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GRAD PROGRAM GRADS: Participants in the 2016 USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program pose for a group photo
Dreams into Action
At the USDF/USEF Young Rider Graduate Program,
practical advice for tomorrow’s dressage pros
StoRY anD PHotoGRaPHS BY JenniFeR o. BRYant
D
ressage, that most solitary of athletic pursuits, international para-equestrian dressage competitor Rebecca
tends to attract people who aren’t all rah-rah Hart. “i was once on a train when i noticed another passenteamwork by nature. our sport is more likely to ger looking at me, obviously hoping to strike up a conversadraw the high-achieving introvert who’s happi- tion. i would have rather just kept to myself, but i made myest when it’s just her and a horse.
self look up from my phone and smile.”
But in order to make it as a dresPushing herself out of her comfort
Te
horses
are
easy.
sage professional, you’d better hone your
zone paid of: Te fellow passenger, inTe people are hard.
people skills and learn to overcome any
spired by Hart’s story and equestrian
innate shyness, according to the speak—Grand Prix-level competitor talent, “ended up funding a trip to euers at the 2016 USDF/USeF Young Rider
rope for me and my horse.”
Endel Ots
Graduate Program. (See “Bridge to the
“Tis is a people business,” said 2010
open Waters” on page 37 for more on the
World equestrian Games competitor
program.) Being a wallfower won’t bring you sponsors and cli- Katherine Bateson-Chandler. “You have to learn to deal
ents, and running a dressage business is—surprise!—as much with people. You have to make yourself become a people
about dealing with people as it is about training horses.
person. i had to force myself; i’m very introverted. You’ve
“Put your phone down, and be approachable,” advised got to be friendly, outgoing, and honest.”
36 April 2016 • USDF ConneCtion
Build Brand You
You have to be a good rider to build a dressage clientele—
and, you hope, to attract sponsors and backers. But riding
well isn’t enough.
in this era of social media, everybody’s a “brand.” Who
is Brand You?
“Cultivate a public persona,” advised Hart, who maintains two Facebook pages: one public, one private. Te private page allows more personal sharing with friends and
family, while the public page features more competitionrelated posts and sponsor acknowledgments, she said.
“You can brand, package, and sell yourself with so many
available social-media tools,” said equestrian and sports
marketer and journalist Chris Staford, host of the USDF offcial podcasts and president of the Global Women’s Sports
network. “Have a presence on as many social media as possible. it’s the ‘drip efect.’ Build up a presence every day.” Post
regularly enough, and across enough platforms, that you
stay on the radar, she advised.
Staford recommended creating a short professional
biography, highlighting your signifcant dressage accomplishments and names of trainers you’ve worked with or for.
Use that material in creating an “elevator speech”—a quick
introduction and self-pitch that could conceivably be delivered in the time it takes to ride a few foors with someone
in an elevator.
Create a website for your dressage business. “Your website is your shop window,” Staford said.
as you develop Brand You, “come up with something
that’s unique,” said Staford. “What is diferent about you?
What do you have to ofer a sponsor that someone else can’t?”
Attracting an Owner
it’s the dream of many dressage pros: get paid to ride and
compete a talented horse, with someone else footing the
bill. But as one well-known owner/sponsor pointed out, attracting an owner is not easy, and maintaining a mutually
satisfactory business relationship can be a challenge, as well.
For starters, explained US Dressage owners task Force
chair Kimberly Boyer, riders need to understand what motivates owners to get into the sport in the frst place.
Some individual sponsors (like Boyer herself ) are active
riders, competitors, or both; others no longer ride or never
rode at all. “Te equestrian lifestyle is a huge attraction for
noncompetitive owners—the ambiance of owning a farm,
being at the show, enjoying the competition,” Boyer said.
“Tey spend a lot of money to enjoy that lifestyle, and you’re
an important part of it.”
APPROACHABLE: Paralympic dressage competitor Rebecca Hart, like
several speakers, admitted she’s introverted by nature and had to master an outgoing public persona to help garner career support
access to the ViP hospitality tent at the show is nice,
but most owners aren’t satisfed just to take part, said Boyer.
