One of the most asked questions that I receive as the chair of the Junior Committee is, "How do I switch from riding as a sponsored junior to riding as a senior?"

Actually the switchover is pretty easy. First, you have to be at least 14 years of age and have ridden at least 500 AERC-sanctioned miles. Once you have met that criteria, your parent or guardian needs to write a letter to the AERC office requesting permission to ride unsponsored, thereby moving you up to the senior division and requiring you to choose a weight division. The AERC office will then send you a letter granting permission to ride unsponsored and will assign you to the requested senior weight division. The letter grants permission to ride unsponsored for one season only, and must be renewed annually. Please note: The unsponsored junior must provide a copy of the letter from AERC for each ride he or she enters.

Should I contact the ride manager? The main thing that one needs to remember is that it is the responsibility of the rider and/or parent to contact each ride manager prior to the ride to see if the RM will allow them to ride unsponsored. Even if you have permission from AERC to ride unsponsored, ride managers have the right to refuse you entry as an unsponsored junior-age rider.

What about my points if I'm refused entry unless I ride sponsored? Since AERC only allows you to ride in one division, you will still remain in your specific weight division (feather, light, middle, or heavy), but you will need to be sponsored by an adult as stated in AERC rule 10.4.

Should I switch? Certainly this is a subject that comes up all the time. On one hand it sure is nice to have an adult with you, not only for companionship, but just in case something goes wrong. Also remember that the junior division of AERC isn't all that big, so you'll be competing against a smaller number of riders for various forms of recognition. On the other hand, as a mother (and sponsor) of junior-age daughters who ride alone all the time here on the ranch -- from conditioning horses to moving cows -- I know that my daughters have enough miles and ability to handle most situations and feel that they can ride alone at a ride.

This year was especially difficult for us because I was injured in May and couldn't sponsor my daughter, Jennifer, as planned. She had enough miles and was old enough to ride alone, but wanted to stay in the junior division one more year. So this summer, we had to find sponsors for her at the rides we attended. Fortunately, it wasn't difficult, but it sure could have been.

It is a personal decision within the family when deciding whether to move your child up to the senior division. Weighing factors of riding ability, maturity of rider, dependability of the equine mount, and difficulty of the ride are all things that need to be taken into account. It isn't something to be taken lightly.

Listed below are the rules pertaining to juniors. Take the time to read through them and familiarize yourself with them.

10. All Junior riders in both full and Limited Distance rides, whether they are AERC members or not, must be accompanied by a competent adult (21 years or older) sponsor throughout the competition. Junior and Sponsor must ride together at all times, including entering and leaving all vet checks at the same time; the only exception being that at the finish a Junior may finish within the same minute or within the one minute on either side of the sponsor's finishing minute.

10.1 A Junior is a rider who was under the age of 16 as of the first day of the ride season in which the ride is held.

10.1.1 All Juniors, sponsored or un-sponsored, must wear approved safety helmets (Approval by AHSA, PCA, ANSIZ90.4, or Snell).

10.2 Junior riders may participate in AERC competition only with the written consent of a parent or guardian. This consent shall imply:

10.2a. Acceptance of all AERC rules, particularly the ability of a Junior to substitute a sponsor during a ride as allowed by AERC rules and regulations; and,

10.2b. Prior consent to any emergency medical treatment or aid.

10.3 An AERC member 14 years or older who has completed 500 miles or more in the AERC rider mileage program may ride un-sponsored, but will compete in the senior division.

10.3.1 Such un-sponsored young rider must have on file in the AERC office a letter by parent or guardian which consents to and requests un-sponsored status.

10.3.2 The AERC office will then provide a letter for this un-sponsored young rider verifying 500 miles in AERC rider mileage program, which letter must be presented to ride management at check-in or earlier.

10.3.3 Management may choose not to honor the "un-sponsored young rider" concept and require all persons under 16 years of age to have sponsors. 10.4 The sponsor must be a competent adult (21 years or older) and must be duly entered as a competitor in the event and sponsorship must be documented on the Junior entry form complete with sponsor signature, at the time sponsorship begins.

10.4.1 Junior and/or sponsor normally may suspend their sponsorship agreement only at regular stated checks and then only with the knowledge and consent of ride management, and management's documentation of the change when it occurs.

10.4.1.1 Sponsorships may change between checks only in the event that either competitor or either competitor's mount is unable to continue safely to a checkpoint.

10.4.1.2 In the event of an emergency and in order to remain in competition, the Junior who is in last place and whose pre-registered sponsor is pulled, and there are no other qualified sponsors to follow, the Junior may be sponsored by an un-entered qualified rider through the completion of the ride, with ride management and ride veterinarian approval. He would receive last place junior points. This emergency sponsor will receive no credit for mileage or points. The Junior may also be sponsored by an adult on foot from the last veterinary check with the approval of ride management.

10.5 Infraction of the sponsorship shall result in either the sponsor and/or the Junior being disqualified.

10.6 AERC points must be submitted and recorded per the above regulations independent of ride managementŐs local ride rules governing Junior and Senior riders.