Amateur, Promateur, Amafessional... what's a girl to do?

[Winding_Down]

So, I have worked at being an amateur for years now. I do not take working students. I do not teach lessons for $$. I don’t take $$ for riding others’ horses. I have never accepted any sort of promotional gift.

And what does it get me? Am I missing something?

As an eventer, next to nothing. We have year end awards at the national level, and that’s about it.

So why don’t I just throw in the amateur towel and start teaching lessons here and there and take horses in training? I’ve been competing off and on at the upper levels for years and Lord knows, I’ve taken hundreds of lessons with top trainers. Sooooo…

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[I]Amateur: an amateur who looks like an amateur.

Promateur: an amateur who looks like a professional.

Amafessional: a professional who looks like an amateur.[/I]

[SevenDogs]

Um… yeah… not sure where you’re frustration is coming from. Amateur status means very little in eventing. If you didn’t research and understand that going in, I’m not sure anyone else deserves the blame.

I, for one, wish amateur status was never introduced into eventing at all. It was completely unnecessary.

[Blugal]

Well, on the other hand, I fulfill the amateur requirements but when I went to a H/J show I was told I should not enter certain classes, even though I was qualified for them, since I had competed at a high level in eventing (7 years ago, mind you, on a different horse, and with a lot of intervening sitting-on-my-butt and not getting better at riding).

[Winding_Down]

[QUOTE=SevenDogs;7043658]
Um… yeah… not sure where you’re frustration is coming from. Amateur status means very little in eventing. If you didn’t research and understand that going in, I’m not sure anyone else deserves the blame.

I, for one, wish amateur status was never introduced into eventing at all. It was completely unnecessary.[/QUOTE]

I’m not frustrated. ?? And I’m not blaming anyone ?? Just wondering… that’s it.

[Winding_Down]

[QUOTE=Blugal;7043666]
Well, on the other hand, I fulfill the amateur requirements but when I went to a H/J show I was told I should not enter certain classes, even though I was qualified for them, since I had competed at a high level in eventing (7 years ago, mind you, on a different horse, and with a lot of intervening sitting-on-my-butt and not getting better at riding).[/QUOTE]

Well, just because they told you that you shouldn’t doesn’t mean you couldn’t, right? :lol:

[deltawave]

Why don’t you?

[Winding_Down]

[QUOTE=deltawave;7043682]
Why don’t you?[/QUOTE]

who me?

or Blugal?

[VCT]

Uhm. So do it… I teach beginners and start babies, etc. I compete in Starter and hoping to do BN this season. I am a “professional” so I enter the Horse or Open division…

Am I missing something?

[Winding_Down]

I don’t think you’re missing something, VCT. I know this sounds like a silly question. But how does one get started? Put out a sign on the local highway? Notices at the local grocery store? :winkgrin:

[purplnurpl]

unless you plan to go to the AECs and win an amateur division there is no stinking point in being an amateur.

[ACMEeventing]

^^^
What she said.

[Duckz]

[QUOTE=Blugal;7043666]
Well, on the other hand, I fulfill the amateur requirements but when I went to a H/J show I was told I should not enter certain classes, even though I was qualified for them, since I had competed at a high level in eventing (7 years ago, mind you, on a different horse, and with a lot of intervening sitting-on-my-butt and not getting better at riding).[/QUOTE]

That’s bull if it was an amateur class. It has nothing to do with experience.

I, for one, keep my amateur status because I dabble in the hunter ring. It doesn’t get you squat in eventing.

[Janet]

[QUOTE=VCT;7043692]
Uhm. So do it… I teach beginners and start babies, etc. I compete in Starter and hoping to do BN this season. I am a “professional” so I enter the Horse or Open division…

Am I missing something?[/QUOTE]
Professionals can enter the Rider division if they meet the experience requirements.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Agree with all of the above ^^^.

If you are good (effective, competent, and well-liked) you will get students (and clients) though “word of mouth” and referrals; this is how I get 90% of my students. I only do this P/T, and at the lower levels–but this is which is where most riders reside

Amateur status is meaningless in eventing, just enter the open or horse divisions–if eligible (most HTs don’t even have “amateur divisions”, so this should be kind of a non-factor.)

[Dr_Doolittle]

[QUOTE=Janet;7043905]
Professionals can enter the Rider division if they meet the experience requirements.[/QUOTE]

Yes, and what Janet said

[Janet]

If you aren’t inerested in the leader board, or the AEC, or the Worth The Trust Scholarship,the only reason for an eventerto go out of the way to maintain Amateur status is if you dabble in H/J - the non-amateur classes are usually in the middle of the week.

[Jeannette_formerly_ponygyrl]

Word of mouth is huge, in my experience. Occasionally putting flyers in the feed store can be handy, but mostly it reminds people who already know you to give you a call, as fas as I can tell.

Teaching is a great way to improve, to get to really think about riding, training, and learning, and with any luck at all, to pay some bills! And yes, in eventing, there is very little downside to taking on even the very occasional perfect match of a student.

[VCT]

[QUOTE=Janet;7043905]
Professionals can enter the Rider division if they meet the experience requirements.[/QUOTE]

Oh yes, of course … thats true. I just mean that you can compete at whatever level, in the appropriate section, as a pro. I worded it poorly. You don’t really lose anything by being a pro in eventing - unlike in hunters where you are no longer eligible for many divisions.

Winding Down - You may want to check with trainers you know as to state requirements. Ie. in MA you have to be licensed by the state to teach riding.

If your state has no such requirements, then get some business cards printed, do some advertising, etc. You’ll want to be specific as to whether you have lessons horses available vs. only traveling out to peoples barns to give them lessons on their own horses, etc.

You should look into instructors insurance - many barns that do allow outside trainers require that trainer to carry their own insurance.

Conversely, contact some local trainers that you know and respect and see if they have need of an assistant trainer or beginner instructor.

You should also begin to develop a plan of how you will help your students to make continual progress… a lesson program, etc. Really iron out specific exercises that you will use to address certain issues and develop specific skills. Always be on the lookout for new ideas and techniques.

Good Luck

[Winding_Down]

All of this is very interesting. I work full time and ride my own horses in the evenings so there’s not a lot of extra time. But I am winding down (pun intended) and not plan on competing as much in the next few years. I’ve thought seriously about working toward TD/Judging because I really do like being part of eventing in a meaningful way.

[gottagrey]

How do you work hard at being an amateur? Most people I know work hard to be professionals… work long days teaching, running the barn and taking clients to competitions. As others have mentioned eventing rarely has amateur divisions - and you can still become a TD, judge, steward and maintain your amateur status.