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Most horse shows depend on volunteers to function, and the United States Eventing Association is making a simple but significant change: if you want to move up the performance pathway, you must first give back to it.
Beginning this year, applicants for the Emerging Athletes U21 (EA21) program and Young Rider Championships must complete 10 volunteer hours annually. The goal? To preserve the sport.
“Our sport relies heavily on volunteers,” says Rebecca Brown, USEA Young Rider Committee co-chair and founding member of EA21. “We’ve encouraged volunteering in the past, but we decided it was important to require 10 volunteer hours… just to really boost giving back to our sport and paying it forward.”
A Sport Built on Community
Unlike hunter/jumper competitions, eventing depends extensively on jump judges, ring stewards, scribes, and technical delegates. Entire cross-country phases cannot run without them. But as Brown explains, volunteers have become harder to find.
“Everybody’s gotten so busy,” she says. “However, we think it’s so important for these young eventers to understand how important the volunteer aspect of this sport is.”
The requirement is intentionally manageable. Riders have a full year to log 10 hours. And the options are wide-ranging: scribing dressage tests, jump judging on cross-country, assisting local associations, or helping at year-end banquets. Not only does volunteering help the shows run, but it also helps educate riders into the nuances of the sport.
Learning From the Other Side of the Clipboard
Scribing, in particular, offers an unexpected advantage. “You get to sit there and hear the judges comment on tests from all levels, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,” Brown explains. “It’s totally invaluable.”
Volunteer roles create perspective. Jump judges see how riders manage unexpected distances. Ring stewards observe preparation routines. Technical delegates witness how rules are applied in real time.
“You can educate yourself in different ways and you get to give back to the sport,” Brown says.
It’s dual purpose: improve your riding while strengthening your community.
More Than Social Media Advocacy
Brown also believes volunteer involvement is how real change happens. “When you get involved, you can actually implement change within your sport,” she says. In an era when criticism often plays out online, Brown draws a clear distinction between posting and participating.
“I really beg to differ that social media is what moves the sport forward,” she says. “I am actually involved in these committees and I am able to speak my opinion and speak up for those around me and genuinely implement change.”
Her philosophy is straightforward: “Put your money where your mouth is.”
Volunteering and committee work create pathways to governance. Riders who learn how events operate from the inside understand where to direct ideas, how to propose solutions, and how to collaborate constructively.
Building Culture Early
The requirement is also about long-term habit formation. “It’s easier to maintain something you start young,” Brown notes. “If you don’t start that volunteer mindset early, it’s hard to shoehorn it into a busy life later.”
Eventing’s pipeline philosophy increasingly emphasizes not just medals, but longevity. The EA21 program is designed to support athletes who may go on to international teams — or who may become trainers, breeders, veterinarians, or organizers.
Volunteerism reinforces that broader view of contribution. Brown herself began committee work in her mid-20s. Mentored by longtime leader Diane Pitts, she learned how governance functions behind the scenes. Sometimes, she says, all it takes is someone saying, “I’ll put your name forward.” The new requirement aims to spark that journey earlier.
Ultimately, Brown hopes the requirement does more than check a box.
“I hope it lights a fire,” she says. “I hope it opens their eyes to how our programs and actually how our sport runs.”
If the next generation understands how much unpaid effort fuels competition days, they may not only respect it — they may want to become part of it. Eventing’s future depends on participation at every level: riding, organizing, judging, mentoring, and leading.
Want more insight from Rebecca Brown? Listen to this episode of The Plaidcast and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform for conversations with the most influential voices in the equestrian world.
