It’s a dream for any equestrian to experience the CHIO Aachen, the World Equestrian Festival – for athletes, fans, and yes, for licensed officials, too. This year, Aachen will be even more special, hosting the World Championships for six FEI disciplines. 

“One truly cannot appreciate the scale and scope of CHIO Aachen until you experience it first-hand,” said Jon Kreitz, who traveled to the event as a licensed official in 2024. “The opening ceremony in the main stadium was attended by 50,000 people and broadcast live on German television, where it was seen by millions. The dressage stadium seats 6,300 and it was packed for the CDIO5* Grand Prix Freestyle.  

“It’s truly special.”  

Kreitz got his first pony when he was six and competed sporadically but has ridden throughout his life. He also took on the role of horse show husband to his wife, pitching in as she competed for over 20 years. The more shows he attended, the more interested he became in the process, which led him to become an official. Kreitz started as a USEF Dressage Technical Delegate (TD) and now splits his time between working as a TD and a FEI Dressage and Para Dressage Steward. He has served on the USEF board as an independent director since 2021. 

“They can be very long days, but when you’re working with other great people it’s fun and fulfilling,” he said. “And we’re doing it to help the sport. That’s the reason I do all this—for the sport. We look after the safety and welfare of the horses and help ensure each competition is fair and equal for all. That means we’re helping take care of the horses as well as the competitors and the management. All three pieces need to have successful, positive experiences."  

After nearly 38 years in the U.S. Navy, Kreitz still jumps at the chance to expand his horizons by traveling, so when he heard that there was a way for U.S.-based FEI officials to be part of the team at Aachen two seasons ago, he leapt at it. The FEI offers an exchange program for FEI-licensed officials from different countries to travel abroad to watch, learn, and officiate away from home.  

“We are all enforcing the same rules, the same procedures, the same policies. But the beauty of traveling is you may see some people do things slightly differently,” he said.  

In 2024, the FEI offered grants to Kreitz and fellow FEI Steward, FEI Judge, USEF C1 Steward, and USEF Jumper Judge Jean Bonsall to travel to Aachen for the Championships.  

Bonsall had been to Europe before, but never as an official. She competed as a junior and later became a groom known for her willingness to work with tough horses. After an injury sidelined her, she turned her attention to officiating as a way to stay involved in the sport she loved so much.  

Bonsall also appreciated the chance to see the same work through a different lens.  

“It was good to get out of the U.S. and see that it’s not much different, but it is different, if that makes sense,” Bonsall said. “The job itself is the same. Their scheduling is a bit different. They deal with public relations more than we have to here, for sure.”  

Bonsall noted that the larger, dedicated audience at Aachen meant that there were fans (and eyes) everywhere. While she’s seen spectators at the schooling area at American events, she noticed fans at Aachen would spend much more time there, prioritizing the need for oversight outside the field of play.  

Both Bonsall and Kreitz took note of the way show management approached public concerns about equine welfare, which extended to conversations officials had with each other and with exhibitors about keeping to the rules and being aware of their impact on social license to operate.  

All of this experience is designed to benefit officials by giving them more tools and perspectives with which to do their work – which, in turn, benefits U.S. athletes and horses, too.   

For Bonsall and Kreitz, the FEI exchange program is what made the journey possible. The daily pay rate for officials abroad is often relatively small, as many have full-time jobs and work at shows as a side gig. That meant she had to weigh not just the expense of travel and the differential in daily pay, but also the opportunity cost of not working the event she would have attended at home. 

Now, US Equestrian officials will have even more opportunities to offset the costs of experiences that enhance their knowledge base. 

The US Equestrian licensed official grant program launched in 2022 to reduce financial barriers for both national and FEI officials to complete application requirements related to a new license application, or a license promotion, by offsetting associated costs. In 2025, the Federation awarded grants totaling $35,500 to 75 licensed official applicants to support the development of new licensed officials and current officials working towards a license promotion.  

In 2026, grants to licensed officials will be offered in multiple categories, including:  

• General grants that will be considered based on the competition environment’s need for more officials or higher-level officials 

• U35 grants provide an opportunity to support individuals under the age of 35 to become a licensed official or apply for a promotion 

• A third kind of grant is now available specifically for FEI officials to take advantage of opportunities outside the U.S., like the FEI grant Bonsall and Kreitz utilized two years ago 

Applicants are encouraged to think creatively and apply for competition and clinic experiences that would not normally be available to them due to financial barriers.  

If you’re interested in applying for a grant, the application and complete list of grant requirements are available through the LO Grant Application tile on the LO Dashboard here. The deadline for the 2026 grant application has been extended to March 2, 2026. Questions may be directed to the Licensed Officials Department at [email protected].