I was thinking similar thoughts. Will I have to tell my DH not to say anything to me from ringside at the warmup ring?
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Right. Clearly he is not allowed to remind you to breath or tell you that you and Dobbin look great.
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Yes! And he likes to talk, haha. I may be in trouble.
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Coach is NOT required, but if you ARE using a coach, they better sign. I previously either left it blank to just signed as my own coach because that was easier than getting my coach to sign. But I do have a paid coach at shows and I am now careful about ensuring they are the one that signs.
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Definitely not trainers and about coaches -> they were looking at who was doing coaching, and then checking paperwork to validate. A lot of the TDs, coaches, and riders are the same at this show circuit year after year and the names and faces are familiar so it’s not that hard to see coach X coaching rider Y and then the TD check the paperwork.
Oops, that was probably just me misspeaking as to what they are able to do in the moment. As @Snow_Mass said sounds like they can issue yellow cards to coaches and the last thing I want to do is get my coach in trouble, or either of us reported to USEF for violations. I didn’t think it was a big deal but USEF does apparently.
OK, handing out a yellow card sounds much more possible.
Fining somebody in the moment over incorrect paperwork sounds like much more of a stretch.
Otherwise, I’m sure horse show secretaries would have been doing it for years! Lol.
They’re incomplete entry fees, not fines as they are imposed by the show secretary, not the TD.
You’ll find it under the fee schedule usually right next to late entry and change of class fees for most USEF licensed shows prize lists. Charged at the discretion of the show secretary.
Some professional show secretaries host tutorials for a cost to teach competitors how to submit a perfect entry and I know of at least one that for a fee, will complete an entry for you.
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Can you please give me a reference for requiring releases from volunteers…
I just did a search of the (online, so current) USEF General Rules, for both “release” and “waiver”. I could not find any rule requiring releases or waivers from volunteers.
(Back during the early days of the COVID pandemic, they (USEF) DID require COVID-related releases from every person on the grounds, including spectators. But that was a very different type of release, and has not been required for several years.)
The discussion about having someone sign as coach came from these posts.
Please join USEF and pay your dues like every other person who rides or who is paid to coach or train if you want to participate in rated shows.
As person who is not a member of USEF (and is clearly unfamiliar with USEF rules) you cannot sign as a “coach” at a rated show. That would be a big deal to USEF if you were caught out, and the competitor would suffer the consequences of their “coach” not knowing the rules, more than the non-member “coach” would. Hopefully the person you were going to coach knows the rules, since you clearly don’t, and they will be able to keep themselves out of trouble.
Of course you can speak briefly with your SO at the warm up. 
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You clearly missed the tangent about ring stewards writing down the name and who they were associated with when someone comes over to ask how the ring is running, etc. You will find it up there if you go read. That is the part of the conversation I was participating in.
I am not signing anything. I am not even slightly qualified to be a coach. I am very qualified to be someone’s friend and support system though, which makes me more than capable of asking the steward questions about how the ring is running.
Edit to add - I have not ever had to sign a waiver to volunteer either.
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They can they speak for as long as they want.
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Not sure of the rule reference, but I have had to sign the USEF/USEA waiver for volunteering at horse trials. It’s handily coordinated through the Eventing Volunteers app to make sure you have one signed every year.
Your GMO may require it, but I’ve never been asked to sign a waiver (other than the COVID era one) as either a volunteer or paid staff member. I don’t think it is an actual USEF rule.
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I understand that if you are in a GMO you are a member of USDF (though don’t qualify for year end awards without the USDF membership), but do you have to join a GMO at all? I have been the past 3 years and get 0 benefit from it (not even emails about local events…).
Regarding coaches signing… what if you aren’t paid to be a coach? I had a friend step up last year at a show for me because my listed/actual coach had a conflict (her own ride) during my warmup time. She is not a USDF/USEF member and I did not pay her for her time - she was just there to watch originally. What would USEF do to penalize her or me in the imaginary case of someone obsessively checking signatures? (also what problem are they trying to solve here? SafeSport related?)
Yes
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I am a part of a GMO and the association puts on schooling shows and a year-end championship show and awards, banquet, etc. For that, you have to be a member if you want to participate. I do, and I enjoy it.
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Thanks! I meant for showing at “normal” usdf/usef shows. Last year I was berated at a show registration for some issue on USEF’s side with my horse’s registration. I upgraded the membership to the lifetime one and magically it was resolved. Just trying to avoid having some last minute issue registering again - and my gmo only does it through the mail. Last year it took like 2 months for them to cash my check and longer to put my number in the system.
My local GMO doesn’t have much going on, but they do some year end awards. Honestly I don’t feel very welcome at any events I’ve gone to anyway so I’m not super keen. I’m the type of person who likes supporting local everything so it’s kind of disappointing 
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I’m sorry @trubandloki I didn’t mean to address that reply to you, but to the person who was considering signing as a coach at a rated show when not a member of USEF.
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USEF is obligated to follow Safe Sport rules and Safe Sport keeps an eye on USEF’s compliance.
If your friend signed as coach after the rule (that coaches had to be USEF members) was in effect, then the show management and USEF were in violation of Safe Sport rules.
It’s a very big deal to USEF.
She did not sign as coach, that’s my point. My coach who signed was busy, so my friend stepped in very last minute.
