weeks. The USEF’s Active Athletes Committee will then interview the short list and make a recommendation in turn to the High Performance Committee, which will make a recommendation to USEF CEO John Long. The final authority to make the hire rests with Mr. Long because the coach will ultimately be a USEF staffer. The successful candidate will negotiate a contract, with compensation being in relation to their qualification and the amount of work they will be doing in the job. The hope is that the new coach will be able to shadow Mark in 2012 and build the necessary connections and experience to make the transition smooth, although that will not be as necessary if the selected coach has extensive experience with the US system.
Go eventing.
