Year End Awards


​Each year, the Midwest Dressage Association recognizes outstanding members and their equine partners through our Year-End Awards. These awards celebrate excellence, dedication, and consistency in dressage—whether in classical, Western, para, or eventing disciplines. Awards are given from championship through tenth place and the requirements are the same for all disciplines.
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To be eligible, riders must be MDA members in good standing, and scores must be submitted by the published deadlines. The award season runs through October 1, with results announced at year’s end. These awards highlight the achievements of our community and honor the commitment it takes to grow and succeed in the sport of dressage.

See the buttons below to apply to submit your scores for Year End Awards​.
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New for 2025: Required Volunteer Hours
​Note: Volunteer Hours are not required for Leadline Riders​

​​Additional Certificates & Awards
Note: the Certificate of Merit is for Rated Shows whereas the Certificate of Recognition is for Schooling Shows

Details & Requirements

Expand each section for more details on the Year End Awards. It is important to note that only scores submitted from participating schooling shows will be tabulated for Year End Awards. All scores must be submitted by October 15th. All winners will be notified prior to the Annual Banquet. 
To assist show and award staff:
  • Write your membership number on all of your entry forms.
  • Use the same name for both horse and rider throughout the show season.
  • Keep copies of all tests, in case there are questions
  • When show results are placed online or in the newsletter, verify the information is correct. Errors should be sent to [email protected]
Member Eligibility
  • All MDA members in good standing are eligible for the awards program. Membership dues must be received prior to the date of a show for the scores from that show to be eligible for the awards program. Social memberships must be upgraded to full membership by Sep 30th in order to be eligible for awards.  
  • Championship awards may be won only once by any horse/rider combination in a given level in the Junior and Amateur divisions. Once a Junior or Amateur of any given level wins a championship, they can still qualify for the same level the following year but must move to the open division.  If the competitor changes divisions, (i.e. Amateur to Open) or moves up a level, they may compete for the championship at the new level.  Open riders can ride the same level indefinitely and qualify for a championship award.
  • The show year for all MDA awards will be October 1st through September 30th. 
  • Scores must be submitted by the rider or owner by Oct. 15th for both recognized and schooling shows.  The MDA will verify the scores with show management, but only the submitted scores will be counted towards the year-end award program. New for 2025, the MDA will no longer automatically record scores.
Eligible Shows
  • Scores from any "Participating" MDA Dressage Schooling Shows will be used to determine Year End awards for western and classical schooling awards.
  • Scores from any USDF Recognized dressage show will be used to tabulate the recognized show awards.
Note: Eventing test scores must be from an MDA participating schooling show. Scores from recognized USDF and USEA Eventing Tests will not count toward year end awards.
Tests
  • All classical tests must be the current USEF and/or FEI tests. 
  • All western tests must be the current WDAA/USEF tests. 
  • All eventing tests must be the current USEA/USEF tests.
  • Para Equestrian TOC (Test of Choice) will be offered at MDA Participating Schooling Shows. Scores must be from a Para Equestrian Test of Choice class.  All tests must be the current FEI Para Equestrian tests, which can be found at this link: Click Here
  • Horses may enter no more than two consecutive levels including freestyle, at any one competition. A horse being ridden by more than one rider can only enter the arena three (3) times a day regardless of level and rider
Levels & Divisions
Classical MDA Participating Schooling Shows
  • Dressage Seat Equitation - Open, Adult Amateur, Junior/Young Rider, Leadline
  • Sporthorse In Hand - Open, Junior
  • Introduction to Dressage - Open, Adult Amateur, Junior/Young Rider
  • Training Level - Open, Adult Amateur, Junior/Young Rider
  • First Level - Open, Adult Amateur, Junior/Young Rider
  • Second Level - Open, Adult Amateur, Junior/Young Rider
  • Test of Choice Eventing (Starter - Intermediate) - Open, Adult Amateur, Junior/Young Rider
  • Para-Equestrian (Both Rated & MDA Participating Schooling Shows) - Open*
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Western MDA Participating Schooling Shows
  • ​Introductory Level - Open, Amateur, Junior
  • Basic Level - Open, Amateur, Youth
  • Level 1 - Open, Amateur, Junior
  • Level 2 - Open, Amateur, Junior

USDF/USEF Recognized Competitions (National Rated Shows) - Classical Dressage
  • Training Level through Intermediate I - Open, Adult Amateur, Junior/Young Rider
  • Intermediate II through Grand Prix - Open
  • Freestyle Training through Fourth Levels - Open
  • FEI Freestyle - Open

