The USEF Licensed Officials program provides training for people interested in becoming judges, course designers, technical delegates, or stewards. USEF also offers grants to reduce financial barriers to licensure, such as travel costs associated with apprenticing or attending official clinics. The program started in 2022 and aims to encourage new licensed official applicants to climb the official ladder.

“We'd rather have someone apply and explore being a licensed official with a little bit of support than not trying at all,” said Alina Brazzil, director of USEF’s Licensed

Officials Department. “My favorite part is to see how [applicants] are going to use [the grant] and how it's helpful for them.”

“A little more grace and compassion”

One of the 2023 grant recipients is Rob Jacobs, a current ‘r’ Hunter and Hunter/Jumping Seat Equitation Judge. In addition to being a licensed ‘r’ judge, United States Hunter Jumper Association consultant, and certified trainer, Jacobs has written articles for Sidelines magazine focused on young professionals.

Jacobs has been riding and competing since childhood, but he discovered his passion for judging when he took a form-to-function judging course in college. Jacobs judged C-rated shows with the North Carolina Hunter Jumper Association for nine years before obtaining his ‘r’ licenses.

Jacobs has competed in multiple states, and he explained that his judging experience has made him a better competitor.

“It has given me a little more grace and compassion if things don't exactly pan out the way I thought they could have or should have,” Jacobs said.

Drawing on his experience, Jacobs encouraged competitors not to focus on their exact numerical score.

“Sometimes you may have one judge give one round 75; meanwhile, another judge who saw the same exact thing may give it an 80,” Jacobs explained. “Although that's a five-point difference, they may have that horse in the same exact order.”

Jacobs’s main takeaway from judging has been continuing education.

“General understanding of what it's like sitting in the judge's box … does give a person a competitive advantage when they go show themselves,” he said. “It’s also very beneficial to my clients; it gives me a unique perspective to better assist them at horse shows.”

“People need you”

Tom Urban, who grew up on a horse farm, has been a rider, farm supervisor, and show manager and is a current ‘r’ Hunter and Jumper Course Designer applying for a ‘r’ Jumper Judge license.

“I've always made courses for us at the farm, and some course designers pushed me to get my license,” Urban said. “I wasn't sure that's the direction I wanted to go, but then I did, and it’s a fun challenge.”

Urban said his favorite part of being a course designer is watching riders complete his course the way he envisioned—a goal often difficult to achieve.

“It’s almost like a partnership between the rider and course designer to see it happen,” he said. “It’s not just going out there and throwing out a course that will work for one class. You want to make the show run efficiently.”

Urban also stressed the importance of camaraderie between officials, crew, and exhibitors.

“I understand the vast majority of [exhibitors’] needs and wants and dislikes, because as a licensed official, they let you know,” he said. “It’s a good learning experience.”

Because of this feedback, Urban said being an official has in turn made him a better exhibitor.

“You really get the full picture of why things at a horse show are the way they are,” he said. “It’s not just jumping around over some sticks.”

Additionally, Urban said more young professionals should become licensed, as “there’s a shortage out there.”

“I might just hire myself as a course designer just because I need one, and I might not be able to find any,” he said. “If you get an ‘r’ right now, you will get jobs, because people need you.”

“I learn more every single show”

FEI Jumping Steward Jake DelGreco was the night steward at the 2023 FEI World Cup Finals™ in Omaha, Neb. In addition to boosting his perception of horse show rules, DelGreco said, stewarding greatly developed his people skills.

“If you ever need to correct somebody or inform somebody on a rule, how you portray that is very important,” he said. “You really have to be strategic about how you introduce that to them.”

DelGreco achieved his ‘r’ C1 Steward license in 2021 and went to Germany in December 2022 to test for his Level 2 FEI Jumping Steward promotion. Though DelGreco said he was nervous going into the experience and was frantically studying on his plane ride, he later got more comfortable and was interested in how other countries view their equestrian industries.

DelGreco said becoming a licensed official was an “opportunity to prosper.”

“I learn more from [other officials] every single show,” he said.

“That’s a pretty cool opportunity”

Another 2023 grant recipient, Cassandra Hummert, recently earned a Level 2 FEI Jumping Steward license. Inspired by FEI stewards Dan Reed and Lisa Gorretta, Hummert will attend an FEI promotion course in Belgium as part of her application.

“I hope that it's something that I'm doing well into the future,” she said. “There's a lot to learn, and this is an ever-changing and ever-evolving business.”

Hummert said her interest in being a licensed official stemmed from a desire to go to the Olympics.

“I was a dressage rider, so that's what it meant to me: to ride on the team,” she said. “As I matured and as I understood the sport more, I started to think: what are other ways that I can get there?”

Though Hummert considered becoming a judge, scorer, or course designer, she noticed that stewarding seemed less popular among young officials and decided to see what this path could bring her.

“You act as the liaison between the riders and the show management,” she said. “As a young person … I wish I had known that the technical delegates and the stewards and the FEI are there to help you. They are not there to be the police.”

Hummert encouraged young equestrians who don’t want full-time careers riding or training to start apprenticing at horse shows.

“You do the clinics, you do the apprenticing, and then here you are, you can enter a career,” Hummert said. “I think for young people who are trying to figure out what they want to do, that's a pretty cool opportunity.”

She explained that not only does this foster community involvement, but it also allows equestrians to look at competitions from new perspectives.

“I wish people would join the industry without being dissuaded that they might not be the right fit,” Hummert said. “Starting the process is so eye-opening and really just makes you a better competitor and a better member of the Federation.”

If you are interested in becoming a USEF or FEI licensed official, please contact the USEF Licensed Officials Department at [email protected].

Want more details? Check out these resources.

Visit the Licensed Officials page for US Equestrian’s Licensed Officials Policies and Procedures, Licensed Officials Code of Ethics and Social Media Policy, and more.

Read the article “Becoming a Licensed Official” in the US Equestrian magazine archive.

Find a clinic or webinar here.

Watch the video “USEF Licensed Officials,” featuring USEF’s Alina Brazzil, in the online Learning Center.

Check out newly licensed and promoted officials here.

Have questions? Email us at [email protected].