Coaching in Competition
Coach Status Requirements at Events
As part of the five-year Coach Status implementation, Licensed Coach Status is now required for coaching at all EC-sanctioned events. Recognizing that some coaches have not yet completed their EC Coach Status requirements, the EC Board has once again approved Temporary Coach Status for the 2024 show season.
Temporary Coaching Fees
Temporary coaching fees are applicable for anyone coaching at EC-sanctioned events without Licenced Coach Status. These fees have been imposed as a way to support those coaches that have completed their training and to encourage those that still need to begin or complete their coaching requirements.
As per the table above, individuals coaching at EC-sanctioned events that do not have a valid EC Coach Status are required to purchase a temporary status at the cost of $175 per event. Those with Registered Coach Status must temporarily upgrade their status at the cost of $50 per event.
All temporary Coach Status Purchases must be done online in advance of an event through your My-EC account.
All temporary coaching fees collected are 100% designated to funding coach education programs.
Need to Purchase a Temporary Coach Status?
Coach Status Validation
Competition organizers are required to validate that all coaches at EC-sanctioned competitions hold Licenced Coach Status or that they have purchased a Temporary Status for each event. They do so with password protected access to our coaches list on the EC Competition Organizer portal.
While Stewards also have the capability to check and validate Coach Status, it is not an expectation or requirement as their role and focus is on maintaining the safety and health and welfare of participants in and around the field of play.
**Please note that in 2025, all coaches at all levels of sanctioned shows must hold Licensed Coach Status and temporary coach status will not be available. We encourage those that haven’t, to start the process to get certified and licenced today!
Answering Your Questions:
There have been numerous questions that come up since the program began in 2021 and now have increased with the enforcement of verified Licenced Coach Status at EC-sanctioned events. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions below:
FAQ’s for Coaching at Events
No, you do not.
You are self-coached at an event if you do not have a coach that attends with you. All athletes regardless of age, sport licence type, or level of event are permitted to be self-coached.
Simply indicate ‘self’ in the coach field on an entry. Self-coaching does not require athletes to hold Coach Status nor to purchase a Temporary Coach Status and does not affect amateur status in any way.
A parent, family member or friend is only considered a coach if the definition as outlined in the Coach Status Program applies to their relationship.
Within the program, a coach refers to all individuals who provide instruction, coaching and/or training to human participants for the purpose of learning equestrianism.
A person helping an athlete in a non-coaching capacity – such as setting fences in a warm-up ring only as directed by the athlete, providing grooming services, or offering emotional-support – is not considered a coach and is not subject to EC Coach Status requirements.
Currently, the validation of Coach Status is not digital. EC-sanctioned events are manually verifying a coach’s status. If an athlete provides the name of a coach on their entry that does not hold the appropriate status (licensed, registered, or temporary) – then that coach will not be in compliance with EC rules and consequences will be determined for both coach and rider including point invalidation or enforcement of not in good standing status and not be permitted to participate.
If someone is found to have provided false information on their entry form, their points from the event in question may be invalidated. Example: An athlete indicates on their entry that they are self-coached, but in fact are being coached by an individual that does not hold the required credentials for the event.
