Year-End Award Rules – Schooling Shows

**New Items and Updates or the 2023 Competition Year!! **
New for 2023:

Please note that the USDF dressage tests have been updated for 2023. Be sure you are using the new 2023 tests while you are preparing for shows.
Virtual shows are back on our winter calendar and will have their own division for year end awards as well. See the notice posted in the show bill section for dates, judges, and entry information.
CT/Mini Rule Changes- In order to better match USEA levels, Starter will now have a max jump height for show jumping and cross country of 2’3” and should use the Starter Eventing Dressage test.

A reminder of general practices and rules:

IDCTA allows a horse to compete in up to four tests per day. A
dressage test, single stadium jumping round, and a single cross-country trip count as 1 test each. For example, a horse who enters one Mini Event Division carries 3 total tests for the day, a horse in one CT Division carries 2, and a horse in one Dressage test carries 1.
For year end awards, please wait until all scores are earned to submit.
Scores may be submitted virtually or by mail. Please double check you
are using the correct form and that it is the most recent version. All
forms are available at idcta.org.
If you wish to compete a horse in the same test at the same level at a
show, you must enter separate divisions, i.e. AA and Open or AA and
Hors de Concours, contact show management when entering with
questions or concerns.
Combined Training Dressage tests MUST be ridden from memory,
without a caller, whether or not it is a championship class.

A reminder of the order for Mini Eventing and CT Levels:

Level	Stadium Jump Height	Cross Country Jump Height
Pre Starter CT	18”	-NA-
Starter CT/ME	2’3”	2’3”
Beginner Novice CT/ME	2’7”	2’7”
Novice CT/ME	2’11”	2’11”

Continuing for 2023:
USDF and USDF Region 2 will again offer year end awards programs for traditional and western dressage riders. Please see www.usdf.org and www.usdfregion2.org for more information on both programs with information on how to register. Some schooling shows may also choose to take part in the National Schooling show recognition and awards program. Please reach out to the show secretaries for more details.

General Information

IDCTA is pleased to join with the stables listed in this Omnibus to present this schooling show series. In general, it will reflect typical USEF/USDF/USEA/WDAA shows.

Listed in this Omnibus, you will find prize lists for the shows that we are working with this year. Each stable may set their own policies regarding fees, refunds, stabling, warm-up areas, parking, pets, etc. Read each prize list for details. Show management shall act as the Technical Delegate (TD) and have authority of a TD. Please make copies of the entry form in this Omnibus. Mail completed entries to the show secretary, not IDCTA.

If you have questions about the schooling show series, please contact the schooling show coordinator by email at idctaschoolingshows@gmail.com.

Shows are managed by and are the sole responsibility of the respective facility. The IDCTA is not responsible for policing show managers or facilities regarding how to run their shows. The IDCTA encourages riders to vote with their entry fees at shows which are safe, fun and which offer appropriate learning experiences.

BECOME AN IDCTA MEMBER:

Go to www.idcta.org, click on “Membership Application” and register or renew your membership online!

DIVISION DEFINITIONS:

Adult Amateur: Competitors shall compete as adults from the beginning of the calendar year in which they reach the age of 22.

Junior/Young Rider: Competitors are Junior/Young Riders until the end of the calendar year in which they reach the age of 21

Open: Competitors who accept payment for teaching lessons, training, or showing horses for others must compete in the Open Division or compete Hors de Concours

FINALS: At the end of the season, a dressage and CT show with Championship Classes for Jr/YR, AA, and Open divisions will be held at Silverwood Farm in Camp Lake Wisconsin and a Mini Event show with Championship Classes will be held at Winsom Farm in Beecher Illinois. Anyone may take part at these championship shows but to ride in the Championship Classes at the finals, you must qualify by riding in the IDCTA schooling show series AND be a member of the IDCTA at the time you ride your qualifying tests. Remember, tests in the Championship Classes must be ridden without whips and from memory. Winners of the Championship Classes will be presented with ribbons and prizes at the Championship shows.

QUALIFYING FOR DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES:

Requirements:

Two scores at 60% or higher
Scores may come from any test at the level
Scores must come from two different shows and two different judges
Send copies of your qualifying scores to the secretary with your entries

DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES AND DIVISIONS:

Walk-Trot

Green as Grass Test 3 | Introductory Test B

Walk-Trot-Canter

Training Level Test 3 | First Level Test 3 | Second Level Test 3

Tests specified here for each level will be the one ridden in the championship classes. Once a horse/rider combination wins at championships three years in a row at the same level, they may no longer compete at that or a lower level at championships.

Riders may enter up to two separate levels with each horse at championships.

QUALIFYING FOR CT CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES:

Requirements:

Two scores with a maximum finishing score of 45 points each
Scores must come from two separate shows and two separate judges
Send a copy of your qualifying scores to the secretary with your entries

CT CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES:

Class	Dressage Test	Max. Size	Max. # of Obstacles
Pre Starter CT	2022 Intro B	18”	10 Verticals or X’s
Starter CT	2023 USEF Starter	2’3”	14 (No Combinations)
Beginner Novice CT	2023 USEF Beginner Novice Test A	2’7”	14 (2 Stride combinations allowed)
Novice CT	2023 USEF Novice Test A	2’11”	14

QUALIFYING FOR MINI EVENT CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES:

To qualify, you must receive a maximum finishing score of 55 points for your Mini Event. With your entry form for the Championship Classes, send a copy of your test where you received your qualifying score.

