Why USEF Lite?
We understand that not all competitors want to point to championships or accumulate points – and that’s ok! Many equestrians do want to compete in a regulated environment with rules and policies that support safety and welfare for equestrians and their horses, but don’t want to spend a lot of money to do it. That’s where USEF Lite comes in.
USEF Lite was developed as an accessible competition product for organizers and participants who wish to “test drive” hosting and participating in a USEF Licensed Competition. Importantly, this program allows organizers to offer events at smaller venues and potentially lower expenses for local equestrians who prefer that option.
The purpose of USEF Lite is to promote and grow the competition environment. It offers competitors a lower-cost way to show in a more relaxed environment that may better align with their priorities. It provides organizers of new, smaller, or formerly unlicensed competitions across the national breeds and disciplines with an entry point to the Licensed Competition environment by offering discounted fees, fewer barriers to entry, and all the resources USEF can offer to competition managers – a managed rulebook, staff dedicated to managing regulations investigations, licensed officials with continuing education requirements, and horse welfare standards. The program allows organizers to establish and grow their competitions under the USEF framework of organized sport with a goal of transitioning those to Regular competitions after three consecutive years of use if desired.
USEF Lite Competition Eligibility
Competitions for breeds or disciplines that are eligible for a Local License may apply to host a USEF Lite competition if it:
1) has never been previously licensed by the Federation;
2) has not been licensed by the Federation in the past three years;
3) has operated exclusively as a USEF Lite competition in any of the past three years; or
4) does not meet any of the three prior eligibility requirements, and it is granted an exemption at the sole discretion of the Federation’s Chief Executive Officer.
Competition Management Savings
- Discounted application fee: The USEF Lite license application fee is $50 (a $50 savings from the Regular license application fee) and the $1.50 per horse fee is waived for USEF Lite licensed competitions.
**Note: USEF has waived the application fee for the 2026 competition year**
- Licensed Officials: Management has more flexibility regarding who they can hire as officials:
- Either a fully licensed Steward/TD OR
- Someone enrolled and currently pursuing a USEF Steward/TD license who has completed the Designated Applicant Training
- USEF Lite Grant: There is a grant program in place to assist competition organizers who choose to utilize an Applicant Steward/TD to officiate at their competition OR help offset the costs associated with obtaining the required Qualified Medical Personnel.
**Click here for more information and to access the grant application**
- Financial support: Additional financial support is provided through access to Competition Manager Perks which provides discounts on products and services, such as Electronic Vet, Horseshoe Greetings, Big Ass Fans, and Office Depot.
Savings for Exhibitors
- Exhibitors do not pay USEF participation fees such as: Administrative, Drugs & Medication fees, etc., however, drug testing may still occur, and all participants are subject to the applicable D&M rules ensuring a fair playing field.
- Exhibitors are not required to be USEF or breed/discipline affiliate members, unless signing the entry blank as Trainer/Coach, nor pay show pass fees.
Membership is required for those seeking HOTY points.
Additional Benefits for USEF Lite Competitions
- USEF Safe Sport: Participants in a USEF Lite competition will be under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Center for Safe Sport and will be subject to the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code and USEF Safe Sport Policy and afforded all related protections. For more information, click here.
- Regulatory function: A USEF Lite competition will be granted access to the Federation’s regulatory functions at no additional cost, which can assist organizers in enforcing rules and dealing with non-payment of competition fees (i.e., collection of bounced checks and declined credit cards).
- Mileage boundary: There is a 50-mile boundary protection to ensure a competition is not competing for exhibitors with another nearby licensed competition.
- Staff support: USEF staff support is always a call or email away to assist when questions arise before, during, and/or after a show.
Horse Microchipping for Lite Competitions
Microchipping requirements for USEF Lite shows are the same as the requirements at licensed competitions. Microchips allow veterinarians to reliably identify horses in a biosecurity outbreak or weather emergency. Please review the Microchip FAQ webpage.
For more information about USEF Lite, please see below for additional resources. For other questions and general inquiries, please email the USEF Lite Information contact: [email protected].