Volunteer Corner: The Role of the Ring Stewards

by Erin Kinghill

I would like to start with a shout out to the amazing volunteers that ensured the first schooling show of the season was a success. Thanks to Amy Branstine, Windy Warnick, Mollie Dawson, Michael Mosier, Elizabeth Hess, Mo Chase, Caitlin Austin, Ann Quinn, Rachelle Phillips, Heidi Rice, and Kati Brunn. These are the volunteers that made the IDS schooling show on May 12^th happen. We couldn’t have it done it without you!

For those who have never volunteered…ever wanted to be an air traffic controller? Well, being a ring steward volunteer could fulfill this wish! For IDS shows there are generally three ring stewards: one for the warm up ring and one for each of the two competition rings.

As a ring steward volunteer, here are the tasks you will be performing:

Warm Up Ring Stewards. All riders entering the warm-up arena will report in to you. Actively let riders know when they are “on deck” (meaning that they are the next to go into the arena) by listening to the announcer state who is entering the competition arena. Sometimes riders won’t realize that their official time can change from when it is mailed to them vs. day sheet you are given, so your updated information will be valuable to them. Warm-up stewards use a system to keep track of riders when they report in—such as a check next to their names—and when they leave for the show ring—such as putting a line through the entire name. If a rider isn’t appearing who should, the warm-up steward would call the office on their radio to see if the rider has scratched or if an announcement needs to be made to find them and get them into the warm up ring.

 

Show Ring Stewards. Like in warm-up, the show ring stewards use a system to note on their day sheet when a rider has reported in and when they have entered the show arena. Tell riders whether a bell or a whistle will be used for their arena and let them know that they can enter the arena as soon as the rider before them does their final halt-salute. When you see that final halt-salute, tell the rider that it is okay to enter the arena. You will then communicate the rider’s number and arena to the show office over the walkie-talkie once they enter the arena (e.g. “Rider #4 entering Arena 1”). This responsibility gets a little more complex for recognized shows as there are additional responsibilities of performing checks on bits, spurs and whips.

As a rider and show participant, here is what you can do to help these wonderful volunteers and ensure the show goes smoothly for everyone (yourself included). When you arrive at the show, check your ride times; they may have changed from what you received in the mail. When you enter the warm-up ring, make sure to check in with the warm-up ring steward and tell them your name, the name of your horse, your ride time. If you want to be especially nice, add which ring you will be showing in! When you get to your show ring, check in with the show ring steward. In a recognized show, if you are identified for an equipment check, please be understanding and patient. Above all, be sure to thank the volunteers!

I hope this provides you with an understanding of the role of the ring stewards and educates you as a rider. Please consider volunteering to help make the show a success for everyone!