Year-End Awards

We were delighted by our Year-End Award response in 2024 and are continuing to evolve our Year-End Award program to better meet the needs of our membership. 

LVDA will be hosting FIVE shows this year, and has registered an additional TEN shows to give our membership a greater depth of Year-End Award Schooling Shows. 

For 2025 Schooling Show Year-End Awards - THERE IS NO APPLICATION PROCESS. 

As we did in 2024, we'll keep track of all 15 shows, so you can track your progress throughout the year! 

Modification to the School Horse Awards - this division will have a declaration at the end of the year. Members are only allowed to participate in one or the other, not both, Schooling Show and School Horse Year-End Awards. 

2025 LVDA Schooling Show Series Year-End Awards

Year-End Award Criteria

• Attend at least 3 shows (2 of which must be LVDA hosted shows)

  • • Submit 5 scores (3 of which must come from LVDA hosted show)

    • 2 scores must be of the highest test of the level

• Eight volunteer hours required for each award 

School Horse Division

• To qualify as a School Horse a horse must be used in lessons and riders leasing horses must have no more than a half-lease (please note, we are using the honor system)

• Riders are required to attend two shows - there is no LVDA hosted requirement, any two registered shows are sufficient 

• Riders may have two scores from any test at their level: there is no "highest test" requirement

• Any horse/rider combination applying for a School Horse YEA may not apply in any other YEA division (the rider may apply for Medals, Achievement Ribbons, Dressage Seat Equitation Awards)

• Members will be given the opportunity to declare for School Horse Awards at the end of the season; their scores will have been tracked on Year-End Award spreadsheet. 

• Eight volunteer hours required for each award 

USDF Recognized Show Division

Riders for this division will need to send in a copy of their USDF Show Record, the same as 2024.

• Eight volunteer hours required for each award  

Achievement Awards and Dressage Seat Equitation Medals

Achievement Awards, Rider Achievement Awards, and Dressage Seat Equitation Medals remain the same as 2024.

• Eight volunteer hours required for each award  

Please note: once a horse and rider pair have been awarded a YEA Champion they are no longer eligible for YEA at that level. 

Questions? Please direct them to Chris Dickenson, thank you!

Year-End Award Details

2025 Schooling Show Year-End Awards:

Riders are required to be members prior to scores counting toward YEA; you may join LVDA at any point in the show year, but only scores achieved after you have joined will count toward YEA. 

• Riders will be split: Youth, AA, Open (Open riders not eligible for Intro or Pre-Training divisions)

• 5 scores from 3 shows are required

  • Riders must have a minimum of 3 scores from 2 LVDA hosted shows (exceptions for higher levels listed below). 

  • The remaining 2 scores must be from LVDA registered shows. 

• Riders are required to have 8 Volunteer Hours for each award. Volunteer Hours may be accrued by family members, transferred to riders from friends/family, and there are Transfer Hours available from the LVDA Board for riders with hardships. 

• 2 Volunteer Hours may be "bought out." The buy-out is a donation to LVDA's Gives Back program and proceeds go to the Bucks County Horse Park.

• Champion/Reserve and placing to tenth place for each of these levels: 

  • Intro (5 scores, 2 at Intro B)

  • Pre-Training (5 scores, 2 at Training 1)

  • Training-Third (5 scores, 2 at the highest test of level)

  • Fourth/FEI (3 scores, TOC)

  • FEI (3 scores, TOC)

  • Musical Freestyle (3 scores) 

  • Western Dressage (5 scores)

  • Leadline (3 scores, scores do not have to be from an L judge)

• Volunteer Hours from LVDA hosted shows will be tracked by LVDA; volunteer hours from some hosted shows will be tracked by Show Managers. For additional volunteer hours with registered shows not tracking, please submit ESDCTA Volunteer form to LVDA contact:  [please note, we will have a contact by the start of show season].

• Scores are calculated as follows: Median score of five highest scores (median score must be 60% or above). 

School Horse Rider Schooling Show Award

• Riders are required to be members prior to scores counting toward YEA; you may join LVDA at any point in the show year, but only scores achieved after you have joined will count toward YEA. 

• This is a Rider award for Adults and Youth who show School Horses. There is no cross-registration for this division: riders who declare for the School Horse Award category will not be considered in the regular YEA division. 

