# CHA certification and horse shows



## ridetolive4862 (Sep 14, 2013)

I may have to opportunity to attend a CHA clinic and become CHA a CHA certified instructor for a summer camp job. I was researching CHA certification and somewhere along the lines I ran across a post that said if you are CHA certified you can only compete at Open and Professional levels. Currently I do not compete, but might in college. I don't want this certification opportunity to get in the way of future competitions I might enter. I am also not very clear on what the different levels of showing are so if someone could explain that and if certification will have a huge effect on my future competing that would be great.


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## albertaeventer (Feb 5, 2013)

Technically once you accept any kind of renumeration for riding, training, or coaching, you are considered a professional and must show in open and pro classes, regardless of your level of riding/showing experience/etc. Now depending on what discipline and where you show, this can either work for or against you. For smaller and local shows, you may find that the open and pro classes are very small, compared to the amateur divisions. Or if you are competing on national circuits, this is where you may to find yourself in a larger class with many big name riders. 

So it just depends what you want to do. If you plan on doing shows later on where you really would want to keep your ammy status, then I would hold off.

I know you didn't ask for opinions directly on the CHA course, but in my experience it's not the most helpful certification you can have. It's so easy and accessible for just about anyone to get, so it's not held in very high regard. Just about anyone could take the "clinic" and then call themselves and instructor. Better than nothing I guess, but probably not going to help much if you are planning to get a job instructing at a larger barn or want to do more and progress later on. I personally would do lots of research before doing anything, to find what would be the best for you in your situation.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I know of coaches/trainers who've received remuneration for years yet show in Amateur at AQHA shows. One fellow seems to think that if the horse belongs to his father that he is not going to get caught.


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## ridetolive4862 (Sep 14, 2013)

Thanks, well seeing as my employer didn't respond to my email, I don't think it's going to happen, unless she decides I should do it right before summer starts, in which case I won't be able to do it.

I'm not all that impressed by CHA. The only reason I would do it is because it's better than nothing and it would be paid for by my employer.


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