MINI EVENT CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSES:

Class	Dressage Test	Show Jumping Information	Cross Country Jump Information
Starter	2023 USEF Starter	Max # of obstacles – 10. Max Height all obstacles – 2’3”	No combinations, No Ditch. Water – may be used – pass thru only. Bank – may be used – step up only. Max # of obstacles – 14
Beginner Novice	2023 USEF Beginner Novice Test A	Max # of obstacles – 11 (2 stride combinations allowed). Max Height all obstacles – 2’7”	No combinations. Ditch – may be used only if very shallow, natural may be riveted only on 1 side. Water – may be used – pass thru only. Bank – may be used – drop up and down, Max # of obstacles – 16
Novice	2023 USEF Novice Test A	Max # of obstacles – 11. Max Height all obstacles – 2’11”	Max # of obstacles – 18. May include bank, drop, ditch, water, brush

All Combined Test and Mini Event classes listed above must be offered at the championships. All other CT and Mini Event organizers are encouraged to offer all classes, but it is not mandatory.

QUALIFYING FOR IDCTA YEAR END AWARDS:

Everyone is welcome to attend the annual IDCTA awards banquet held each winter..

The competition year runs from November 1st of one year to October 31st of the following year.

To qualify in Schooling Dressage:

4 Scores from the Same Level
1 of the 4 scores must be from the championship test of the level i.e. Intro Test B for introductory level or Training Test 3 for Training Level
Scores must come from 3 different IDCTA Recognized shows and 3 different judges
Placings will be based on the average of the 4 scores submitted

To qualify in Combined Training:

3 Scores from the Same Level are required
Scores must be from 2 judges and 2 different IDCTA recognized schooling shows
Placings will be based on the average of the 3 scores submitted

To qualify in Mini Events:

2 Scores from the Same Level are required
One score must be from an IDCTA recognized schooling show however, the second score may come from a non IDCTA recognized mini event or horse trials
Placings will be based on the average of the 2 scores submitted

IDCTA Schooling Show Series Rules

It is the rider’s responsibility to know the rules before entering a competition. The IDCTA strongly recommends that you read Chapter DR (Dressage Division) and Chapter EV (Eventing Division) of the USEF Rule Book. A copy of the USEF rules may be obtained from their website www.USEF.org (click on “rules”).. Two other websites that may be helpful are www.USDF.org (the United States Dressage Federation) and www.eventingusa .com (the United States Eventing Association)

For the most up-to-date rules, you must visit the USEF, USDF, USEA, and FEI websites.

Cruelty to or the abuse of a horse is forbidden.. The following acts are examples of cruelty.

Excessive use of a whip, spurs and/or bit on any horse.
Except in emergency situations, any striking of a horse in front of the shoulder with the whip shall be deemed excessive as shall hitting a horse over three times for any one incident.
Showing a horse with raw or bleeding sores around the coronets, pasterns or legs.
Riding an exhausted horse or excessive pressing of a tired horse.
Riding an obviously lame horse.
Inhumane treatment of a horse. For this schooling show series, a horse or pony may compete in no more than 4 classes per day.

In this instance:

1 Dressage Test = 1 Class

1 Show Jumping Round = 1 Class

1 Cross-Country Round = 1 Class

Attire & Equipment:

It is expected that riders be correctly attired for the class in question and horses be properly presented. In the spirit of schooling shows, riders will not be required to wear a coat and stock tie; however, you MUST wear boots, protective headgear which meets or exceeds ASTM/SEI standards and is properly fitted with harness secured, a sleeved shirt tucked in your breeches, and a vest during the cross-country phase of a mini event. Half chaps may be worn.

Whips: In all dressage classes except championship classes, for the most current rules on whip lengths, please visit the USDF and USEA websites.

For spurs and bits allowed, see USEF rules DR120.9, DR121.2 and Figure 1 for Dressage and USEF rules EV114.4 and EV Appendix 4 for Eventing.

Tack:

Saddles should be appropriate for the class entered and no schooling gadgets are allowed. Please visit the USEF or WDAA websites for the most up-to-date rules regarding bits.

Rules Commonly Violated in Mini Events and CTs

Running martingales must have rein stops. Standing martingales are not allowed (EV115)
It is forbidden for anyone other than the competitor who will ride the horse in the competition to school the horse at the competition (EV108.2.a)
Before the cross-country course or jumping course has been opened to competitors, it is forbidden to inspect the obstacles. Once opened, competitors may walk the course without their horses (EV109)
Jumping practice fences that are not flagged or jumping practice fences in the wrong direction (EV108.3.d) may result in disqualification. Remember, the red flag must be on your right and white flag on your left as you’re jumping over the obstacle (EV148.2)
Dressage tests in mini events and combined tests must be carried out from memory — readers are not allowed (EV134.2)
In the Cross-Country phase, at obstacles or elements with height (exceeding 30 cm), a horse is considered to have refused if it stops in front of the obstacle to be jumped. At all other obstacles (i.e., 30 cm or less in height) a stop followed immediately by a standing jump is not penalized, but if the halt is sustained or in any way prolonged, this constitutes a refusal. The horse may step sideways but if it steps back, even with one foot, this is a refusal (EV142.2.a). In the Jumping phase, it is a refusal when a horse halts in front of an obstacle whether or not the horse knocks it down or displaces it. Stopping in front of an obstacle without knocking it down and without backing followed immediately by a standing jump is not penalized. If the halt is prolonged, if the horse steps back, either voluntarily or not, even a single pace, it counts as a refusal (EV150.6)