Rider ruled ineligible for world reining competition
A rider has had to pull out of the international western riding championships in Oklahoma after she was told her fundraising website violated one of the competition’s rules.
Rachel Humphries says overzealous application of some unclear guidelines crushed her chances of being able to go.
Humphries, from Waituna West, was set to compete in the amateur category but was told by the New Zealand AQHA that her Givealittle page could have transgressed a rule by accepting unauthorised payments.
The rule states payment of entry fees or expenses by anyone other than the amateur’s immediate family or nationally sponsored team shall be considered remuneration.
Competitors cannot be paid for their services in showing, judging, training or assisting in training a horse.
New Zealand AQHA international director Jannette Robinson reported the rider’s fundraising efforts to the American AQHA for clarification. After deliberation, the AQHA cleared Humphries of any wrongdoing and allowed her to compete in the event starting in November.
However, Humphries said she was forced to withdraw from the competition because of the time it took to get the interpretation of the ruling.
As an amateur, Humphries said she was new to the process and thought it had been handled casually.
‘‘It’s not a good look for the sport. This is my own organisation and I was like why are they going against me?
‘‘It was going to cost me $10,000. Unless you’re rich, how are you going to be able to do that?’’ Humphries said.
‘‘I believe this interpretation is obviously to stop trainers riding in amateur classes and getting financial gain from it. It is to make sure riders stay in the right level and things are fair.
‘‘It seems seriously warped and it marginalises individuals who aren’t rich.’’
Director of shows and professional horsemen Patti Carter, from the American AQHA, said the rule had a grey area and might need to be revisited. She said it was the first time AQHA had become aware of an amateur raising funds through websites.
‘‘Should the AQHA show committee decide in the future that such fundraising efforts should be prohibited, AQHA will accordingly modify its rules specifying such prohibition.’’