Rider Status

Professional vs. Adult Amateur vs. Youth Rider

FADS rider status groups are:

  • Professional (PRO) – age 18 or older the entire FADS show season and make money from horses as defined by USEF GR1305 and USEFGR1306 (see below).
  • Adult Amateur (AA) – age 18 or older the entire FADS show season and DO NOT make money from horses as defined by USEF GR1305 and USEF GR1306 (see below).
  • Youth Rider (YR) – under age 18 the entire FADS show season.

NOTE 1: The FADS Show Season is March 1 – November 30 of the calendar year.

NOTE 2: The USEF, USDF/FEI and FADS rider status definitions vary by age; for example, a USEF adult is when the person turns 18, a USDF/FEI adult is when the person turns 22, and a FADS adult is a person who turns 18 at any time during a FADS Show Season. For FADS shows, please use the FADS definitions as the FADS definitions give a rider one rider status for the entire FADS Show Season.

NOTE 3: Regardless of USEF, USDF/FEI, and FADS definitions, for the purpose of signing a show waiver, if a rider is 18 or older, the rider must sign the waiver.

Yes, this IS confusing – sorry.

The following are the USEF rules for USEF licensed shows. FADS shows adhere to them as much as possible; however, some variation may be necessary. If you have a question, please contact the show officials for the relevant FADS show.

USEF GR 1305: SUBCHAPTER 13-B AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS (as of 1 Dec 2024)

For purposes of this Subchapter the following definitions apply:

  • Family: Family includes a cohabitant, a member of a couple who live together and have an intimate relationship without being married.
  • Remuneration: Remuneration is 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.
  • Social Media Brand Ambassador: A Social Media Brand Ambassador is a social media user who spreads the word about a company/brand or its products by posting about them on social media and promoting them to their unique social audience.
  • Social Media Influencer: A Social Media Influencer is an individual who has built a reputation for their knowledge, content creation, and expertise on a specific topic. They make regular posts about that topic on their preferred social media channels and generate large followings of enthusiastic, engaged people who pay close attention to their content.
  • Sponsored Rider: A Sponsored Rider is an individual who is paid by companies, sponsors, and/or owner/s to compete and perform, leveraging their exposure and performance in competition.

USEF GR1306 Professional/Amateur Status(as of 1 Dec 2024)

1. Amateur. Regardless of one’s equestrian skills and/or accomplishments, a person is an amateur if after their 18th birthday, as defined in GR101 and GR103, they have not engaged in any of the activities identified in Section 4 below. For Amateurs in the Dressage Division, see DR119.3

2. Remuneration. Amateurs are permitted to accept remuneration for the following activities:

  • a. Accept remuneration for barn duties on or off competition grounds. Barn duties include but are not limited to grooming, tacking and un-tacking, bathing, clipping, lunging, braiding, and stall and tack cleaning.
  • b. [Paragraph not related to dressage has been omitted.]
  • c. Accept remuneration for teaching or training disabled riders for therapeutic purposes.
  • d. Accept reimbursement for expenses associated with conducting classroom seminars.
  • e. Accept remuneration for serving as a camp counselor when not hired in the exclusive capacity as an equestrian instructor.
  • f. Accept remuneration as a Social Media Influencer or Social Media Brand Ambassador.
  • g. Accept remuneration for providing service in one’s capacity as a: clinic manager or organizer (so long as they are not performing the activities of instructor or trainer), presenter or panelist at a Federation licensed officials’ clinic, Competition Staff, Competition Official, TV commentator, veterinarian, groom, farrier, tack shop operator, breeder, or boarder, or horse transporter.
  • h. Accept reimbursement for any expenses directly related to the horse (i.e. farrier/vet bills, entries). Travel,hotel, equipment, and room and board are not considered expenses related to the horse.

3. Other permitted activities by Amateurs. An Amateur is permitted to do the following:

  • a. Appear in advertisements and/or articles related to acknowledgement of one’s own personal or business sponsorship of a competition and/or awards earned by one’s owned horses.
  • b. Accept prize money as the owner of a horse in any class.
  • c. Accept a non-monetary token gift of appreciation valued less than $1,000 annually.
  • d. Serve as an intern for college credit or course requirements at an accredited institution provided one has never held professional status with the Federation or any other equestrian National Federation. In addition, one may accept reimbursement for expenses without profit, as prescribed by the educational institution’s program, for the internship. At the request of the Federation, an Amateur shall provide certification from the accredited educational institution under whose auspices a student is pursuing an internship that they are undertaking the internship to meet course or degree requirements.
  • e. [Paragraph not related to dressage has been omitted.]
  • f. Write books or articles related to horses.
  • g. Accept educational, competition, or training grant(s).
  • h. Assist in setting schooling fences without remuneration.
  • i. Retain their Amateur status when riding any horse so long as they do not ride a horse owned by a client of any family member who is a Professional.

4. Professional based on one’s own activities. A person is a professional if after their 18th birthday they do any of the following:

  • a. Accepts remuneration AND rides, exercises, drives, shows, trains, assists in training, schools or conducts clinics or seminars, except as provided in GR1306.2.g. Interns, apprentices, and working students are included in this rule.
  • b. Accepts remuneration AND gives equestrian lessons, or provides consultation services in riding, driving, showmanship or equitation, except as provided for in GR1306.2.b. Interns, apprentices, and working students are included in this rule.
  • c. Rides, drives or shows any horse that a family member or a family member’s business receives remuneration for boarding, training, riding, driving or showing. A 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.
  • d. Gives instruction to any person or rides, drives, or shows any horse, for which activity another person in their family or business in which a family member controls will receive remuneration for the activity. A 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.
  • e. Accepts remuneration AND acts as an agent in the sale of a horse or accepts a horse on consignment for the purpose of sale or training that is not owned by them, their family, or a family business.
  • f. Accepts remuneration for the use of commercially logoed items while on competition grounds, as a Sponsored Rider.

5. Professional based on one’s own activity along with another’s. A person is also deemed a professional after their 18th birthday, if they accept remuneration for their family member engaging in any activity enumerated in 4 a-l above.

6. Violations of Amateur status. The holding of an amateur card does not preclude the question of amateur standing being raised. After an investigation as to proper status has been initiated, and upon request by the Federation, an Amateur must submit verifiable proof of Amateur status. Failure to submit requested documentation to the Federation may be deemed a violation of this rule. Any responsible person(s) found to have violated these rules, may be subject to the penalties as set forth in GR703.

  • a. Any individual found to have knowingly assisted in the violation of the Amateur rule may also be subject to proceedings in accordance with the Federation Bylaws. See GR1307