“owners are goal-oriented people. Most have had a certain
amount of success in their life. When they purchase a horse,
they have a dream for that horse; they have an idea where
they would like to see you go with the horse.”
although it does happen that a loyal sponsor buys a
Bridge to the Open Waters
T
he USDF and the US Equestrian Federation
together produce the biennial Young Rider
Graduate Program, for young adults who have
“aged out” of the FEI Young Rider ranks and who are
making the transition to becoming professional dressage riders and instructor/trainers. Of the 50 applicants, 35 were selected to attend the 2016 program,
held January 16-17 in West Palm Beach, FL.
The Dressage Foundation, Lincoln, NE, provides
funding support for the program to help defray participants’ expenses. In addition, through the Captain
Jack Fritz Young Professionals Fund, TDF awarded
a total of $2,500 to 2016 YR Graduate Program attendees Cody Armstrong (VA), Rebecca Kuc (PA),
Bailey McCallum (IA), Jaclyn Meinen (CA), Kassidy
Peacock (TX), Emily Staadecker (NC), and Katelyn
Young (NC).
The next YR Graduate Program will be held in
2018. Learn more at usdf.org / Education.
USDF ConneCtion
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April 2016
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horse specifcally for a chosen rider to train and compete—
owner akiko Yamazaki, who has put several mounts under
olympian Stefen Peters, is a current notable example—
Boyer said it’s more likely that the sponsor already has the
horse and then seeks the rider whom he or she believes will
best help that horse fulfll his potential. Boyer, the owner of
Hampton Green Farm in Florida and Michigan, has done
the latter: She sent her PRe stallion Grandioso iii to europe,
where he has represented Spain at the olympic Games with
rider Jose Daniel Martin Dockx; and she gave young rider
Kerrigan Gluch the ride on the Hampton Green-bred and
-owned PRe stallion Vaquero HGF.
When an owner goes looking for the right match, “it’s
based on who you are as a professional and as a person. it’s
like a marriage in many ways,” Boyer said.
talent is a given: “You have to be a good rider,” said Boyer. tangible proof of that talent is most important: “Scores
matter. Scores are almost everything.”
“Present yourself honestly while showcasing your talents,” Boyer advised. “Don’t say you’re a Grand Prix rider if
you’ve piafed at home. today’s sponsors are diferent from
when i got started in the sport almost 20 years ago. Back
then, they were isolated—‘sequestered.’ today, sponsors are
much better educated about the sport in general. Te internet enables owners to look up riders’ scores; no longer can
riders tell stories about what they’ve accomplished.”
Te internet also enables potential sponsors to dig
deeper into riders’ backgrounds. “Be careful what you post
online and on Facebook. Sponsors use Facebook to learn
about you,” Boyer said.
Where to fnd these elusive benefactors? Boyer named
several possible sources. one is the amateur rider/owner
“who is willing to get of their horse and let you ride it.”
Consider anyone who has professional dealings with you—
say, someone you sell a horse to, or teach in a clinic—a potential sponsor. other possibilities: “your trainer, or your
trainer’s sponsor. Someone you met at a USDF convention.”
even your own parents: “Consider parents the same way
you would consider an outside [nonrelated] sponsor.”
Finally, whether you’re a rider seeking sponsorship or an
owner looking for the right rider, check out ExperienceDressage.com, the matchmaking and community-building website from the USeF-powered Dressage owners task Force.
“add yourself to experienceDressage.com as a rider looking for sponsorship. Do it well. i highly recommend adding a
video,” Boyer advised.
Tere are several potential pitfalls in the rider-owner
relationship, Boyer said. Te owner may turn out to be “demanding or unrealistic. Tey may not understand the time
it takes [to bring a horse up the levels], or prepared for the
total expense.” or the biggie: “Te owner may take the horse
back. Tat’s a really difcult thing.”
