American Endurance Ride Conference

What American Endurance Ride Conference does

American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1972 and headquartered in Auburn, California. It functions as the national governing body for endurance riding in the United States, sanctioning rides that range from 25 miles to 100-plus miles and enforcing standardized rules, veterinary controls, and a drug testing regime administered in partnership with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. AERC maintains the official records system for rider and horse mileage, awards, and standings, and runs flagship competitions including the National Championship Ride and the Young Rider Championship.

The organization's product surface comprises membership tiers (standard and Gold), the Green Bean Endurance onboarding program for riders under 1,000 AERC miles, the AERC Mileage Challenge, the Trail Master Program, research grants for equine welfare, the Endurance News magazine, and an annual convention. Underlying technology is a member database used to track mileage, standings, and official records; no proprietary platform, algorithms, or AI capabilities are described. AERC monetizes through annual and multi-year membership dues, event sanctioning and ride registration fees, equine registration and transfer fees, merchandise sales, donations, and the $15-per-season Green Bean program, with a community-led go-to-market model that relies on regional mentors, local clubs, and word-of-mouth referrals. Strategic partnerships with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service secure access to federal public lands for sanctioned rides.

Name

American Endurance Ride Conference

Legal name

American Endurance Ride Conference

Website

https://aerc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) is the 501(c)(3) national governing body for endurance riding in the United States, sanctioning rides, maintaining official rider and horse records, and serving individual equestrian members through membership programs and educational resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Auburn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual and multi-year membership fees provide recurring revenue. Various membership tiers exist including standard membership, Gold membership, and special categories for veterinarians/control judges at $45/year.
2. Event Sanctioning and Registration: Revenue generated from sanctioning endurance rides across the United States and collecting registration fees for AERC-organized events including the National Championship Ride and Young Rider Championship.
3. Equine Registration and Transfer Fees: Fees charged for registering horses in the AERC system and processing equine ownership transfers.
4. Merchandise and Store: Sale of AERC-branded merchandise through the online store, including promotional items and educational materials.
5. Green Bean/Canned Bean Program: $15 per season membership program for new riders (under 1,000 miles) and experienced riders (over 1,000 miles) providing access to contests, prizes, and camaraderie.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AERC is the national governing body for endurance riding in the United States, sanctioning competitive rides of 25 to 100+ miles and providing standardized rules, veterinary controls, and official mileage records. The organization sells individual memberships (including Gold, Green Bean, and Veterinary/Control Judge tiers) and produces supporting programs such as the National Championship Ride, Young Rider Championship, Mileage Challenge, Trail Master Program, Endurance News magazine, Certified Control Judge examination, and annual convention.

Product overview

American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1972 as the national governing body for endurance riding. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of programs including competitive endurance riding events (with distances from 25 to 100 miles), membership tiers (including Gold Membership and Green Bean Endurance for new riders), the annual National Championship Ride and Young Rider Championship, research grants supporting equine welfare studies, veterinary certification programs (Certified Control Judge), and educational resources including the Trail Master Program and Annual Convention. The organization also publishes the Endurance News Magazine and maintains official records of rider and horse mileage through its membership system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Endurance News Magazine

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAERC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bureau of Land Management to support equestrian trails on BLM-managed public lands. This partnership facilitates access to trails for endurance riding events and supports trail preservation efforts.
• U.S. Forest Service (USFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAERC maintains an MOU with the U.S. Forest Service to support equestrian access on national forests. The partnership includes guidance for ride managers on obtaining five-year permits for rides on Forest Service land.
• Arabian Horse AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAHA sponsors AERC events and programs, supporting the endurance riding community. The partnership provides mutual visibility between the Arabian horse breeding community and endurance sport participants.
• UC Davis School of Veterinary MedicinecoreTechnology or IntegrationUC Davis serves as the primary equine drug testing laboratory for AERC-sanctioned rides. This scientific partnership ensures fair competition and horse welfare through rigorous drug testing protocols.
• Southeast Endurance Riders AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAERC partners with regional endurance riding organizations like the Southeast Endurance Riders Association for joint events and conventions.
• American TrailsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAERC participates in the International Trails Summit alongside American Trails, the Professional Trail Builders Association, and other organizations to advance equestrian trail advocacy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United States Eventing Association: National governing body for the equestrian sport of eventing in the United States. Directly comparable to AERC as a membership-based, 501(c)(3) equestrian sport organization that sanctions competitions, maintains records, and provides member services across regional chapters.
• United States Dressage Federation: National governing body for dressage in the United States. Directly comparable to AERC as a membership-based equestrian sport organization that sanctions competitions, maintains horse and rider records, offers educational programs, and operates through regional chapters.
• National Reining Horse Association: International governing body for the reining horse sport. Comparable to AERC as a membership-based equestrian sport organization that sanctions competitions, maintains records, and operates an affiliate structure across multiple regions.
• National Cutting Horse Association: Governing body for the sport of cutting in the United States. Comparable to AERC as a membership-based equestrian sport organization focused on a single discipline, with sanctioned competitions, member tracking, and a national championship.
• Arabian Horse Association: Breed association for Arabian horses and a sanctioning body for endurance and other competitions. Directly comparable to AERC as an existing partner organization that also operates endurance ride sanctioning, distance programs, and membership services for an overlapping competitive community.

Broad incumbents

• US Equestrian Federation: The National Governing Body for equestrian sports in the United States, recognized by the USOC and FEI. Comparable to AERC as a governing body for multiple equestrian disciplines, though much larger in scope and serving as the umbrella organization under which AERC operates for international endurance competitions.
• American Quarter Horse Association: The largest equine breed registry and governing body in the world. While breed-focused rather than discipline-focused, AQHA is comparable to AERC in sanctioning competitions, maintaining horse records, and providing member services, and represents a major source of competitive riders for endurance events.
• American Paint Horse Association: Breed registry and equestrian sport organization. Comparable to AERC in maintaining horse records, sanctioning competitions, and providing member services, with overlapping participant base in the broader equestrian competition community.
• Fédération Équestre Internationale: The international governing body for all Olympic equestrian disciplines. FEI is the ultimate governing authority for international endurance riding competition and is directly comparable to AERC as a sanctioning and governing body for the endurance discipline globally.

Regional players

• British Horse Society: The largest equestrian membership organization in the United Kingdom, providing member services, education, and welfare advocacy. Comparable to AERC as a national equestrian membership organization, though UK-based and serving a broader equestrian constituency rather than a single discipline.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AERCendurance
• Instagraminstagram.com/aerc_endurance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-endurance-ride-conference

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about American Endurance Ride Conference