So there seems to be a new trend in developing rider grants and funding but only for young riders who show potential. What about possibly funding the hard-working cash-limited middle-aged true ammy who shows talent and dedication but may need financial assistance to compete at the top levels of the sport? Any hope for grants for those greying in the temples or longer in the tooth? I am not talking a gofundme to buy horses or any such thing. Maybe just clinics with top
trainers and grants for A show participation. Pipe dream? You tell me.
That would be amazing. Not saying that young riders don’t deserve the assistance, but those young riders who are out showing at that level…are they really the ones who need the help? The under 25 Grand Prix & bursary… No young rider competing at that level at 25 is or has been paying their own way. Lots of us lifelong dedicated amateur riders would give their left arm for the same opportunities. I think it’s a shame that there isn’t any kind of program to help amateurs afford the sport. Any kind of funding I’ve seen has all been young riders or a point system- the problem with the point system, those who are out competing at every show can easily accumulate a lot more points than those who can only attend a few summer shows. So again, for those who could really make use of some assistance it is out of reach. Sorry I’ve just been feeling extra down lately about how I can’t afford to ride at the level I used to think I would one day. Lol
I mentioned this to one of our show organizationers when he was talking and telling my trainer how we should bring so and so rider to whatever show to compete in his new “under 25” bursaryclasses he was doing this year…,he just looked at me like I had snakes coming out of my head and then completely ignored me…charming! Basically, I had mentioned that while it’s lovely he was awarding thousands of dollars to those already with the means to be at the 1.20 jumpers and higher it would really be groundbreaking and amazing to also offer bursaries to say the 1.10m, where more people with less opportunity compete but don’t have the means to ever move up or to the hunters, especially the adult ammies, which get nothing.,ever. Silence, then walked away…typical!
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Yes—I feel especially for the mostly DIY ammy with a full time job who can scrape together funds for coaching and young horse talent that grants to bring said horses to A shows once they are able to compete at a level no longer offered at a local circuit. For example to compete at the A/O level or the derbies for the hunters. This would also reward the amateur rider who wants to develop their own horses but may struggle with the money needed to regularly show on the A circuit.
Wouldn’t paying amateurs to ride and compete by default make them not amateurs?
The purpose of the developing rider programs is to provide consistent training for potential future members of the USET. It’s just not meant to support a one-horse amateur making it to the 1.30s.
Over in the land of the dressage heathens, many of the GMOs do have scholarships where you can be awarded money towards training. Your local show circuit may have something similar.
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Who is to say a 21 year old is more likely to develop into a USET rider than a 36 year old? All other things being equal? The wonderful thing about the equestrian sports is many riders can compete into the top levels at ages much more advanced than those where we rely on only our own bodies for competition. Men and women also can compete equally against each other as well. Just throwing that out there.
I have to agree that something like this would be incredible. It would also allow potential top athletes the time to do things such as pursue a college degree. I’ve seen so many professionals who would have benefited from a college degree or experience in the world outside of the equestrian sport.
I always thought it was so strange that in our sport, in order to make it to the very very top, you basically have to be on that path from a young age (or incredibly well funded by family). How many young people truly know what they want to do in their teens or younger? Most people try a few things before settling into their career and all of that brings great experience. If there were grants or developing rider series for those of us that are aged out of our junior years and maybe don’t have the experience to do the U25 Grand Prix but want to learn more about the industry, that would be a wonderful asset to creating better horsemen/women and more access to the industry for all.
There are examples internationally throughout history of equestrians competing at the top levels of sport who are amateur riders with full time careers. Here is a recent one from eventing—
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinrich_Romeike
Yes, entirely unrealistic pipe dream. Your only hope is to win mega-millions and create an annuity to fund the “Low-level cash poor ammy with aspirations of grandeur” training grant program.
Think about exactly why a Ms. Moneybags would chose to fund developing rider grants and similar funding for young riders who show potential. Soloudinhere hit on one: to provide consistent training for potential future members of the USET. Another reason might be to get publicity for your equine-related business. Or maybe Ms. Moneybags wants to hob-nob with the Big Names. You can probably think of other reasons.
All of those reasons are much better served by providing grants, or prize money, or clinic scholarships, or whatever to young riders with the potential to compete at the top levels or the winners of upper level classes, which take place in front of the bigger crowds.
