Awards Program

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2025 DVCTA Year End Award Results – Print Quality File (32mb)

2025 DVCTA Year End Award Results – Web Quality File (5mb)

2026 Dressage/Working Equitation Year End Awards Submission Form

2026 Eventing/Combined Tests Year End Awards Submission Form

2026 Rider Medals Year End Awards Submission Form

General Rules

Members can earn year-end awards in the following categories:
a. USEF/USDF Recognized Dressage Shows
b. USEF Recognized Western Dressage Shows
c. DVCTA Sanctioned Schooling Shows
d. USEF/USEA Recognized Horse Trials
e. Schooling Horse Trials
f. Schooling Combined Tests
g. Working Equitation Trials – Schooling and Recognized

1. A Champion and Reserve Champion will be awarded in each section of each category, as well as ribbons for first through sixth place, which may be increased for large divisions.
2. Each rider and/or owner must complete 8 volunteer hours at a DVCTA sanctioned show/clinic/event during the qualifying period per owner/rider combination. This may include family members of the owner and/or rider. If hours are not worked, they must be paid for ($20 per hour) (EXAMPLE: if you can only volunteer 2 hours during the year, then you must submit $120 ($20 x 6 required volunteer hours) by November 15th to be eligible for awards).
3. Each rider will be designated as Junior, Adult Amateur, Master Amateur or Open as per USEF/USDF/USEA rules. Group ages are as follows:
   a. Junior up to age 18 (no more than 17 on 12/1 of award year)
   b. Adult Amateur: 19 to 39 USEA, 19 to 49 USDF and Working Eq.
   c. Master Amateur: 40 and up USEA, 50 and up USDF and Working Eq. (aka Vintage)
   d. Open
4. There is no limit to the number of horses for which a rider can submit scores, and horses may be ridden by multiple riders.
5. Each horse and rider combination may earn year-end awards in two consecutive levels.
6. The rider must be a fully-paid DVCTA member on or before November 15th to be eligible for awards. (Full-year dues will apply for 2025 even if paid in October or November and membership will expire November 30th.)
7. Riders are responsible for submitting scores by completing the YEA Submission Form (links above) online. If your scores cannot be verified on the DVCTA sanctioned schooling show results page or at USDF score check, the awards committee may request copies of your tests to verify.
8. Please also submit a picture of you and your horse for the awards presentation!
9. The deadline for submitting scores is November 15th, at midnight EST. Late submissions WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Please get your scores and volunteer hours in on time.

Dressage Rules

1. Scores Required – For dressage, each horse and rider combination must submit threescores earned during the qualifying period. Scores must be from 3 separate shows and at least 2 separate judges. Please submit ONLY your three best scores!
2. USDF/FEI Dressage awards – Schooling and Recognized will be offered at the following divisions: Leadline, Introductory, Training, First, Second, Third, Fourth, Musical Freestyle, FEI, Quadrille. For Training through Fourth Level, at least one score must be from the highest test for the level. This requirement does not apply to Intro, Musical Freestyle and FEI divisions. DVCTA approved Schooling Shows only.
3. Prix Caprilli awards will be offered at Introductory, Training and First Level. These scores should be submitted on the Dressage Awards form (not Eventing).
4. Western Dressage awards will be offered at the following divisions/levels: WDAA Western Dressage Introductory through Level 5 and Musical Freestyle. For Introductory through Level 5, at least one score must be from the highest test for the level. This requirement does not apply to Musical Freestyle division.
5. Other divisions may be added after the current YEA season with approval from the DVCTA Awards Committee. Please contact awards@dvcta.org with any questions.

Combined Test and Eventing Rules

1. Scores Required – For combined tests and eventing, each horse and rider combination may submit a maximum of six scores earned during the qualifying period.
2. For Unrecognized/Starter Horse Trials and Combined Tests, scores may be submitted from the following competitions:
   a. St.Augustine Pony Club Horse Trials
   b. Fair Hill Starter Trials
   c. Plantation Field Starter Trials
   d. Combined tests from the DVCTA sanctioned shows
   e. Any other unrecognized event that posts results online.
   f. Other divisions and venues with approval from the DVCTA Awards Committee. Contact the Awards Chair (awards@dvcta.org) to confirm acceptability and please provide the event secretary contact information.
   g. For all unrecognized events, you must submit a legible screen shot of the competition results with your award submission.
3. For USEA/USEF Recognized Horse Trials, each horse and rider combination may submit results from any USEA/USEF recognized event.
4. Awards will be given for the following divisions/levels: Ground Poles, Pre-Starter, Green Bean, Elementary, Introductory, Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, and Modified. For Recognized only, awards will also be given for Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced. Lower divisions may be combined based on the number of submissions received.
5. 5. Awards standings are determined by the points system below.

Points System for CT and HT Standings

For each event or CT completed the rider earns: Placing Points (if placed 1-8) + Completion Points + Show Jumping Bonus points (if clear) + Cross Country Bonus Points (if clear) [only for HTs or 3 Days/CCIs].

