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Reported as violating amateur status

I just got notice that someone reported me as being a coach of a local show team and therefore violating amateur status. I only just joined usef last week with the goal of doing my first low adult hunter class in November! I taught through college, but not since then… I’m a barn manager/groom now - no riding/teaching/training at all, just stalls/turn out/holding for the farrier kind of stuff. Definitely an amateur!

Just looking for information on how the process goes? I’m definitely an amateur, but will I be suspended until the accusation is cleared? Really gives me a very sour taste of USEF and I’m wishing I hadn’t bothered to pay all that money to join usef & ushja & get my horse registered!

Well first, you need to figure out why they thought you were the coach of the local show team. Is there something misleading on social media or on the website? Do you have the same name as another trainer?

What’s your association with the show team? Is there any way it can be misconstrued as coaching?

No association with any show team at all! I haven’t been part of a show team since high school… I show by myself - all my boarders are eventers and I do hunters, I train with an eventer. Absolutely no idea how anyone got the idea I coach a show team!

I work as jump crew at shows the landowner runs on the farm and sometimes share posts about their shows on social media… My only guess is that someone thought that meant I ran a show team there? But we don’t have a show team on the farm, I haven’t been part of a team since high school… I’m honestly very baffled!

I do have a pretty common name, so it’s entirely possible someone got me mixed up with someone else. In which case that should be easy to straighten out?

How long ago was college? (when you last taught). I would hope that USEF gave you a contact email so you could clarify your current status/ability to show as an amateur? I would have thought that a non-serious allegation would only have ramifications if proven.

Wait, you only joined last week, doesn’t that mean you have not shown yet under USEF?? How can you be reported then…lol for what? Existing?

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Agreed. Something smells funny here…

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It sounds like maybe there was a mixup. Possibly someone with a similar name? I don’t think anyone would even know you were a member at this point.

If you haven’t even shown USEF yet, then what exactly did you violate? Contact USEF and get it straightened out.

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Contact the USEF especially since you’ve only been a member for a week. Maybe you have a similar name to someone else?

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First of all, even if you were not an Amateur according to the rules, I don’t think you would have violated anything until you SHOWED in a class restricted to Amateurs.

Second, if someone claims you are not an Amateur, they have to provide proof.

Third, you say you have boarders. Under the rules, if you ride a horse that you get board payments for, that would make you not an amateur (GR 1306.4.d)

(GR 1306.7) "For specific inquiries, email amateurinquiry@usef.org.

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It’s possible it’s just a screw up somewhere/mixed up name. Contacting USEF will settle that.

However… could “someone” be well aware that you have plans to show USEF in ammy hunters next month, and therefore they made a pre-emptive move to sully your amateur status? If so, the notice you received could be to make you aware that “someone” thinks you’re not eligible to compete as an amateur.

I hope everything gets cleared up soon. In the meantime, be sure to read the entire amateur rules section carefully. :arrow_up:

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Was this show you were at a recognized or sanctioned USEF show? If not, USEF has no jurisdiction at nonUSEF recognized or sanctioned competitions. You haven’t even competed yet, so how exactly have you violated any rule? It sounds like there may be a mix-up with your name or something. I would contact the USEF to let them know you received this notice and there must be some mix-up as you’ve just joined and have yet to compete. As another poster mentioned, you cannot ride any of the horses where you work other than your own. You also need to be careful what you post on social media which could be interpreted as coaching. Like if you post something like how proud you are of your show team type of thing, or if your barn owner/manager/trainer posts something like thanks so much for Susie’s help at the show.

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Any updates?

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