What Does a Show Steward Do?

I steward IEA and IHSA shows on a regular basis, and at least once per weekend someone asks me what exactly I do. I think its easy for people to understand what the judge does, but the steward's job seems to be a little more of a mystery, especially for non - riding parents and some younger competitors. So for this week's blog I decided to go straight to the IEA rule book and list the qualifications and duties of a show steward.

Job Title--Show Steward

I have been called a ring steward (which is the person at western or open shows who stands inside the arena with the judge recording class placings and radioing the announcer), that woman at the in-gate (i.e. Can I use a crop on Sparky?  I don't know, go ask that woman at the in-gate), and my personal favorite, "stewardess" (which always brings to mind those iconic airline employees of the 1960s, precursors to modern day flight attendants. I can't walk in high heels here on earth, much less 10,000 feet up while serving food and drinks, lol).

A show steward is not a ring steward, not the in-gate person, and not a flight attendant. So what am I?  

(text in italics is from the current IEA rule book)

Who can be a steward?

An IEA Steward must be twenty-one (21) years of age, an IEA member in good standing (coach or contributing member), and must have read and fully understand the Rules and Regulations of IEA, and the supporting organizations in accordance with Rule 1700 USEF and IHSA and holds any one of the following qualifications:

1. Licensed USEF steward for Hunter/Jumper disciplines; or
2. Current IEA Board Member or employee; or
3. IEA Member coach, in good standing, whose team is not, and members of the coach’s team are not, otherwise participating in the competition; or
4. IHSA member coach, in good standing, who is not otherwise participating in the competition.

I am a contributing member of the IEA who also meets the second and fourth qualifications. I am a current IEA board member and IHSA coach.

A Show Steward not meeting qualification criteria outlined in items 1 - 4 in Rule 6501 may be used only with prior written consent from coaches of teams participating in that region. Unless they are on the Region or Zone pre-approved list, a steward not meeting qualification criteria must be approved every time she/he is to be hired.

If I didn't meet one of the four qualifications above, I could petition to steward shows by getting written consent from team coaches.

How many stewards do you need?

A Regular IEA Point Show must have at least one (1) qualified Show Steward as defined in Rule 6501.  The Show Steward should not be affiliated with the Event Host or host facility. If a ruling relates to a horse provided by a Show Steward, other Show Stewards or the Judge will cast the deciding vote. 

Regional Finals, Zone Finals and National Finals shall have at least two (2) qualified Show Stewards. Both The National Steward or Associate National Steward should be present at National Finals.

I steward regular point shows multiple times a year.  At these shows I am own my own as steward.  I also regularly steward regional and zone finals alongside one other qualified steward.  

I don't usually provide horses for the shows I steward (mine work hard enough in my IHSA program), but if I did, the judge would cast the deciding vote on a stewarding decision involving one of my horses.

What exactly does the steward do?

Show Stewards serve to interpret the IEA Rules and Regulations. Steward’s duties include, but are not restricted to the following:

1. Protect the interests of exhibitors, judges and show management.
2. Investigate and act upon any alleged rule violations without waiting for a protest.
3. Report to the show committee any misrepresentation or substitution of entry without waiting for a protest
4. Ascertain that all judges are recognized in the divisions to which assigned.
5. Post warm-up pattern for over fences classes.
6. Report to the show committee any violation of the Rules and proffer charges against the violator if not otherwise properly handled.
7.  Permit re-rides, under specific conditions, as agreed upon by the show and stable management, or as allowed by these Rules.
8.  Determine, under extenuating circumstances or extreme unfairness to one or more exhibitors, if a class should be rerun.
9. Supervise the schooling of horses. Supervise or appoint a designee for the drawing of horses.
10. Determine the suitability of rider to horse, rider to class, and horse to class level. 
11. Stop a class in the event a horse or rider should be considered unsafe. 
12. Fill out and return to the IEA Membership Secretary and Zone Administrator within forty-eight (48) hours of the show an official IEA Show Steward Report

If you asked me to summarize what I do in one sentence, I would say the steward's job is to ensure that the horse show runs in accordance with IEA rules and that every rider is given a fair shot.

A more detailed explanation of my job:
I supervise the morning schooling, making sure all the horses are safe, sound, and placed into the appropriate showing division.

I oversee the draw, ensuring that it is done randomly, that the classes are split evenly, and that riders draw horses that are appropriate for their height and weight.

I speak at the coaches meeting, going over the warm up course and re-ride request procedure, confirming the spur/crop assignment for each horse, and answering any specific questions before the show begins.

I watch every single rider as they complete their fence course and observe every flat class to make informed and educated decisions on re-ride requests.

I am part of a committee that determines the recipient of the sportsmanship award at regular season shows.

Sportsmanship Award - The EHC of each regular IEA sanctioned show (a.k.a. the host team) will award a“Sportsmanship Award” to be chosen by a majority vote of the judge, steward and a designated, but undisclosed, member of the show committee selected by the show steward. The award should be given to the rider who, during the course of the show and competition, best demonstrated the true meaning of sportsmanship.

Behind the scenes, I make sure the judge is licensed, investigate any potential administrative rule violations, and end my day by filling out a detailed steward report documenting the events of the show from my point of view.

What the steward doesn't do:

One task that is not the steward's responsibility is actually running the rings. It is the host team's responsibility to provide mounting area and schooling area supervisors and in-gate crew to get riders mounted, schooled, and into the show ring.  

You will occasionally hear the steward calling for riders to mount or ushering riders into the ring, but we stewards do this because we want to help keep the show running (and we tend to have a degree of authority that coaches and riders pay attention to), not because it's in our job description.

In conclusion...

I think stewarding horse shows is a pretty sweet gig. I do, of course, have to make some tough decisions, but overall I really enjoy interacting with the coaches and riders, getting to know the judges, and observing the horses. I learn so much from watching and listening that I can apply to my horses and IHSA team back home.  

I also think it's fun to watch riders as they go through their IEA career. I've been a show steward for nine years now and have seen multiple riders begin their IEA journey in middle school, progress through high school, then go on to ride on a college team.  Some of them even end up on my IHSA team. :-)

Show steward considering a re-ride request.
Photo credit Doug Dershimer

Amanda Garner is an Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA), Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA), and Georgia Hunter Jumper Association (GHJA) steward, schooling show judge, head coach of the University of North Georgia IHSA Equestrian Team, and owner of Epiphany Farm, LLC in Dahlonega, Georgia. She is also the author of "A Parent's Guide to the Interscholastic Equestrian Association."

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Thanks! -- Amanda