All phases of the competition must be completed for points to be earned: e.g. points will not be earned for a horse trial where either SJ or XC is not completed due to Withdrawal (W), Retired(R), Elimination (E), Technical Elimination (TE), or Rider Fall (RF).

Placing Points
1st Place	12 points
2nd Place	10 points
3rd Place	8 points
4th Place	6 points
5th Place	4 points
6th Place	3 points
7th Place	2 points
8th Place	1 points
Completion Points
Successful Completion of CCI-S/L or Classic 3-day format, e.g. BN3D, N3D, T3D	3 points
Bonus Points
Successful completion of SJ without penalties	2 points
Successful completion of XC without penalties	3 points

Working Equitation Awards Rules

1. Working Equitation Awards Offered – Awards will be granted in all levels from Level 1 – Introductory through Level 7 – Masters. Divisions will be separated into Junior, Amateur Adult, Amateur Master and Open as specified above.
2. Definition of a Working Equitation Score – Each score submitted shall be the AVERAGE of your Dressage and Ease of Handling score at a single show with no Disqualification in any trial at that show. I.E., for the purpose of these awards your speed trial placing is not taken into account but you may not submit your score from a show if you DQ’d in Speed.
3. Scores Required – For Working Equitation, each horse and rider combination must submit three scores earned at the Level applied for during the qualifying period. Scores must be from 3 separate shows and at least 2 separate judges. Please submit ONLY your three best scores at the level!
4. Qualifying Working Equitation Trials – Scores may be from any combination of schooling and/or recognized working equitation shows conducted under the rules of USA Working Equitation. Schooling and recognized divisions will not be separated for awards.

Rider Medals

1. DVCTA Rider Medals recognize a rider’s cumulative achievements and are not limited to a single calendar year.
2. One ONE Medal per rider per award category and level may be earned.
3. Medal scores may be from sanctioned schooling or recognized competitions.
4. Rider medal awards may be submitted any time after the final qualifying score is earned.
5. The same General Rules regarding current year membership and volunteer hours listed above govern rider medals when applying. (Need not have been a member when the scores were earned.)
6. Rider medal awards scores are also submitted using the YEA Submission Form and submitting the form together with screen shots, pictures or scans of each submitted score to awards@DVCTA.org.
7. Dressage Rider Medals:
   a. BRONZE MEDAL: Six scores of 60% or above at Training Level. Must include three scores from test T3.
   b. SILVER MEDAL: Six scores of 60% or above at First and Second Levels. Must include three scores from First Level and Three Scores from Second Level. One score must be test 1-3 and one score from test 2-3 or two from test 2-3.
   c. GOLD MEDAL: Six scores of 58% or above at Third and Fourth Levels. Must include three scores from Third Level and Three Scores from Fourth Level. One score must be test 3-3 and one score from test 4-3 or two from test 4-3.
   d. For each level, scores submitted must be from at least four different judges and four different shows.
8. Western Dressage Rider Medals:
   a. BRONZE MEDAL: Six scores of 60% or above at Basic Level. Must include three scores from test Basic-4.
   b. SILVER MEDAL: Six scores of 60% or above at Levels 1 and 2. Must include three scores from Level 1 and Three Scores from Level 2. One score must be test 1-4 and one score from test 2-4 or two from test 2-4.
   c. GOLD MEDAL: Six scores of 58% or above at Levels 3 and 4. Must include three scores from Level 3 and Three Scores from Level 4. One score must be test 3-4and one score from test 4-4 or two from test 4-4.
   d. For each level, scores submitted must be from at least four different judges and four different shows.
9. Working Equitation Rider Medals: Scores shall be calculated as above: i.e., the AVERAGE of your Dressage and EoH trial scores provided you did not DQ in Speed at that competition.
   a. BRONZE MEDAL: Six scores of 60% or above at Intro Level.
   b. SILVER MEDAL: Six scores of 60% or above at Levels 2 and 3. Must include three scores from Level 2 and Three Scores from Level 3.
   c. GOLD MEDAL: Six scores of 58% or above at Levels 4 and 5. Must include three scores from Level 4 and Three Scores from Level 5.
   d. For each level, scores submitted must be from at least four different judges and four different shows.
10. Eventing Rider Medals:
    a. MEDAL LEVELS: Elementary, Introductory, Beginner Novice, Novice, Training.
    b. Scores can be acquired on multiple horses
    c. For each level, you must submit:
    i. Three scores from at least two different venues earned in 2019 or later.
    ii. Scores must have 40.0 or fewer penalties and zero XC jumping penalties to qualify.

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IF YOU ARE SUBMITTING AN AWARD, PLEASE ALSO SUBMIT A PICTURE WITH YOUR SUBMISSION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE YEAR END AWARD PRESENTATION.

 

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Any questions can be directed to awards@dvcta.org.

Click here for past year results.