NCDCTA Horse of the Year Awards will be offered in the following divisions, which may be combined as warranted by number of participants. Tests such as FEI Jr, Pony, Young Horse, Para, etc. will be counted in the USEF equivalent per rule DR 119.

GUIDELINES

1. All NCDCTA HOY points must be earned at NCDCTA recognized shows and events, with the exception that eventers may submit out-of-state event results according to the guideline below.
2. First place HOY winners are ineligible to win the same division for the following three consecutive years. Exceptions: FEI Grand Prix Dressage, Musical Freestyle Dressage, Preliminary and above eventing, and if horse ownership / lease has changed.
3. Both rider and owner/lessee must be current NCDCTA members, and horse must be registered. Points are earned by the horse/rider combination. Points accrue in divisions determined by rider’s status. Adult Amateurs and Junior/Young Riders must avow their status on the NCDCTA membership application. If no status is stated, application is considered incomplete. A change in status must be sent directly to the NCDCTA membership secretary in writing, and points will accrue in the new division from that date forward.
4. Junior/Young Riders are members who are 21 years of age or younger as of December 1 of the award year. Jr/Yrs must state birthdate on membership application and horse registration.
5. Points are based on placings reported by recognized competitions for the award year November 15 - November 15.
6. Points will be posted on the website throughout the year, and the top ten rankings in each division will be publicized. The top six in each division will be honored at the annual banquet in January.
7. Eventing: Horse and rider must complete a USEA or NCDCTA horse trials at the appropriate level within the year to be eligible for a final HOY ranking.

1. Horses must be registered, or registration renewed, with the NCDCTA Membership Secretary on or before January 31 of the current awards year for retro-active (from Nov. 16) points to be recorded. Registrations received after Jan. 31 will accumulate points from date of receipt.
2. Horse registration forms must be accompanied by a full day volunteer card, two half-day cards, or $50 fee payable to NCDCTA. Current form must be used.
3. After the initial horse registration has been filed, only the volunteer card(s) indicating the horse to be credited (or $50 fee in lieu of volunteer card) must be submitted for subsequent years. If ownership/lease changes, a new registration form, with volunteer card or fee, is required.
4. It is the responsibility of the owner/lessee to verify that their horses have been registered. Registration and membership numbers should be included on all entry forms, and show managers are required to submit these numbers, as stated by entrants, in final results. A current list of members, registered horses, and their numbers will be posted and updated quarterly on the website. Members assume responsibility for including numbers on entry forms.

1. EARN:
1. Volunteer cards may be earned at any NCDCTA recognized competition or NCDCTA sponsored educational activity. Persons willing to volunteer should contact the indivudual competition / activity manager. Upon submission of competition results to NCDCTA, show manager will be mailed 5 cards per day of competition (dressage and combined tests) or 10 cards per day of competition (horse trials). It is the competition manager's responsibility to distribute the cards to individuals who have earned them.
2. For NCDCTA sponsored competitions and activities, there is no cap on card limits. Manager / Organizer will contact Steve Nelles (membership@ncdcta.org) with specific card requests within 10 days after the competition / activity. Volunteers who have not received their cards in a timely manner should contact the show manager, and / or Steve Nelles (as above).
3. Persons serving on the NCDCTA Executive Board are entitled to 5 volunteer cards per year.
4. Persons submitting articles for the newsletter, pre-assigned by the editor (currently Wendy Cracovia - NCDCTAnews@mac.com), are entitled to a full day volunteer card.
5. Volunteer cards are fully transferable, except in 2.2 below.
2. USE:
1. NCDCTA Volunteer Cards may be used to register a member’s horse for the Horse of the Year awards program. One full day volunteer card per horse must be submitted annually for renewal. Horse to be credited must be marked on the card when submitted to Membership/HOY Secretary (currently Steve Nelles, 5701 Rockport Place, Knightdale NC 27545.
2. Volunteer cards may be used in lieu of full or partial audit fee at NCDCTA sponsored educational activities.

Note:
Per executive board decision 4/19/07, all expiration dates on volunteer cards are null and void.

1. To qualify for HOY awards in a dressage division, a minimum of 14 points must be earned. To win a division, a minimum of 25 points must be earned. Members leading a division with less than 25 points will receive an honorable mention.
2. How to calculate your NCDCTA Dressage HOY points.
   
