Northeast Regional Adult Amateur Dressage Championships (NRADC)

[JenK]

This is a fantastic new show - please help us spread the word!

Upcoming Championship for Adult Amateur Dressage Riders
Call for entries at Mystic Valley Hunt Club show

The Northeast Regional Adult Amateur Dressage Championships (NRADC) will be held October 10 and 11, 2009 at Mystic Valley Hunt Club in Gales Ferry, Connecticut. This is the second year of the championships, and organizer Sally Hinkle is putting out a call for entries to participate in a show that is designed specifically to highlight the achievements of adult amateurs.

Last year, the show awarded numerous prizes and accolades to the top four teams in the team competition and 12 horse and rider pairs in the individual competition. Competitors ranged from training to fourth levels. A unique component of this championship is that it requires each participant in the individual competition to perform a musical freestyle. For many competitors, this was a highlight of the show.

The NRADC is held during the Mystic Valley Hunt Club Fall Dressage show. The show organizers encourage trainers and professionals to spread the word to their students, as this show is unique in that it focuses on a segment of the dressage community which often must juggle work and family schedules, and have time and budgetary constraints on their training schedules. Ann Guptill, volunteer for the show, believes that the NRADC is important to recognize the adult amateurs. Guptill said, "I was excited to see last fall how this championship encouraged participation from the adult amateurs who are the backbone of our sport. The freestyle element brought in a whole new group of riders who previously wondered how long they would have to wait to be able to ride in a venue like this. Creating the freestyles improved their riding and brought out great creativity that was fun to be a part of."

Qualifying to compete is designed to be feasible for those on limited time and monetary budgets. Qualifying scores can be achieved either at schooling shows or USDF-recognized competitions. Two scores from any tests at each level are required from USDF-recognized judges. For training level the minimum score is 61%, first level 60%, second level 59%, and third level and above 58%.

NRADC Team and Individual Competitions
In the team competition, three or four horse and rider pairs will compete in any combination of levels on Saturday, the first day of the competition. The team can be made up of riders from different levels, but each rider must ride the highest test of their own level. The top three individual rider percentage scores from the team competition will be averaged to form the team percentage score and to determine the winner of the Team Championship. Awards will be offered for the first three teams based on overall team percentage score. The show organizers note that they can place an interested competitor on a team if they do not have enough riders to form their own team.

After the team competition on Saturday, all NRADC participants are invited to participate in a musical freestyle competition on Sunday. The scores from Saturday are combined with Sunday's musical freestyle scores to determine the individual placings. Prizes will be given to the top 12 individual competitors.
The team and individual awards will be announced during a ceremony on Sunday, where riders will receive their prizes mounted and in full dress.

Entry forms can be downloaded online by visiting www.mysticvalleyhuntclub.com.

Silent Auction Benefits Wounded Veterans
A silent auction is held on conjunction with the show to benefit NARHA's Horses for Heroes program, with 100% of the proceeds going to the program, which aids wounded veterans and soldiers by providing equine-assisted therapies. Last year, the silent auction raised more than $3,000. Items and services auction ranged from lessons with top area trainers and horse transportation services to hand-made jewelry and equine gift items. If you are interested in donating an item or service to the auction, please email Jennifer Koppy at jkoppy@comcast.net