USEF RUlES Rohara’s Roxann Hart agrees with her. She can’t use the
“I think everyone could get on board with that,” Moroney
recruit others to show in the division—and her trainer’s
classes that they think are right for developing young
partner of one of her trainers to show amateur, but she can partner can exhibit as an amateur for other operations. “I
don’t get it,” she says. “I think if someone has a non-horserelated, full-time job, they should still be an amateur.”
Intriguingly, those with differing opinions on the rules do agree on their desired outcome. “I’m a very firm believer in our amateur owner rules,” says Hoffman. “If we want to maintain a sales base and we want to get new people involved in the industry, they need to feel like they’re
showing against people on a level playing field. And that they’re showing against people who own their horses—
that those people are responsible for paying the bills, and they’re not basically being taken care of by some wealthy person who is using the horses for a tax write-off and
having them shown amateur owner or amateur-to-ride. I think if we go down that road, it just devastates the
amateur owner division, and it devastates our future sales within that division.”
A First Step Toward Bridging The Gap?
One point that attracts everyone’s sympathy is the plight
of young riders who age out of the junior exhibitor ranks, where they could defray some of their equine expenses
by working in a barn. There, the potential for common ground might be easily found.
“There has been some conversation in different groups
says. “If each breed and discipline would create the
professionals, then the home run would be amazing.”
The Big Picture
Kathie Hart acknowledges that she was fortunate to be able to work full-time with her horses as an amateur—
and adds that now, as she maintains reining horses with Crystal McNutt in Scottsdale, she also appreciates the
challenges for amateurs who don’t have that easy access
and abundant saddle time. But, she says, “The rule states that ‘amateur’ strictly relates to getting paid for services
rendered, or remuneration. We should abide by the rule
that we have today, and if we don’t like it, we need to work to get it changed.”
For those who feel strongly enough that changes need to be made, the next step is to contact the USEF’s Arabian Rules Committee. Breeds and disciplines may vote to be exempted from rule provisions according to their individual circumstances and needs.
Changes, Larry Hoffman points out, are how these rules evolve. “Just to give you some history, the amateur rule
used to be that the [trainer’s] spouse was automatically not an amateur,” he says. “That was changed 20 years ago or more.”
about having an exemption for people 18 to 22 years old,
“Definitely we have to follow the letter of the rule,” Kathie
students,” says Bill Moroney. “I believe that is a very good
the rule is what ultimately guides us. There will be some
that are in their college years, where they could be working
Hart says, “but even more than that, I think the spirit of
conversation for people to be having.”
technicalities that might not be covered within the letter
Financially, such a program would allow young riders
night believing that they have done what is indeed right by
of the rule, but in my opinion, people have to go to bed at
to maintain their equine involvement and supplement
the letter and the spirit of the rules.”
help develop the next generation of professionals. The
In the end, say more than one observer, it is all about
occupations and basically support the industry,” might
a few things,” trainer Bob Battaglia reflects, “but it
their income while in college, and it might, he notes,
immediate issue older amateurs, who “pursue mainstream have with competing against “young people, who have the advantage of being able to ride five, six, 10 horses a day,
honing their skills,” would be alleviated by the creation of
a separate division.
doing the right thing. “The new wording does clarify certainly doesn’t answer all of the problems. Frankly,
there is no way to answer all of the problems. If you’re
honest, you’re honest, and if you’re not, you’re not. It’s as simple as that.” ■
Volume 43, No. 11 | 153