Te owner may own the horse, but in some cases the
rider feels “owned,” as well.
6 Tips for a Better
Rider/Sponsor Relationship
M
ost individual sponsors are successful people with good business
skills, and “they want to see you conduct your business with the
same good business skills,” said high-performance owner Kim
Boyer, owner of Hampton Green Farm and chair of the US Dressage Owners
Task Force. Here’s what Boyer looks for in a rider.
1. Be organized. “An organized person is calmer and more prepared.
Your owner is not your secretary or your personal assistant.”
2. Be realistic. Don’t make promises you can’t keep, including ones pertaining to fnancial expenditures. “Be prepared to defend requests that the
sponsor buy a new horse, tack, or trailer, and back it up with results.”
VIP OWNER: Hampton Green Farm
3. Be trustworthy and ethical. “You have one name; don’t tarnish it.”
owner Kim Boyer, chair of the US Dressage
4. Be connected. “Go to charity events. Give clinics. Help others. It keeps Owners Task Force
you relevant and puts you out in the community.”
5. Be loyal. “Mention your sponsor. Wear their logo. The sponsor tends
to fade into the background as a horse and rider become successful. I have seen riders go into the [schooling]
ring in a t-shirt from the local feed store instead of a shirt from their sponsor.”
6. Be informed. Know the USEF and FEI rules, and the USDF requirements for participation in awards and
championship programs. “Don’t be caught having a horse disqualifed due to a new rule.” And “read the daily
news; make sure you know what’s going on in Europe and in your sport.”
38 April 2016 • USDF ConneCtion
ENJOYING THE JOURNEY: Allyn Mann of Adequan/Luitpold Pharmaceuticals addresses the graduate young riders
“Some owners envelop their riders. Tey don’t let them
have personal time or time with their families,” Boyer said.
even the tightest-knit owner/rider relationships can
lead to difculties. “a good owner is often willing to make
you part of the family, and that can be a complicated issue.
Tey see you as part of the dream, so when the relationship
ends it can be very painful, like a breakup,” Boyer said.
But if your goal is the elite levels of the sport, sponsorship is essential unless you are independently wealthy.
“Sponsorship is the diference between living lesson
to lesson, or commission to commission, and being able
to campaign a horse at the highest level,” said Boyer. “to
campaign a horse, to travel, you need a sponsor or group of
sponsors. You need funding to be able to cut down on your
lesson schedule in order to train and campaign.”
Attracting a Group of Owners
Tere is a limited number of people who can drop six-plus
fgures on a high-performance horse, but many more might
be able to contribute a more modest amount toward supporting your dream. Pool these resources and you’ve got
what’s known as a syndicate.
one who’s had success with syndicated horse ownership
is Paralympian Rebecca Hart, who described the process of
attracting investors to purchase her current competition
mount, Schroeter’s Romani.
in syndication, Hart explained, “you fnd people with a
common passion, and they share in ownership.”
a rider can form a syndicate—gather the investors—and
then go horse-shopping, or fnd the horse and then “crowdfund” its purchase by forming the syndicate. in Hart’s case,
she found “Romani” with an agent’s help, then looked for
backers.
“i found it helpful [to have located the horse she wanted
to purchase] because i could create excitement,” Hart said.
Te agent also was helpful in identifying potential investors, she said.
a syndicate is a legal entity, explained the lawyer Yvonne
ocrant, who specializes in equine-industry legal matters.
ocrant has created more than 70 syndicates for the purchase and maintenance of horses, she said.
ocrant advised presenting a syndication opportunity
“as a win-win situation: ‘We’re going to be part of team
Yvonne.’ Tere’s a lot to be said for ‘your name in lights’;
that’s why people get into syndication. Tey want to be part
of team Debbie McDonald and be able to talk to Debbie
about the horse. a lot of them may be star-struck and enjoy
the ViP access. Tey don’t get into it to make a proft.”
