Eight (8) hours of volunteering are required for each award applied for. For your first award, six (6) hours must be at ESDCTA-organized shows and activities. There are many activities during the year. If you need to find something, reach out to one of your Members At Large for assistance. After the first 6 hours, the remaining 2 hours and any hours required for additional awards can be earned at an ESDCTA-organized show or an ESDCTA-registered show.
Volunteer time must be from the current show season and be earned between November 1st and October 31st of the year for which you are applying for a Year-End Award unless you participated in an activity with designated carryover status in 2022 and did not use them in 2022: ESDCTA Dressage Championships, ESDCTA Horse Trials, Turkey Trot.
Volunteer hours are cumulative throughout the show season and need not be earned at one show or while performing one activity.
Volunteer time already being applied to High Score Awards cannot be applied towards Dressage Medals or to fulfill volunteer requirements for Teams, Grants or Scholarships.
Volunteer hours are transferable. Volunteer hours can be earned by people who are not ESDCTA members and can be transferred to an ESDCTA member.
Volunteer forms must be signed by the activity or show’s organizer and include the activity name and date, volunteer name, and the hours worked.
Each Year-End Award requires eight (8) hours of volunteer time
- High Score Award – 8 hours per award
- Dressage Medal – 8 hours per medal
- Dressage Seat Award – 8 hours per award
- Achievement Ribbon – 8 hours per ribbon
Exception – If you are applying for a High-Score Award and are eligible for a Masters Recognition Award, you do not need an additional eight (8) hours of volunteer time.
If for some reason, you are unable to fulfill your volunteer requirement, ESDCTA offers a “buyout” program. For each hour needed to fulfill the requirement, you may buy the additional hour(s) at a rate of $10/hour (payable to ESDCTA, Inc.). Payment must be received by the awards chairperson by the year-end awards deadline of November 15, 2022.
Click here to go to the buyout page.