Alaska Dressage Association

For award standings, check Scores. ADA relies on official scores as shown in USDF's online database. (You'll need to log in with your USDF number, create a password, choose Competition Services, and then choose either the Rider or Horse Score Check. Current-year records are free, or you can purchase a cumulative record of all past scores.) USDF attempts to post scores within four to six weeks after each show. If you find an error in USDF's records, notify USDF immediately. All corrections must be received by USDF by October 15 of the competition year. USDF will not make corrections after that date.

ADA Year-End Level Awards

ADA grants championship and reserve championship year-end awards to horse/rider combinations at Training Level, First Level, Second Level, and Third Level and Above. To be eligible:

• The rider must be an ADA member and have paid the ADA Awards Program Fee, with membership and award fees postmarked at least one day prior to any competition for which scores are recorded. Forms are available here.

• The horse-rider combination must have earned a minimum of six scores from USDF/USEF-licensed shows in Alaska.

• These scores must be from a minimum of three shows before three different judges, and two of these scores must be at the highest test of the level (e.g. Training Level Test 4).

• No more than two of these six scores may be of Test 1.

• Musical and Prix Caprilli scores are not included.

Pictured at left: Jori Dittmer, who was ADA's 2005 Training Level champion in both the Open and Junior-Young Rider divisions on her Whispering Pines Silverado.

ADA Horse of the Year Award

Each year ADA grants this single award for the horse with the highest adjusted median score. To be eligible:

• The horse must be recorded with ADA (either annually or lifetime) and the owner must be an ADA member, with membership and recording fees postmarked at least one day prior to any competition for which scores are recorded.

• The horse must have earned a minimum of six scores from USDF/USEF-licensed shows in Alaska.

• These scores must be from a minimum of three shows before three different judges.

• Musical and Prix Caprilli scores are not included.

• Scores from all riders are included.

• An upward adjustment of 1% is made for any score earned at First Level, 2% for any score earned at Second Level, 3% for any score earned at Third Level, and 4% for any score earned at Fourth Level. Example: A score of 50.000% will be counted as 50.000% if earned at Training Level; 51.000% if earned at First Level; 52.000% if earned at Second Level; 53.000% if earned at Third Level; and 54.000% if earned at Fourth Level.

• If a tie score should occur, the scores for the horses with the highest adjusted median score will be recalculated using a mean average to determine the winner. If the tie continues to be unbroken, all scores will be rounded to the nearest whole number and the mode will then be used to determine the winner.

ADA Rider of the Year Award

Each year ADA grants this single award to the rider who has the highest adjusted median score. To be eligible:

• The rider must be an ADA member and have paid the ADA Awards Program fee, with membership and award fees postmarked at least one day prior to any competition for which scores are recorded.

• The rider must have earned a minimum of six scores from USDF/USEF-licensed shows in Alaska.

• These scores must be from a minimum of three shows before three different judges.

• Musical and Prix Caprilli scores are not included.

• Rides from all horses are included.

• An upward adjustment of 1% is made for any score earned at First Level, 2% for any score earned at Second Level, 3% for any score earned at Third Level, and 4% for any score earned at Fourth Level. Example: A score of 50.000% will be counted as 50.000% if earned at Training Level; 51.000% if earned at First Level; 52.000% if earned at Second Level; 53.000% if earned at Third Level; and 54.000% if earned at Fourth Level.

• If a tie score should occur, the scores for the riders with the highest adjusted median score will be recalculated using a mean average to determine the winner. If the tie continues to be unbroken, all scores will be rounded to the nearest whole number and the mode will then be used to determine the winner.

ADA Sixty Percent Awards

A certificate is awarded to every rider who earns a minimum of one score of 60% or higher from a USDF/USEF-licensed show held in Alaska. To be eligible, the rider must be an ADA member and have paid the ADA Awards Program fee, with membership and award fees postmarked at least one day prior to any competition for which scores are recorded. A certificate and a patch are awarded to every eligible rider who earns five or more such scores.

ADA Musical Freestyle Award - Individual

Each year ADA grants this single award to the rider who achieves the highest score in a USDF Musical Freestyle class at a USDF/USEF-licensed show held in Alaska. To be eligible, the rider must be an ADA member and have paid the ADA Awards Program fee, with membership and award fees postmarked at least one day prior to any competition for which scores are recorded. An upward adjustment of 2% is made for any score earned at Second Level, and 5% for any score earned at Third Level and above.

ADA Pas de Deux Award

Each year ADA grants this single award to the team who achieves the highest score in a USDF Pas de Deux class at a USDF/USEF-licensed show held in Alaska. To be eligible, both riders must be ADA members and have paid the ADA Awards Program fee, with membership and award fees postmarked at least one day prior to any competition for which scores are recorded. An upward adjustment of 2% is made for any score earned at Second Level, and 5% for any score earned at Third Level and above.

ADA Quadrille Team Award

Each year ADA grants this single award to the team who achieves the highest score in a USDF Quadrille class at a USDF/USEF-licensed show held in Alaska. To be eligible, all riders must be ADA members and have paid the ADA Awards Program fee, with membership and award fees postmarked at least one day prior to any competition for which scores are recorded. An upward adjustment of 2% is made for any score earned at Preliminary Level and 5% for any score earned at Intermediate Level.

ADA Year-End Prix Caprilli Award

Each year ADA grants this single award to the horse-rider combination with the highest average Prix Caprilli score. To be eligible:

• The rider must be an ADA member and have paid the ADA Awards Program fee, with membership and award fees postmarked at least one day prior to any competition for which scores are recorded.