When ocrant draws up a syndication contract, “all of
the partners sign on to a single operating agreement, which
spells out the fractional cost of getting involved,” including
contributing toward the horse’s purchase price and an annual amount toward veterinary and other upkeep expenses,
she said. “Te horse is owned by an LLC [limited-liability
company, a type of corporation], which limits the liability
to individuals,” she explained.
Te operating agreement attempts to cover all potential
scenarios, ocrant said. “Te contract spells out how an owner gets out, if permitted. What happens if the horse dies or
gets sick? Will the horse be insured? Who makes the decision
to retire the horse, or that he will not go past a certain level?
Who makes the decision regarding whether to sell the horse?
Tat way, the horse can’t get sold out from under you.”
Te LLC is created in the desired state. it has a separate
bank account and its own tax iD number, ocrant said.
Finally, “My syndication contracts stipulate that investors may lose all or part of their investment—that horse
sports are risky,” ocrant said.
too many partners can make a syndicate unwieldy,
ocrant said. “i have never advised anyone to have over
twenty owners. typically it’s ten, but better more like fve.”
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in Hart’s case, Schroeter’s Romani is owned by a syndicate of three, one of whom is Hart herself. Hart recommended choosing investors “with similar philosophies of
riding, training, and so on.”
Syndication has its drawbacks—“it’s challenging because you’re accountable to a group. You lose the ability to
have sole control, and you must consider their opinions”—
but for an ambitious rider, the combined purchasing power
“broadens your options,” Hart said. “it’s also nice to be able
to share your competitive journey, and to be able to enjoy
the process with others.”
Corporate Sponsorship
the company culture, and dress accordingly; don’t outdress
whomever you’re meeting. and even though you’re there to
sell yourself, take an interest in them.”
even if the meeting doesn’t result in a deal, keep the person’s contact information on fle. “You never know when
you might meet them again along the way on the journey.”
equine-related businesses are the logical place to begin a
sponsorship search, but “don’t let yourself be confned solely
to equestrian people,” advised Hart, who counts Starbucks
among her sponsors. Hart, who started working as a parttime barista eight years ago, learned that the company has an
elite athlete Program. She applied and was successful “because i introduce them to the equestrian world,” she said.
if a business believes that you would make a good ambassador for its products or services, it may ofer you a sponsorship deal. agreements vary but tend to be product (e.g., “ten years from now,” said Mann to the roomful of twentya riding-wear company provides you with apparel) rather somethings, “some of you will be doing something other than
than cash—although there are exceptions, which we’ll get trying to make your way in the dressage world, riding horses
to in a minute.
all day. i guarantee it. Life happens. Change happens.”
Start your sponsorship quest by looking around your
Proving Mann’s point, equine marketer/journalist Chris
own barn. ask yourself: “What prodStaford shared her own story. “i had
ucts and services am i currently using?
my own yard in england,” said the nanever burn a bridge.
Which ones do i really like? Why?” said
tive of Great Britain, “and was producYou never know when somebody’s
allyn Mann, director of the animaling event horses when i started to have
health division for Luitpold Pharmaceugoing to come back around.
trouble with my back. one day, my life
ticals, maker of the equine joint-health
—Katherine Bateson-Chandler changed.”
product adequan.
Doctors told Staford, then in her
next, bone up on the details about
late twenties, that she had to stop ridyour favorites, Mann advised. Can you explain the prod- ing. “i was told i might not walk again, much less ride. i had
uct’s benefts and method of use? Can you articulate what to sell everything. [i asked myself ] ‘now what are you going
sets it apart from competitors? Familiarize yourself with the to do?’ it made me think i should have gone to college and
company. How long has it been in business? How has it, or fnished my education.”
its product or service oferings, changed over time? What
Luckily for Staford, an author friend encouraged her to
customer demographic is it trying to reach?
write and helped her network with publishers. Staford got a
Hart recommended waiting “until you have more to of- contract to write a book about conditioning horses, and its
fer” before you approach companies for sponsorship, espe- publication kick-started her career as an equestrian journalist.
cially the bigger fsh.
