The word ‘steward’ gets used a lot in connection with equestrian competitions: ring stewards, in-gate stewards, phase stewards. The Oxford Dictionary defines the noun, “steward” as, “one who supervises arrangements or keeps order.”
In the spring of 2013, I was on my way to a cross-country warmup when a friend mentioned he was headed to Kentucky to take a course to become an FEI Steward. “You should sign up – you’d be good at it,” he told me. To be honest, I had no idea what an FEI Steward was or did. Six weeks later, I found myself in a classroom with about 20 other candidates taking part in one of the first FEI Eventing Steward courses in the U.S. Apprenticeship and application followed, and I received my FEI Eventing Steward license effective January 1, 2014.
Six months after that, I was the Chief Steward at the Stuart Horse Trials. Since that time, I have been privileged to officiate at two FEI World Championships (Tryon 2018 and Pratoni 2022), both CCI5*-L competitions in the U.S., and most of the major events across the country. In 2019, I took two trips to Emerald Isle to steward at Tattersalls and Millstreet. I am also an FEI Show Jumping Steward and an FEI Combined Driving Steward. In August of 2024 I was appointed FEI Eventing Steward General for the United States.
In my spare time, I am an active competitor at the Advanced (3*) level in Combined Driving with my partner, Clarwood Mack the Knife, a 13.2 hand Welsh cob. We won the 2018 North American Intermediate Championship and in 2023 won the USEF Advanced Single Pony National Championship finishing 23rd in the world. I also groom for my husband who events at the lower levels and occasionally my son who has shifted from eventing to jumpers.
It is safe to say I have a very good idea of what an FEI steward is now! We are licensed officials who oversee competitors when they are not on the field of play. This includes warmups, in the barns, schooling, and on the gallops. We do the equipment checks, are the go-to for permitted tack and equipment, and ensure a level playing field so that every competitor has the same opportunity to excel. We function as the eyes and ears of the Ground Jury and the Technical Delegates. We are the first officials to arrive in the morning, have the most interface with competitors, and are frequently the last to leave.
Stewards are the only FEI officials to have a motto - “Help, Prevent, Intervene.” Eventing stewards in the U.S. work hard to implement that motto. Stewards are there to help competitors, prevent actions that might incur penalties, and intervene when necessary for the safety and welfare of horses and athletes.
Consistency and good communication are two areas we as stewards are working hard to improve upon. Given the complexity of the FEI eventing rules (which encompass not one, but five FEI rule books) my goals as Steward General include increasing and refining communication so that U.S. Stewards have access to the latest information and interpretation of ever-changing regulations. We are striving for a uniform application of the rules across the board.
Stewarding is a rewarding job! I have enjoyed very much getting to know our athletes around the country and it’s a real thrill to see them do well and accomplish their goals. Recruitment to fill the pipeline with new stewards is a third goal of mine. If you feel stewarding is something you’d like to look into, please feel free to contact me for further information.