• A “School Horse” is defined as a horse that gives lessons; horse may be no more than half-leased by a rider, but may not be owned or full-leased (we will use the honor system).

• Riders are required to ride in 2 shows (registered or hosted) and have scores from 2 tests. There no requirement for highest test of the level.

• Riders are required to have 8 Volunteer Hours for each award. Volunteer Hours may be accrued by family members, transferred to riders from friends/family, and there are Transfer Hours available from the LVDA Board for riders with hardships.

• 2 Volunteer Hours may be "bought out." The buy-out is a donation to LVDA's Gives Back program and proceeds go to the Bucks County Horse Park.

• Champion/Reserve and placing to tenth place for each of these levels: 

  • Intro

  • Pre-Training

  • Training and First 

• Scores are calculated as follows: Median score of two highest scores. 

2024 USDF Recognized Show Rider Awards

LVDA Members who show at Recognized Shows may apply for LVDA YEA as follows: 

• Competition season runs: October 1, 2024 - October 18, 2025

• Send in a copy of USDF show record for the year, including 3 shows, 5 scores, 3 different judges, with 2 scores at the highest test of the level (exception: Musical Freestyle only requires 3 scores)

• Riders are required to have 8 Volunteer Hours for each award. Volunteer Hours may be accrued by family members, transferred to riders from friends/family, and there are Transfer Hours available from the LVDA Board for riders with hardships.

• 2 Volunteer Hours may be "bought out." The buy-out is a donation to LVDA's Gives Back program and proceeds go to the Bucks County Horse Park.

• Champion, Reserve, through tenth place will be calculated at each level (Training thru FEI)

• Scores are calculated as follows: Median score of five highest scores (median score must be 60% or above). 

2024 LVDA Achievement Ribbons

There are two ways of receiving an LVDA Achievement Ribbon Award:

1. An LVDA member can apply for an Achievement Ribbon Award if he or she does not have enough qualifying scores to apply for a Year-End Award (but has sufficient volunteer hours).

2. An LVDA member will automatically receive an Achievement Ribbon if he or she has otherwise qualified for a Year-End Schooling Show Award and does not place for that award.

If an LVDA member has received a Year-End Award for a specific level, they are no longer eligible to apply for an Achievement Award at that level with the same horse.

Achievement Ribbon Requirements if you need to apply: 

Submit one (1) score from any LVDA hosted or registered show:

• Intro A/B, Pre-Training, Training through Second Level - minimum score of 60%.

• Third Level and Above - minimum score of 58%.

• 8 Volunteer hours are required for each award. 

2024 LVDA Rider Achievement Awards

Scores must be obtained within the past 5 years (scores from 2021-2025): 

• Bronze Medal: 6 scores at Training Level, 60%+

• Silver Medal: 3 scores at First Level and 3 scores at Second Level, 60%+

• Gold Medal: 3 scores at Third Level and 3 scores at Fourth Level, 60%+

To be eligible, submit a copy of the front of 6 tests from LVDA hosted or registered events, each with the minimum score of 60%. Riders may receive scores on more than one horse, however, each rider may qualify for the award only once. 

• Riders are required to have 8 Volunteer Hours for each award. Volunteer Hours may be accrued by family members, transferred to riders from friends/family, and there are Transfer Hours available from the LVDA Board for riders with hardships.

• 2 Volunteer Hours may be "bought out." The buy-out is a donation to LVDA's Gives Back program and proceeds go to the Bucks County Horse Park.

Application deadline: Sunday, October 30, 2025

Dressage Seat Equitation Medals: for both Youth and Adult Amateurs

Qualifying Requirements: 

• Scores must be accrued from 2023 to present. Riders can acheive DSE medals once for each level. 

• Submit 3 scores at each level:

  • Elementary: 65%

  • Accomplished: 70%

  • Elite: 75%

To be eligible, submit three scores from LVDA hosted or registered events. 

• Riders are required to have 8 Volunteer Hours for each award. Volunteer Hours may be accrued by family members, transferred to riders from friends/family, and there are Transfer Hours available from the LVDA Board for riders with hardships.

• 2 Volunteer Hours may be "bought out." The buy-out is a donation to LVDA's Gives Back program and proceeds go to the Bucks County Horse Park.

Application deadline: Sunday, October 30, 2025