CRITERIA FOR 2021 AWARDS:
USEA Area I 2021 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.
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, any Area I-sanctioned team events outside of Area I, WILL count. This includes all Classic 3-Day Events and AECs.
2) For Modified and above — results from events outside Area I will count towards year-end awards
The awards categories for each level are:
Senior Rider (followed by the appropriate level — Novice, Modified, etc.):
- All riders, professional and amateurs alike, 19 and over (born in or before 2001),
- For Beginner Novice through Modified; 22 and over (born in or before 1998).
Adult Amateur Rider (followed by the level):
- Amateur riders, 19 through age 39 (born in the years 1981-2001),
- For Beginner Novice through Modified: amateur riders, 22 through age 39 (born in the years 1981-1998),
Master Amateur Rider (followed by the level):
- Amateur riders, 40 and over (born in or before 1980), on a horse of any grade.
Junior Open Rider (for Beginner Novice through Modified):
- Riders 18 and under (born in or after 2002), on a horse of any grade;
- For Preliminary through Intermediate: Riders 21 and under (born in or after 1999), on a horse of any grade.
Some riders may qualify for more than one awards category (i.e., an amateur rider could figure in both the open award category and the amateur category).
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 Modified, amateur status will be determined by the USEA amateur affidavit, which riders should have signed with their 2020 membership forms. Please check and make sure your Amateur status is correct. If you are unsure if your current status is accurate, refer to USEF rule book: GR 1306 and GR 1307. These sections clearly detail what constitutes a professional and an amateur.