Giving money to lower level adult ammies has a much lower return on investment than investing in young riders with lots of potential or riders who are already at the upper levels.
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I suppose my point is that the older amateur who is as or perhaps more talented than the 20 year old developing rider but does not have the funds to compete and be successful at the highest levels of the sport has no opportunity for grants or funding the way things are currently set up. Why not have an application or talent search for older amateurs as well, not just young folks who may or may not already have plenty of means financially.
What’s interesting is that in dressage and eventing we have multiple examples of people with professional careers making it to the international elite levels after some time as a true amateur, and we don’t have that in show jumping. It’s a good question to ask if that is because show jumping is harder and cannot be pursued that way or if it’s because there are structural issues that keep talent from breaking out later.
My guess is that it has to do with the astronomical prices of show jumping horses compared to the merely enormous costs of eventing and dressage horses… that these days our new stars are either coming from enormous family money or made deep connections to someone else’s family money as kids.
I don’t think it’s because show jumping requires more skill or horsemanship or hours in the saddle than eventing.
https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/dressage/development-program
They do not want the baggage that comes with amateurs. Successful young riders make successful professionals, who will build their lives around International competition. Why put money in to Susie who puts her family first.
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Scholarships, bursaries, awards, young artist development grants given for potential, typically go to the young in every field in sports and arts. One of the few exceptions would be true merit based scholarships like a full ride PhD. I got one at 36. But would I have even been accepted at 46 or 56? I was already at least ten years old than every other student in my class.
I think its similar to how people will pay more for an unbroke well bred 3 year old than they will for the same horse at age ten, broke but with a mediocre show record.
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My point is that you’re looking at it from the perspective of the person who wants to receive the money when the perspective that matters is that of the person/organization that has money to give. And from the perspective of the folks with money to give, the young rider with potential is almost always the better bet and financial need is irrelevant in that calculation.
If you want Ms. Moneybags to give money to the talented older amateurs you want them to, you have to build a case that the donors’ needs will be served as well or better by giving their money to that group instead of younger riders. And, again, the fact older ammie needs the money while younger rider might not is completely irrelevant.
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Similarly, though, when the group being solicited is older amateurs, they might be more interested to pop money in the pot for a breakthrough adult with a shot at the big time. You have to know your audience.
- eventing is immeasurably cheaper than showjumping
- he is based in Germany, where it is much cheaper to keep and compete a horse as well as acquire a very good horse
- his wife is from a wealthy family which runs a logistics company in Germany, who sponsored his horse
- I’m not sure I’d call it recent - he hasn’t competed at FEI level since 2011 and is now coaching his son
As for why someone who is 21 has a better shot than someone who is 36 (though that is not the “gray at the temples” being discussed) the simple answer is there’s 15 more years to get a good horse and do it, they are unlikely to have a family taking up their time/attention, and riding at that level is a more than full time job in and of itself.
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As a now 30 year old ammy I’d sure love that. I had a modest junior career since my family could only afford one nice horse. After I aged out I tried my hand at going pro but didn’t have the financial backing. I ended up taking 6 years off and regaining my ammy status.
My husband and I are upper-middle class but certainly don’t have the money to buy the horses needed to show competitively. I’d LOVE an opportunity like the EAP for adults. It’s certainly not a lack of drive and dedication that’s holding me back. It’s simply dollars.
Oh wouldn’t it be fun to have financial support for the “aged” rider. However, just like most things in this life, once you are out of the nest, you are expected to fly and catch your own worms. Sigh.
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I can see where it would make a lot more sense to offer grants for zone and national championships. While a rider can win their regional championship and qualify for a national title not many have the $$$ to go from west coast to east coast.
As Kenyarider said - once you reach a certain age, you are expected to be an adult and fund your own toys and hobbies.
Look at it this way, you can sponsor and ship and 22 year old kid off to 30 shows a year all over the country and not have a problem. If you try to ship a 40 yr old woman to 30 shows a year then either her family will get pissy or her work will fire her. Age = responsibilities Youth = ride until you drop then get up and do it again.
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Quick question: Didn’t they raise the age for EAP this year to include adults? I thought that they had.
