Year End Awards

I feel like I haven't talked about ribbons in awhile.

THE HORRORS, I know.

"wait, does this mean more shows?!"
nope! just trail rides until the snow comes!

This morning I sent off my reservation for my GMO's year end award banquet next month along with my two-page completed log form of twenty six recorded hours of trail riding for the Thoroughbred Recreational Riding Incentive Program. Opie is coming up on his one year off the track anniversary, and I felt pretty dang proud I was able to get both of those in before that day. 

And then of course it also inspired me to blog about year end awards to make sure everyone has a fair chance at ribbons. At least everyone with a Thoroughbred. 

The long and short is: move to central New York and you can join my GMO, fight tooth and nail for volunteer hours that no one wants to give you, hopefully make it to at least two of their often weirdly inconveniently scheduled shows, and get a year end ribbon or two from them as well!

No, just kidding. Don't ever move to this awful state.

year end champion of keeping himself clean in the mud

I actually want to talk about the Jockey Club's Thoroughbred Incentive Program (TIP). Most of you are probably aware of this program, and probably randomly signed your horse up for a TIP number on the off chance you ran into any of their sponsored classes/shows during the year. It's free and easy, and another chance at an extra ribbon. (Unless you go to a show that says they're offering the TIP awards, but then don't actually bother going through with it even though you checked to see that they were. Ahem, Houghton...)

However, they also offer their own year end awards! The shows don't even have to be TIP sponsored to qualify for points.

There are divisions ranging from the standard dressage, eventing, and hunter/jumper to western and in-hand. You can find the full list here.

You record your results throughout the year online via their super easy reporting form. Fill in a couple boxes, select the appropriate drop down tabs, and they calculate the points for you. The only thing I've found difficult about this is when shows don't report their results online. You need to submit verification of your results, so if you can't provide a website link, you need to fill out a reporting form and have the show secretary sign off. I didn't start recording my results online until the middle of the year, so I've had to email the reporting form off for the two shows I competed in that don't have online results. Next year I'll know to just bring the form with me and have them sign it quickly when I'm done riding. 

Results for those don't come out until February, but in the meantime, get on your pony and ride because you can also take advantage of their recreational riding offerings.

award winning show horses right here. clearly. that's opie
splashing everyone while mo goes scuba diving.

The recreational riding incentive program includes trail rides, endurance rides, hunts, and hunter paces. There's a form to print off to log in your hours for each ride. Every time you hit an award level--starting with 25 hours--you send off the form and get back the assigned prize for each level. Opie will get a patch with his hours, and then we keep plugging away to hit 100 hours and a hat. It's a great way for people that don't show as much or at all--or for people like me that show a lot, but still looooove trail riding--to participate. Plus there is no timeline for hours. Start whenever and finish whenever; hours are cumulative.

planning on hitting a new park next week.

Is anyone planning on submitting their results from this year to the Jockey Club for a chance at year end awards? What about their trail riding prezzies? Or do you have your own association's year end awards coming up? Tell me all about your future satin!!