The following information is for Combined Test High Score Awards, Horse Trial High Score Awards, Combined Test Achievement Awards, and Eventing Achievement Awards:

• Age for riders for year end awards – Youth through their 21st year, Senior from then on.
• Competition year runs from November 1st through October 31st.
• You must have been an ESDCTA member in good standing at the time your scores were earned.
• Scores earned at USEA or ESDCTA registered events may be used toward Eventing Year-End Awards. USEA registered events are published in the USEA Omnibus. ESDCTA registered events are published in the ESDCTA Omnibus or the ESDCTA newsletter.
• Applications for Eventing Year-End Awards must be received by the Awards Chairperson (awards@esdcta.org) as listed in the newsletter postmarked no later than November 15th. Applications postmarked after November 15th will not be accepted and will be returned.
• Awards will be presented at the ESDCTA Annual Awards Banquet.
• Questions regarding ambiguity of rules must be brought to the attention of the Board Members by July 1st of the current show year to allow the Board time to discuss the situation.

• (NEW FOR 2025!) We now have online year-end awards application forms! Click here for Achievement Awards Submissions.
• Four (4) volunteer hours are required per award.
• Combined Test Achievement Awards are awarded to a competitor who has earned one score of 40% or lower at Pre-Starter through Preliminary.
• Eventing Achievement Awards are awarded to a competitor who has earned one score of 40% or lower at Starter through Advanced.
• Note: Combined Test High Score Award recipients earning champion through eighth place are not eligible for an Achievement Award for the same horse/rider/level combination in the same year. If a competitor has submitted scores for a Combined Test High Score Award and did not place in the top eight places, the competitor will automatically receive a Combined Test Achievement Award, and does not need to submit additional scores.
• Note: Horse Trial High Score Award recipients earning champion through eighth place are not eligible for an Achievement Award for the same horse/rider/level combination in the same year. If a competitor has submitted scores for a Horse Trial High Score Award and did not place in the top eight places, the competitor will automatically receive an Eventing Achievement Award, and does not need to submit additional scores.

• Eight (8) volunteer hours are required per award.
• The same horse and rider combination must be maintained to apply for an Eventing Year-End Award in either the Combined Test category or the Horse Trial category.
• The same horse and rider combination must complete three (3) horse trials or three (3) combined tests at the level for which they are applying for an Eventing Year-End Award.
• The three horse trials or three combined tests must have been ridden within the current show year.
• Once a horse and rider combination has won a First Place Eventing Year-End Award in either category (Horse Trials or Combined Tests), that combination of horse and rider may not apply for an award in that category at the same level the following year, but may apply after a lapse of one year.

• Awards are determined by the median score – please submit your best 3 scores only.
• Applicants must complete a minimum of three (3) horse trials or three (3) combined tests at the same level.
• If there are six (6) or more applicants for a level, the level will be divided by Junior and Senior.
• Ties will not be broken.

• (NEW FOR 2025!) We now have online year-end awards application forms! Click here for Achievement Awards Submissions. Click here for Combined Training and Eventing High Score Awards Submissions.
• When using the new online forms, the last part requires you to submit a Dropbox or Google Drive link to a folder. This folder must include photos of the fronts of your tests as well as your proof of volunteer hours (more on that and the volunteer hour buyout below). If you do not want to submit a link, you may email your scores/hours to awards@esdcta.org. Your awards submissions will not be complete until your scores/hours are received.
• Ensure you have all the volunteer hours you need, and submit your volunteer hour form(s) (see the Forms page) with your application. These forms are proof that your volunteer hours were completed. Additionally, volunteer hours are transferable from person to person and can be earned by people who are not ESDCTA members and transferred to an ESDCTA member for Year End awards. If you cannot complete your Year-End Awards volunteer requirements, we offer a volunteer hour buy-out program for $10/hour. Click here for Buyout info. For more information on volunteer requirements for Year End Awards, please visit our Volunteer Requirements for Year-End Awards page.

• If you have misplaced a dressage test, it is your responsibility to obtain from the show secretary written confirmation that you did, in fact, ride in that event
  • This written confirmation must include: show name, date, rider name, horse name, level ridden, dressage test ridden, judge for your dressage test, dressage score and final score
  • This written confirmation must also include the show secretary’s name and phone number or email address
  • If you cannot obtain this written confirmation, the score may not be used on your year-end award submission
  • A printout from the USEA indicating final score is also acceptable only if other information is not available

• If you prefer to not use the online form and would rather use a hardcopy to submit your awards application, this can be found on our Forms page under the “News and Resources” tab. You may email awards@esdcta.org to submit your application, copies of your test(s) and results, and proof of volunteer hours.

Direct all questions and completed applications to the Awards Chairperson, or email awards@esdcta.org.