Is an amateur status worth keeping?

[Highflyer]

[QUOTE=gottagrey;8648096]
My question for the OP is what is their alternative. After 18 per USEF you’re either an amateur or declare professional status. OP is either wanting to become a pro trainer/rider, or possible a “pro” without knowing it - depending on if they work at a barn in some capacity they could make them a pro. So unless the OP is planning a career as a trainer then it’s a non issue.[/QUOTE]

There are plenty of people who can afford just enough competing to benefit from amateur status but would also benefit from an extra two or three thousand dollars a year from teaching a few beginner lessons or hopping on horses for people on vacation. At that point it’s hard to decide which you give up. That may well be the OP’s deal.

[pologirl27]

[QUOTE=gottagrey;8648096]
My question for the OP is what is their alternative. After 18 per USEF you’re either an amateur or declare professional status. OP is either wanting to become a pro trainer/rider, or possible a “pro” without knowing it - depending on if they work at a barn in some capacity they could make them a pro. So unless the OP is planning a career as a trainer then it’s a non issue.[/QUOTE]

The rules are pretty strict, so I suspect the OP is thinking either of occasionally teaching lessons or occasionally exercising horses for money. I just got back my ammy status last year, because despite never being a trainer or a ‘real’ pro I did work as a polo groom/exercise rider in the past. Unrelated to eventing, but that didn’t matter in the eyes of the USEF because their rules are very clear cut.

[gottagrey]

[QUOTE=Highflyer;8648493]
There are plenty of people who can afford just enough competing to benefit from amateur status but would also benefit from an extra two or three thousand dollars a year from teaching a few beginner lessons or hopping on horses for people on vacation. At that point it’s hard to decide which you give up. That may well be the OP’s deal.[/QUOTE]

@pologirl27;8648664

The rules are pretty strict, so I suspect the OP is thinking either of occasionally teaching lessons or occasionally exercising horses for money. I just got back my ammy status last year, because despite never being a trainer or a ‘real’ pro I did work as a polo groom/exercise rider in the past. Unrelated to eventing, but that didn’t matter in the eyes of the USEF because their rules are very clear cut.

With eventing though it’s based on rider/horse competition level- on few occasions does pro vs amateur status affect which level you enter. It’s not like there are Adult Amateur or Amateur Owner BN, N, T, Prelim etc levels/divisions like there are with hunters/jumpers - where there are open divisions and specific divisions for AA or A/O hunters or Jumpers.

The OP making extra money getting paid to ride or teach won’t affect a pro or ammy status unless they want to enter a specific amateur division that’s offered but I’ve only seen AA specific division(s) offered only at some event venues.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

In eventing…doesn’t really matter. I have my ammy status, and keep it just because that is what I am…I have a huge job outside of horses. I don’t have time to teach. And if I help someone…I don’t need to be paid and I’m helping them because I like to help. I do own my own farm and own a lot of horses but can also go days or even a week without riding and sometimes even getting to my own farm because of my job. But I know I can also ride better than a hell of a lot of people who call themselves pros…but I’m certainly still an ammy within the rules.

But it really doesn’t impact anything for me. Perhaps the AECs if I decide to go one year but not really.

I honestly wish they would get rid of ammy/pro status all together. Just base things on level you have ridden and competed and then points at level. So if you win a ton but don’t want to move up…you go in open otherwise, the Rider/horse/open levels we have and change the leader boards to be the same.

Who cares where or how you earn your living.