What is the USET and what role does it play in American jumping?

The United States Equestrian Team — now formally known as the United States Equestrian Federation's High Performance program — is the organization responsible for selecting, preparing, and fielding American equestrian athletes for international competition including the Olympic Games, World Equestrian Games, Pan American Games, and Nations Cup competitions. The USET was founded in 1950 and established the formal organizational structure for American international equestrian competition that had previously been managed on an ad hoc basis, creating the coaching, training, and selection programs that would produce American Olympic medals across multiple disciplines. For show jumping specifically, the USET's coaching program — led at various times by Bertalan de Nemethy, Frank Chapot, George Morris, and subsequent national coaches — developed the American jumping style and technical standard that produced competitive success at the highest international levels. The selection process for USET show jumping teams involves a combination of international ranking points, specific selection trials, and national coach assessments that identify the horses and riders best prepared to represent the United States at major international competitions. The USET Foundation, the fundraising arm that supports American equestrian athletes, provides the financial resources for training programs, competition expenses, and the development of young riders who are identified as future national team prospects through programs like the USET Developing Rider program. American show jumping's international competitive success — including Olympic medals, World Championship results, and consistent strong performance in Nations Cup competition — reflects the organizational infrastructure and coaching quality that the USET program has developed and maintained across its seven-decade history, making it an important institutional foundation for American jumping at the international level.