* Please see appendices for additional Para-Equestrian information
Qualification Requirements
Awards recipients must be an MDA member, in good standing, at the time the scores were earned. Social members must upgrade to a full member by September 30th in order to be eligible for the current year end awards.  Awards can only be earned at two (2) consecutive levels for each horse/rider combination within an award year. Scores must meet the following conditions to be used for Year End Awards:
  • Scores must be from one (1) horse/rider combination.
  • Show scores must be from three different judges on three different dates
  • A minimum of four volunteer hours from the MDA approved volunteer opportunities list (Leadline Division is exempt)
In addition, please see the requirements for your discipline of choice:
  • Classical​: one (1) of the scores must be from the highest test of the level shown (Introductory to Dressage Level, Test C, Training, Level Test 3, First Level Test 3, and Second level Test 3) ​
  • Western: one (1) of the scores must be from the highest test of that level, (Introductory Level Test 4, Basic Level Test 4, Level One Test 4, Level 2 Test 4.
  • Eventing: one (1) score must be from Test A and one (1) score must be from Test B. 
Score Requirements
Open & Adult Amateur
  • Classical Introduction to Dressage through Second Level - Minimum 58.000%
  • Western Introduction to Dressage through Level 2 - Minimum 58.000%
  • Eventing Starter through Intermediate - Maximum 42.000%

Junior/Young Rider
There are no minimum (maximum for eventing) scores required.

Para-Equestrians
There are no minimum (maximum for eventing) scores required.
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Schooling Show Certificate of Recognition
The Certificate of Recognition is a separate individual award with different expectations from the class/level/division placings. It will be issued to all riders who have three (3) scores of 60.000% or higher at a given level/division at MDA Schooling Shows. 
Recognized Show Certificate of Merit
  • A certificate of Merit will be issued to all riders who have three (3) scores of 60.000% or higher at a given level/division. 
  • The scores must be from three different judges, on three different dates.
  • ​One (1) of the scores must be from the highest test of the level shown (Training Level Test 3 through Fourth Level Test 3)
Reporting Errors
Should a trainer, exhibitor, or parent in the case of a Junior/Young rider find an error in a score, a missing score, or a discrepancy between their records and the awards record, this should be reported within 10 days of finding the error to the Awards Chairperson. Members should be prepared with documentation to assist the awards chairperson in clarifying the situation. Only in a very rare exception will the "10 day rule" be waived, especially if more than 10 days after the Awards presentation.

Appendix

Qualifying Volunteer Hours
New for 2025 all those wishing to qualify for year-end awards must submit 4 hours of volunteering.  These hours can be earned at any time during the competition year (Oct 1st – Sep 30th).  Volunteer hours must be from an activity listed on our volunteer page and be signed off by a competition or educational event manager or an MDA board member.

Division Definitions
f a competitor is found to be ineligible for a division and has received awards in a division, such competitor will be required to return said awards at the MDA’s expense.

Open
  • ​Open to all members.
  • There are no restrictions based on the horse's previous performance or experience of the rider.

Adult Amateur
  • ​Adult members must have declared themselves to be adult amateurs on the MDA membership application and meet the requirements of such according to the current USDF rules
  • Adult Amateur and Junior/Young Rider are separate divisions and are mutually exclusive. There can be no crossover between the two.
Junior / Young Rider
  • ​Open to members who have not reached their 21st birthday as of January 1st of that year.
Leadline
  • ​Open to members aged 8 years and under.
  • Riders must be designated as leadline riders for the MDA season and may not compete for any other awards.
  • Leadline is only available for Dressage Seat Equitation classes, and a percentage score from the judge must be provided and signed.
  • Riders are required to submit three scores from three different dates.
  • Competitors may ride any horse.
  • Leadline is open to Western & English riding.

Para Dressage​
Open to MDA members in good standing with a permanent disability. Para-Equestrian competitors must submit the following form with their entry:
  • ​Complete list of compensating aids using the MDA "Schooling Show Accessibility Form" (available on the MDA website) - OR - USEF or FEI dispensation certificates 
  • A copy of the FEI Para-Dressage test(s) they will perform
 ​Members participating in MDA "Participating" Schooling Shows do NOT need to be USEF or FEI classified para-equestrian to be eligible for schooling show year end awards.  Exhibitors will be allowed to perform a test of any grade level. If the horse and rider combination/s have attained 2 or more scores of 62% or higher in USEF/USDF or FEI competitions, they will be expected to perform tests that are at or above level. While not technically para-eligible, riders with cognitive disabilities may also be included in “Para-Equestrian Test of Choice” classes at schooling shows. 
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General Statement on Accommodating Riders with Disabilities
Exhibitors with physical or cognitive disabilities will be allowed to compete at all participating schooling shows. An exhibitor with a disability—whether competing as a para-equestrian or in other classes—will be provided with reasonable accommodations upon submission of a written request to show management. The exhibitor’s written request should describe the accommodation(s) for the exhibitor to compete safely.  The request should also state that it is to be kept on file for the remainder of the show year. A new request will need to be submitted at the beginning of each show season. Request form can be found on the Midwest Dressage Association website - www.midwestdressage.org
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Riders are expected to follow USDF/WDAA rules for attire, tack, saddlery and ASTM helmets. The ONLY exception is when it is part of their verified compensating aids.