• The horse-rider combination must have earned a minimum of two Prix Caprilli scores from USDF/USEF-licensed shows in Alaska.

• These scores must be from a minimum of two shows before two different judges.

• The two top scores before different judges are averaged.

ASH Year-End Level Awards

Pictured at left: Kelsey Opstad, who rode Carrie Reed's Rocket Rick to top honors for 2005 in ASH's First Level, Junior-Young Rider division.

Alaska State Horseshows, Inc. (ASH) grants year-end awards for horses at Training Level (three divisions), First Level (three divisions), Second Level, and Third Level and Above. To be eligible:

• The owner must be an ASH member and the horse must be recorded with ASH, with membership and horse performance recording fees postmarked at least one day prior to any competition for which scores are recorded. Forms are available on ASH's website.

• The horse must have a minimum of two scores from the highest test of the level in which it is competing (e.g. Training Level Test 4). One of these scores must be 50.000% or above.

• The horse must have a minimum of six scores earned at three ASH-recognized competitions under three judges, with a final median of at least 50.00%. The median is the middle score when all scores are ranked from highest to lowest. (For an even number of scores, the two middle scores are averaged.) The top 80% of seven or more scores achieved will be used in calculating the median score. If only six scores are achieved, instead of calculating the top 80%, all six scores are used. In calculating 80% of the total number of rides, any fraction of a ride will be rounded to the nearest whole number. The winner will be determined by the highest median score.

Back to the awards list

ASH Dressage Medal Award

ASH grants the Dressage Medal championship award to the eligible rider with the highest median score. To be eligible:

• The rider must be an ASH member and recorded with ASH for equitation (ASH classifies this division as equitation, not horse performance), with membership and recording fees postmarked at least one day prior to any competition for which scores are recorded. Forms are available on ASH's website.

• The rider must have earned a minimum of six scores on at least two different horses and at two different levels (not necessarily to be consecutive levels). At least two scores must be earned on each horse.

• These scores must be earned at three recognized competitions under three judges, with a final median score of at least 55%.

• At least one score on each horse must be at the highest test of the level shown and be a minimum score of 55%.

• Median scores are calculated as in the example above.

USDF Awards

The United States Dressage Federation (USDF), the national affiliate of United States Equestrian for dressage, offers an extensive awards program: bronze, silver, and gold rider medals for achievement through Third Level, Prix St. Georges, and Grand Prix, respectively; Qualified Rider awards, for achievement at Training Level; Horse of the Year awards at all levels; freestyle awards; awards for achievement by horses of a particular breed, in conjunction with some 48 breed associations; and many other types. (The USDF awards program is currently being evaluated by a special committee, and changes may be made in the future.) USDF's website offers full details on each of these award programs. In general, to be eligible:

• The horse must be registered with USDF (either annually or lifetime) and both the rider and the owner must be a participating or business member of USDF (not just a "group" member), with membership and registration fees received by USDF (not just postmarked) at the time the scores are earned.

• At least a minimum number of scores, at a minimum number of USDF/USEF-licensed shows before a minimum number of judges, must be earned.

Back to the awards list

ADA Kathryn Brooks Lifetime Achievement Perpetual Award

Not a competition award, the Kathryn Brooks Lifetime Achievement Perpetual Award is named in honor of one of ADA's co-founders, Kathy Brooks. Kathy set an example of excellence in dressage as soon as she moved to Alaska in 1979. Although she left the state for medical treatment in 1987, she continued her membership in ADA with her usual enthusiasm and kept in touch until her death in 1993 at the age of 47.

The recipient of the Kathryn Brooks Lifetime Achievement Perpetual Award must:

• be an ADA member;

• have worked to promote interest in dressage in Alaska, exemplifying high standards through his or her own efforts;

• have contributed time and talent to ADA activities.

• have set an example in exhibiting good sportsmanship.

Nominations are accepted from and voted on by the ADA membership. To nominate a deserving rider for this award, fill out this form. It can be mailed to the Alaska Dressage Association, P.O. Box 112067, Anchorage, AK 99511-2067, and must be received by September 30 to be considered for the current year. Previous recipients of the Kathryn Brooks Lifetime Achievement Perpetual Award are listed below.

Christine Erikson ADA Super Volunteer Award

This award is bestowed as merited (not necessarily on an annual basis) to the volunteer who has done the extraordinary for three or more dressage show seasons. The recipient need not be an ADA member, but ADA board members are eligible. The show committee chairperson, under the advisement of the show committee, will formally select the recipient of the super volunteer award.

This award was initiated in 2004 through a donation from Christine Erikson, a long-time dtressage suppporter and volunteer, who died in 2005. Susie Kaiser was the first recipient in 2004 and Christine herself was the recipient in 2005.

ADA Dressage Super-Senior Award

This is a special award granted to a dressage horse still competing at age 25 or older. The horse must be recorded with ADA (either annually or lifetime) and the owner must be an ADA member at least one day prior to the shows at which scores are earned. Scores must be earned at First Level or above. At least six scores from three different USDF/USEF-licensed shows are required. At least two of these six scores must be at the highest test of the level (e.g. First Level Test 4). Scores from all riders are included. This award may only be earned once by any given horse. The award itself, sponsored by ADA member Linda Kelley in honor of her beloved Strut Along Dandy, is a photo frame engraved with the horse’s name, the year in which the award is earned, and the name of the award.