Amateurs and Ambassadorship | What You Need to Know

Can an adult amateur equestrian be a brand ambassador? The short answer is yes and no.

This age-old question can ruffle some feathers and you may hear many different opinions about adult amateur equestrians (as defined by US Equestrian) and being a brand ambassador.

I've decided to go straight to the horse's mouth for some answers. I spoke with Emily Pratt, director of regulations at US Equestrian.

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WHAT IS AN AMBASSADOR?

First, we need to define what an ambassador is. Many companies and brands will develop programs that utilize equestrians that have a large social media following, embody the brand's ideals and whom they expect to help sell their product and expand their audience. The ambassador, in many cases, will receive a discount code that they share to their followers whenever they post on social media which provides a percentage off of their order. When used, these codes accumulate points in form of dollars which then will allow the ambassador to get free and or discounted product.

Now, if the ambassador is an amateur, this would inherently seem to violate the ambassador's amateur status. But...here's what the rules are.

An Amateur is defined as:
Regardless of one’s equestrian skills and/or accomplishments, a person is an amateur if after his 18th birthday, as defined in GR101, he has not engaged in any of the activities identified in paragraph 4 below.

Paragraph 4 is in regards to 'Professional based on one’s own activities.'
Unless expressly permitted above, a person is a professional if after his 18th birthday he does any of the following:

a. Accepts remuneration AND rides, exercises, drives, shows, trains, assists in training, schools or conducts clinics or seminars.
b. Accepts remuneration AND gives riding or driving lessons, showmanship lessons, equitation lessons, trains horses, or provides consultation services in riding, driving, showmanship, equitation, or training of horses.
c. Accepts remuneration AND acts as an employee in a position such as a groom, farrier, bookkeeper, veterinarian or barn manager AND instructs, rides, drives, shows, trains or schools horses that are owned, boarded or trained by his employer, any member of his employer’s family, or a business in which his employer has an ownership interest.
d. Accepts remuneration AND uses his name, photograph or other form of personal association as a horseperson in connection with any advertisement or product/service for sale, including but not limited to apparel, equipment or property.
e. Accepts prize money unless permitted in paragraph 3d or 3e above. (I explain this below)
f. Rides, drives or shows any horse that a cohabitant or family member or a cohabitant or family member’s business receives remuneration for boarding, training, riding, driving or showing. A cohabitant or family member of a trainer may not absolve themselves of this rule by entering into a lease or any other agreement for a horse owned by a client of the trainer.
g. Gives instruction to any person or rides, drives, or shows any horse, for which activity his cohabitant or another person in his family or business in which his cohabitant or a family member controls will receive remuneration for the activity. A cohabitant or family member of a trainer may not absolve themselves of this rule by entering into a lease or any other agreement for a horse owned by a client of the trainer.
h. Accepts remuneration AND acts as an agent in the sale of a horse or pony or accepts a horse or pony on consignment for the purpose of sale or training that is not owned by him, his cohabitant, or a member of his family, a farm/ranch/syndicate/partnership/corporation/business in which he, his cohabitant or a member of his family controls.
i. Advertises one’s equestrian services such as training or instruction.
j. Accepts remuneration AND acts as an intern, apprentice, or working student whose responsibilities include, but are not limited to, riding, driving, showmanship, handling, showing, training or assisting in training, giving lessons/coaching and/or schooling horses other than horses actually owned by him.
k. Accepts remuneration in excess of rental fee for use of a facility, ring or school horses.
l. Accepts remuneration for such use AND uses commercial logoed items while on competition grounds unless expressly permitted by applicable division rules.

Many times people forget or pass over this part of the rules – paragraph 5: Professional based on one’s own activity along with another.

A person is also deemed a professional after his 18th birthday, if he accepts remuneration for his spouse, family member, or cohabitant engaging in any activity enumerated in 4 a-l above.

Keep in mind many of these rules state accepts remuneration AND (insert activity here). So both must apply to you.

But what exactly is remuneration?
Remuneration is defined as compensation or payment in any form such as cash, goods, sponsorships, discounts or services; reimbursement of any expenses; trade or in-kind exchange of goods or services such as board or training.

*For ease in explaining, below I  refer to remuneration as 'getting paid.'

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WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?

 So here's the Reader's Digest version:

As an amateur you CANNOT:

• Get 'paid' to ride ANY horse
• Get 'paid' to provide training, lessons or any consultation services
  *yes, even walk/trot, beginner up/down lessons
• Get 'paid' to be a groom/vet/barn manager AND train or ride horses - be careful, lunging can be considered 'training.'
• Get 'paid' for a brand/company to use your likeness or personal association in an advertisement (a.k.a – you can't get paid to be in an ad or paid for a testimonial used for a product/service.)
• Accept prize money unless you are the owner of a horse in any class other than equitation or showmanship classes. Amateurs can accept prize money in Dressage.
• You are allowed to accept non-monetary gifts valued at under $300 annually
  *so if this is you, you may want to keep track of the value of any product you receive as a CYA move.
  
• Get paid to help sell a horse that you do not own.
• Get paid more than what it cost to use a facility or school horses (a.k.a. board horses)
• Get paid for AND use branded logo products while on competition grounds.
• Ride, train or instruct any horse/rider in which your spouse/cohabitant will receive remuneration.
• Be a working student AND get paid AND train, give lessons and show or school horses other than those you own.

But what if your spouse is a professional or trainer?
You can co-own a horse with your spouse and ride it in the amateur divisions. You can even ride and show a horse owned by your spouse. But you cannot at any time, competition or otherwise, ride a horse that is owned by a client of your trainer/professional spouse.

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AMATEUR RULE CHANGE PROPOSALS

There are currently two different rule change proposals regarding this portion of the amateur/professional rules. The rule change proposals can be found on the USEF website and are listed as 012-20 and 031-20.

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review rule change proposals

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"The proposals are very different in that one is attempting to deem a social media influencer as a professional and the other is opening the door to allow amateurs to do more in this area. The Board will review these proposals at the USEF Annual Meeting in January, 2021."

- Emily Pratt, USEF director of regulations

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OVERVIEW – Know the Rules!

It is important to review and stay up to date on the amateur/professional rules. If your horse related activities change you are welcome to contact the USEF at amateurinquiry@usef.org and they can provide guidance on the best ways to move forward.