Organizing a Competition

We can make your show organizing experience a little bit easier by providing resources and education to ensure a safe, fun, and fair competition for all.

Getting started

There are numerous things to consider when hosting a competition. What classes will you offer? Do you have the right insurance? Who will officiate? Do you have adequate facilities? Which dates will be optimal?

Every show has a competition organizer, or manager, who is responsible for the conduct of the show, and therefore, must be an AEF member.

Before you begin planning a show, please review the Emergency Preparedness Plan .

What does it mean to be sanctioned?

It’s not mandatory to sanction a horse show, however, there are real benefits for competition organizers who choose to go this route. By using AEF or EC accredited officials, you can ensure competitors are receiving fair judging, competing on courses designed with safety in mind, and that AEF/EC rules are being followed. Note that EC officials are prohibited from officiating an unsanctioned show, (excluding General Performance, Western, or Breed officials).

Safety is the primary concern in equestrian sport, and by sanctioning your competition, you confirm that the show staff, officials, volunteers, and your participants have the correct insurance in place if an incident were to take place.

Organizing a sanctioned competition ensures a complete risk management plan is in place.

Sanctioning Benefits For Organizers

Benefits of sanctioning include (depending on what type of sanctioning):

1. Free promotional opportunities
2. Safety for show organizers, officials, volunteers, and participants
3. Equine medication/drug testing
4. Defined rules for everyone
5. Carded/verified officials
6. Rider and organizer incentives
7. Results reporting
8. Year-end awards (EC)

How to sanction your show

Sanctioning your show is easy!

Step One:

Decide if your competition is going to be sanctioned through EC or Wild Rose/AEF. Sanctioning levels are determined by the amount of prize money and types of classes you will be offering. Please refer to EC General Regulations , starting on page seven to determine which EC level your show falls under.

We sanction Wild Rose competitions and EC Bronze and Silver competitions (except horse trials, vaulting, and endurance).

EC Sanctions all horse trials competitions, EC Platinum or Gold competitions, and EC Silver or Bronze competitions that are running concurrently with a Gold competition.

The table below outlines which shows are administered through the EC office and the AEF office:

Step Two:

Fill out the corresponding application form and submit with payment.
Wild Rose Sanctioning applications can be found and submitted online here:

Sanctioning a Wild Rose CompetitionWild Rose Competitions Page.

Applications must be received no later than 14 days prior to competition or be subject to a late fee).

Equestrian Canada Show Sanctioning Application (submit Bronze/Silver here, submit Gold/Platinum here.

See here for more information regarding EC sanctioning requirements.

Applications must be received no later than 60 days prior to day one of competition.

Step Three:

Have your insurance company fill out the applicable insurance certificate and submit to the appropriate office:

Horse Show Certificate of Insurance (AEF)

Horse Show Certificate of Insurance (EC)

Step Four:

Submit your prize list – this is your list of classes offered at the show, accompanied by your entry form.

Submit your prize list approval form, completed by the steward or technical delegate (EC Bronze/Silver shows only).

Submit your Guest Card application (Wild Rose shows only).

This form is only required for non-certified officials or EC Senior officials in order to officiate a Wild Rose sanctioned show.

Step Five:

For Wild Rose, EC Bronze or EC Silver competitions, AEF will follow up with the show certificate and post-show forms.

For EC Gold or Platinum shows a member of Equestrian Canada will be in touch.

Wild Rose sanctioned competitions are required to return the post-show forms to the AEF office within 10 days of competition completion. Post-show forms can be accessed here:

Sanctioning a Wild Rose CompetitionWild Rose Competitions Page

(AEF) Late Fee

Sanctioning applications must be received a minimum of 14 days prior to the start of competitions. Any applications received less than 14 days will be subject to a late fee of $150.00.

(AEF) Cancellation Policy

No refunds will be given to competitions cancelled within 14 days of the first day of competition.

Competition organization requirements

• Competition organizer must be an AEF member.
• Competition must use AEF accredited officials or EC officials to be approved by the AEF.
• Show organizers may choose an unaccredited, but knowledgeable individual as their official, however, they must provide validation of experience and submit a guest card fee.
• Proof of commercial general liability insurance to be in full force and effect to a minimum of $2 million.
• Medic/emergency personnel must be on site (First Aid/CPR trained).
• Maximum level of classes as per AEF discipline guidelines.
• Competition report and post-show forms are due within 10 days after the last day of the competition.
• Notice that the show is Wild Rose sanctioned is mandatory in the prize list.
• View and print the full Wild Rose Rulebook for all disciplines