   

   	First Place	Second Place	Third Place	Fourth Place	Fifth Place	Sixth Place
   Minimum Score	60%	58%	56%	54%	52%	Use for all scores less than 52%
   USEF Show points	12	8	6	4	2	1
   NCDCTA Show points	6	4	3	2	1	0

   
   First determine whether the show was a USDF recognized or an NCDCTA only recognized schooling show. This determines which point row you will use. Only places from First to Sixth places will earn points except for schooling show which are First to Fifth. Then locate the place you had at the show and start with that column. If your score is equal to or larger than the minimum score listed, you will get the points from the rows underneath that column. If your score is less than the minimum score move to the next column to the right and use that column to check your score against that minimum score. Continue until you come to the column where your score is equal to or greater than the minimum score and use that column to determine your points.
   
3. DOUBLE points will be awarded in the championship classes at the annual NCDCTA Dressage Championships, and in all classes/divisions at the NCDCTA Eventing Championships. Double rankings in special classes in CDI-Raleigh and Capital Dressage Classic do not earn double points.
4. How to calculate your NCDCTA Eventing HOY points:

   	First Place	Second Place	Third Place	Fourth Place	Fifth Place	Sixth Place
   Maximum Score	40	42	44	46	48	49 or higher
   Points for USEA events	12	8	6	4	2	1
   Points for NCDCTA Schooling Events	6	4	3	2	1 (47 or higher)	0

   First determine whether the show was a USEA recognized or an NCDCTA only recognized schooling show. This determines which point row you will use. Only places from First to Sixth places will earn points except for schooling show which are First to Fifth. Then locate the place you received at the show and start with that column. If your score is equal to or less than the maximum score listed, you will get the points from the rows underneath that column. If your score is more than the maximum score move to the next column to the right and use that column to check your score against that maximum score. Continue until you come to the column where your score is equal to or less than the maximum score and use that column to determine your points. Examples: You got a 40 and first place. Look at the First Place column maximum score. Since your score is equal to or less than the maximum score, you will get the points from that column. You got a 41 and first place. Look at the First Place column maximum score. Since your score is greater than the maximum score, you will check the Second Place maximum score. Since your score is equal to or less than the maximum score, you will use the points from that column. You got 47 and Third place. Look at the Third place column maximum score. Since your score is greater than the maximum score, you will check the Fourth Place column maximum score. Since your score is greater than the maximum score, move to the Fifth Place maximum score. Since your score is less than the maximum score, you will get your points from that column.

It is the competitor’s responsibility to verify accuracy by checking website throughout the year. Please Note: Eventers are encouraged to submit out-of-state results report forms (email form available by clicking HERE) within 10 days of competition. If a USEA recognized event in NC fails to submit results, the competitor is responsible for reporting horse’s individual results on an out-of-state event results form. Results submission of NCDCTA recognized schooling competitions are the sole responsibility of the show manager. Failure to submit complete results or any infractions of the guidelines may result in recognition denial for current or future competitions. NCDCTA offers no warranties or guarantees as to the quality of competition or suitability of venues at recognized schooling shows, and reserves the right to deny recognition to competitions the executive board deems sub-standard, for policy infractions such as late results, or for any reasons forthwith. Any questions regarding points should be directed to the NCDCTA membership secretary.

For NCDCTA Competition Recognition Requirements, please click HERE.

NCDCTA Combined Test Medal Program

• Beginning with results from January 2011 onward. Results do not have to be achieved within a year, this program is ongoing.
• An individual must have a current NCDCTA Membership at the time scores are achieved.
• A horse must be registered with the NCDCTA. Submit a volunteer card or $50, annually, to stay in the medal program.
• The same score for one level may be applied toward the next level.
• You must obtain three different scores at a minimum of two venues.
• Venue is defined by location of the event, not the competition. For example, to earn a medal that requires scores be obtained at two separate venues, an individual could not submit scores from three separate competitions all located at the Carolina Horse Park.

• Bronze Medal - Must finish on a score of 55 or less three times
• Silver Medal - Must finish on a score of 45 or less three times
• Gold Medal - Must finish on a score of 35 or less three times

• Bronze Medal - Must finish on a score of 55 or less three times
• Silver Medal - Must finish on a score of 45 or less three times
• Gold Medal - Must finish on a score of 35 or less three times

• Bronze Medal - Must finish on a score of 55 or less three times
• Silver Medal - Must finish on a score of 45 or less three times
• Gold Medal - Must finish on a score of 35 or less three times

• Bronze Medal - Must finish on a score of 55 or less three times
• Silver Medal - Must finish on a score of 45 or less three times
• Gold Medal - Must finish on a score of 35 or less three times

• Bronze Medal - Must finish on a score of 55 or less three times
• Silver Medal - Must finish on a score of 45 or less three times
• Gold Medal - Must finish on a score of 40 or less three times