SHB(GB) 2019 Rules – Clarification Regarding Amateur Status.

    18 Feb 2019   

b) AMATEUR. A person is an amateur for showing purposes, when showing ridden hunters in an amateur class If he or she does not:

1) Engage in breeding, livery, buying, selling, dealing or hiring horses in a commercial capacity or as a means of deriving a main source of income. Since 1st January 2017.

2) Accept remuneration whether it be monetary or goods in kind for employment in connection with horses in a racing, showing or livery stable or riding school (instruction at Pony Club and Riding Club excepted). Since 1st January 2017.

3) Show a horse owned or sponsored by a company or commercial firm or a horse for which his or her immediate family accepts livery or training charges from a person outside the immediate concern. Since 1st Janaury 2017.

In addition persons classed as Amateur must not be supported by a company in any way or act as a Brand Ambassador.

4) Own or part own an equestrian establishment including but not limited to riding schools, events centre, stud or livery yard in any capacity, or receive any form of remuneration for employment at an equestrian establishment.  For the avoidance of doubt for the purpose of this rule, immediate family members of an owner or part owner of an equestrian establishment who work or are howsoever otherwise engaged or involved in any capacity, whether or not for remuneration at the equestrian establishment, will be treated as being an owner or part owner of that equestrian establishment.

5) Show a horse which a professional rider has ridden in any ridden hunter or ridden sport horse class during the current year, with the exception of working hunter classes & ladies hunter classes unless the horse has subsequently been re-registered under new ownership.

6) Professional show persons must not enter the Amateur Ring whilst the classes are in progress.

A professional show person is another term for a professional producer and as such a professional groom who works for a producer can enter the ring to groom.

7) A professional rider must not ride or exercise an amateur’s horse on the day it is competing in amateur classes.

8) A competitor is not eligible to compete in Amateur classes on an Exhibit which has been qualified for either R.I.H.S or H.O.Y.S by a Professional during the current season, except in Ladies & Working Hunter Classes.

9) Amateur Home Produced – Horses which are either stabled at home or in a D.I.Y yard and which since 1st January 2019 have not been shown by a professional during the current season or stabled in a professional yard at any time in 2019.  Must be ridden by an Amateur.  This does not exclude the Amateur Owner Home Produced riders having lessons at any time with an instructor, providing the horse remains stabled at home or in a D.I.Y yard.