USEA Area I 2011 awards will be based on points earned by a single rider and horse combination at no more than six of their top events in the calendar year. The awards categories for each level are:

1. Senior Rider (followed by the appropriate level -- novice, training, etc.): All riders, professional and amateurs alike, 19 and over (born in or before 1992) for beginner novice through training; 22 and over (born in or before 1989) for preliminary through intermediate, on a horse of any grade.
2. Adult Amateur Rider (followed by the level): Amateur riders, 19 through age 39 (born in the years 1972-1992), for beginner novice through training: amateur riders, 22 through age 39 (born in the years 1972-1992) for preliminary through intermediate, on a horse of any grade.
3. Master Amateur Rider (followed by the level): Amateur riders, 40 and over (born in or before 1971), on a horse of any grade.
4. Junior Open Rider (for beginner novice through training): Riders 18 and under (born in or after 1993), on a horse of any grade; or Junior/Young Rider Open (for preliminary through advanced): Riders 21 and under (born in or after 1990), on a horse of any grade.

All awards – including those at the beginner novice level -- will be calculated from the USEA database this year. Riders DO NOT need to send in points to qualify for awards. The tables we use to calculate points can be found on the USEA web site.

USEF rules will determine amateur status at all levels. For preliminary and above, USEF amateur cards will be used to determine amateur status. For beginner novice through training, amateur status will be determined by the USEA amateur affidavit, which riders should have signed with their 2011 membership forms.

All riders must reside in Area I (according to USEA records) to qualify for Area I awards, with the following considerations:

1) For beginner novice through training -- ONLY competitions held within Area I will count towards awards. However, points earned at the 2011 American Eventing Championships, plus any Area I-sanctioned team events outside of Area I, WILL count.
2) For preliminary and above -- results from events outside Area I will count towards year-end awards.

We obtain all information for our Area I year-end awards from the USEA database. We recommend that all riders check their horse’s record on the USEA web site regularly during the season, to make sure they’ve been correctly credited for all the points they’ve earned.

The USEA Awards Committee welcomes your feedback/comments on these awards categories. Please send your thoughts to us at awards@area1usea.org.

Beginner Novice, Novice and Training Level Award Point System

Award points are granted based on the tables below, and apply only for the current competition year. Horses must be registered with the USEA at the Limited or higher level and riders must be actively registered at a USEA competition-eligible level (Life, Full, Junior or Family), on or before an event's starting date, for either to receive Award points.

Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced Level Grade Point System

The Grade Points tables below apply, for grading purposes, to horses placing in competitions in the U.S. These points also apply to competitions outside the U.S. recognized by the FEI or the national federation of the country in which the competition is held. It is the responsibility of the rider who competes in an event outside the U.S. to send full details of such competition and placings to the USEA.

Grade points accumulate during the competition lifetime of each competitor. Horses must be registered with the USEA at the Full level and riders must be actively registered at a USEA competition-eligible level (Life, Full, Junior or Family), on or before an event's starting date, for either to receive Grade points.

The number of placings which receive points shall be based upon the total number of starters in the division. For every additional 4 starters above 39, one more level of placings shall be awarded points equal to 10th place points.

Where there are less than 10 starters in a division of a horse trials, a two-day or three-day event, the points will be awarded at the next lower level. In the case of this occurring in a preliminary division, the points will be halved.

A horse trials offering a steeplechase phase is awarded horse trial points.

A horse trials offering advanced-intermediate is awarded intermediate level points.

Clean cross-country completion points (No jump penalties) are awarded at the Two-day and CCI Levels, regardless of placing within the division.

Preliminary Level

Intermediate Level

Advanced Level