“Have something to fall back on just in case,” Staford
as Mann put it: “if it were your own money, would you advised. “Hopefully [the cause is] not your health, but cirspend it [on you]?”
cumstances change.”
if you’re fortunate enough to score a meeting with a
Te YR Grad Program speakers agreed that a life outpotential sponsor, “be prompt,” Mann advised. “Find out side the dressage arena is important, and not just as a career
Te Road Ahead
Digital Edition Bonus Content
Read para-equestrian dressage
competitor Rebecca Hart’s account
of her sponsorship in the Starbucks
Elite Athlete Program.
40 April 2016 • USDF ConneCtion
safety net.
“You need to create a lifestyle that is balanced,” said
dressage pro (and wife and new mom) Hilary Moore Hebert. “You need friends out of the industry, and partners
who are supportive of this crazy dressage thing.”
Speaking to the all-female audience, Hebert said, “You
have to think about your life goals—do you want to get married? Do you want kids?—early enough to make them hap-
Germany. “in this country, it often happens that young
people graduate from their young-rider career and think,
now what? all too often, these young people hang out their
shingle and start teaching and training.”
in fact, your dressage education may just be beginning,
traurig said. “Find a good mentor and stick with it. Be loyal and hard-working, and stick with good instruction. Find
one where horsemanship is applied to the highest standard
in the way the whole business is run—horsemanship toward
horses, service toward clients. Find a great teacher and role
model.” s
Acknowledgments
ON A DIFFERENT PATH: Chris Staford, formerly an event-horse
trainer, turned to journalism and marketing after an injury forced her
to stop riding
pen. You have to put as much work into your personal life as
you do into your professional life.” asked whether they are
concerned about how they’ll fnd a life partner and make
time for children, about half the participants said yes.
a career as a dressage professional is not for everyone,
said Katherine Bateson-Chandler. “Tis is a hard road. it’s
not an easy life. You can see that some people don’t want it
badly enough.”
a lifetime in the industry has taught even sponsored
riders like Bateson-Chandler—who took over the rides on
owner Jane Forbes Clark’s horses when Bateson-Chandler’s
mentor and former boss, olympian Robert Dover, hung up
his spurs—to keep their options open.
“i also have my own business,” said Bateson-Chandler.
“nothing’s forever, and you never know. You shouldn’t have
all your eggs in one basket. i see people who become very
complacent.”
For many pros, even a successful dressage career is a
juggling act between their own dreams and reality. “i have
international goals,” said Fei-level competitor and USDFcertifed instructor Jennifer Baumert. “i’m not [pursuing
them] right now, but i have to pay the bills.” in a way, Baumert said, a trainer can be the victim of her own success:
“You can have so many clients that there isn’t time for yourself—your own riding goals.”
“Never Stop Being a Student”
You may have “graduated” from Young Riders, but there’s
no end to one’s equestrian education, said olympian and
USeF national young-horse coach Christine traurig.
“never stop being a student,” said traurig, a native of
T
he USDF and the USEF are grateful to The
Dressage Foundation for funding support for
the 2016 Young Rider Graduate Program; to
sponsor Platinum Performance; and to USDF Youth
Programs
Committee
chair Rosalind
Kinstler.
Many
thanks to the
2016 speakers,
who gave of
their time to STORIES WITH A SMILE: Top rider/trainers
Katherine Bateson-Chandler and Jennifer
share their
Baumert were among those who shared career
experiences
advice at the YR Grad Program
and wisdom.
Watch future issues of USDF Connection for more
from the presenters.
Katherine Bateson-Chandler
Beth Baumert
Jennifer Baumert
Kim Boyer
Jennifer Bryant
Janet Foy
Lendon Gray
Hallye Griffn
Rebecca Hart
Hilary Moore Hebert
Stephan Hienzsch
Rosalind Kinstler
Kraig Kulikowski, DVM
Allyn Mann
Yvonne Ocrant
Endel Ots
Arlene “Tuny” Page
Kathie Robertson
Chris Stafford
Christine Traurig.
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