A person becomes a professional, for horse, mule, and donkey show purposes, if he or she engages in any of the following activities:
- Accepts remuneration, for riding, driving, showing in halter, training, schooling or conducting clinics or seminars.
- Accepts remuneration for giving instruction in equitation or horse, mule, or donkey training. This includes leasing.
- Accepts remuneration for employment in another capacity (i.e., secretary, bookkeeper, veterinary, groom, farrier) and rides, drives, shows in halter, trains or schools horses, mules, donkeys, or gives instructions when his employer or a member of the family of said employer, owns, boards, or trains said horse, mule, or donkey.
- Accepts remuneration for the use of his name, photograph, or other form of personal association as a horseman or mule person in connection with any advertisement or article to be sold.
- Accepts prize money in equitation or showmanship classes.
- Rides, drives, or shows in halter at a horse, mule, or donkey show, any horse, mule, or donkey for which he or a member of his family accepts remuneration for boarding or training.
- Gives instruction to any person or rides, drives or shows in halter at any horse, mule, or donkey show, any horse, mule, or donkey whose activity another person in his family, or corporation which a member of his family controls, will receive remuneration.
- The following shall not affect the amateur status of a person who is otherwise qualified.
- Writing of books or articles pertaining to horses, mules or donkeys.
- Accepting remuneration for judging or stewarding.
- Accepting reimbursement for expenses without profit.
- Accepting a small token of appreciation other than money, for riding. driving, or showing in halter. (Horses’, mules’, donkeys’, board, partial support, or objects of more than $300.00, are considered remuneration, not small tokens of appreciation.)
- Having the occupation of veterinarian, groom, farrier or owning a tack shop or breeding or boarding stables in itself, does not affect the amateur status of a person who is otherwise qualified. Employment by Dude Ranch, Guest Ranch, Pack Station (excluding packing), or Racing Stable does not affect amateur status as long as employee does not train animals or give lessons. Exercising horses/mules or leading trail rides does not affect amateur status. When applying, if there is a question it may be reviewed by the AMA on a case by case basis.