Competition Details
Scroll down for information from the 2008 Dressage Niagara Competitions Handbook.
To obtain a copy of the Handbook, contact the Competitions Coordinator

Competition Results

Bronze Competition Schedule

Silver Competition Schedule

Ring Size For All Competitions:
Walk/Trot and PreTraining Level tests ~ 20 x 40 meters
Training to Intermediaire II Level tests ~ 20 x 60 meters
All Freestyles ~ 20 x 60 meters

Closing Date :
Entries must be postmarked or Hand Delivered the Wednesday, 10 days prior to the date of the show, and include all required information and payment in full. Entries submitted after the closing date will be accepted at the Competition Coordinator's discretion dependent upon the length of the day. Entries accepted after ride times have been posted will be added on to the end of the day.

Ride times will be posted on the Dressage Niagara website by 8:00 pm the Thursday before the competition. Times will also be emailed to competitors who provide an email address on their entry forms.

Call Lynn (905-309-0672) for times only if you cannot check your ride times for yourself. Please do not call Host locations for times!

Junior competitors must wear proper fitting, approved protective headgear, with the safety harness correctly secured, at all times when mounted on competition grounds. (EC Rules A905.1)
It is required by Dressage Niagara that all persons wear approved protective headgear or designated competition dress headwear at all times when mounted on competition grounds.

Entries
Send entries to the Competition Coordinator, Lynn Bonnar, 377 Mud Rd, Grimsby ON L0R 2A0.

A $10 Administration fee will apply to late, incomplete or incorrect entries.

Entry forms: please use only the 2008 Dressage Niagara Bronze or Silver Entry Forms, as appropriate, to ensure that all required information, memberships, waivers and signatures are included. See the Competitions page to download the forms.

***NEW*** Dressage Canada Levy
Dressage Canada has added a domestic development fee of $7 to each entry. For more details visit Dressage Canada

Drug Testing at Bronze Level
Drug testing fees have been added to the Bronze entry forms. Your horse may be selected for drug testing at any show. Please familiarize yourself with Equine Canada's drug policy. EC Rules Section A, Chapter 10.

Person Responsible for Entry
Entry forms now require the signature of the person responsible for each entry. See below under Equine Canada Rules for more information.

Liability Waiver
The liability waiver must be signed and submitted with the entry form for an entry to be accepted.

Entries must be received or postmarked by the closing date (Wednesday, 10 days before each show), with all required information, signatures and fees. Cheques should be made payable to Dressage Niagara.

ONLY MAILED OR HAND DELIVERED entries will be accepted.

Late entries may be accepted if the schedule permits. Such entries are subject to a $10.00
administration fee.

Entry fees may be refunded for illness or lameness upon receipt of a medical or veterinary certificate. Such certificate must be submitted to the Competition Coordinator within 5 days of the show for entry fees to be refunded.

Hors concours entries will be accepted at the discretion of the Competition Committee.

Dressage Niagara reserves the right to refuse entries.

Bronze Classes

Levels and Categories Offered at all Competitions

Walk/Trot Level
This Level is intended for beginning competitors (horse or rider). At each competition two Walk-Trot classes will be offered, as designated in the Competition Schedule above. Horse/rider combinations entering this Division are not eligible to enter any other classes at the same competition.

PreTraining Level
This Level is intended for beginning competitors (horse or rider) who are ready to present walk, trot and
canter. At each competition two PreTraining classes will be offered, as designated in the Competition Schedule above. Horse/rider combinations entering this Division are not eligible to enter any other classes at the same competition.

Training - Intermediaire II Levels
See the Equine Canada Rulebook and the Dressage Canada Competitions Handbook for information on these Levels. Tests for 2008 are available on the Dressage Canada website.

Silver Classes

Levels and Categories Offered at all Competitions

NOTE: Training Level Freestyle is no longer offered at Silver competitions. For more information on Freestyles, see below.

See the Competition Schedule for the tests to be offered at each competition. See the Equine Canada Rulebook and the Dressage Canada Competition Handbook for information on the test levels.

Tests

Training through FEI Level tests may be downloaded from Dressage Canada. Dressage Canada also produces a Competition Handbook which is mailed out to Dressage Canada members.

All Dressage Niagara tests (Walk/Trot, PreTraining) and the Cadora Training Freestyle
are included in the Dressage Niagara Handbook (available from the Competitions Coordinator ).

Dressage Niagara Tests
There will be no changes to these tests for 2008. Acrobat Reader is necessary for correct viewing and downloading of PDF tests. Legal-sized paper is required for correct printing.

Equine Canada Tests
Training through FEI Level Tests for Bronze, Silver and Gold Competitions

Cadora Training Freestyle
Download from the Cadora website

All tests except Freestyles may be called. It is the responsibility of the rider to provide her/his own reader. Please do not ask competition staff or volunteers to read tests!

What You Need To Compete

Ontario Equestrian Federation membership (Bronze and Silver )
Mandatory for riders and owners of horses competing in Bronze or Silver competitions. OEF membership provides the liability insurance required by competitors at equestrian competitions.

Equine Canada membership (Bronze and Silver )
Mandatory: Bronze Level membership required for riders and owners of horses competing in Bronze competitions; Silver Level membership required for riders and owners of horses competing in Silver competitions.

Dressage Niagara membership (Bronze and Silver )
Optional: Benefits ~ rider eligible for Dressage Niagara Annual Awards ~ pay lower local entry fees.

Dressage Canada Membership (Bronze and Silver )
Optional: Benefits ~ rider eligible for Dressage Canada awards ~ receive DC Competition Handbook with dressage tests.

Cadora membership (Bronze and Silver)
Optional: Benefits ~ eligible for Cadora-Ontario awards ~ receive Omnibus with dressage tests.

Equine Canada Horse Passport (Silver only)
Mandatory. No change to passports for 2008.

Equine Canada Annual Horse License Sticker (Silver only)
Mandatory.

Proof of Negative Coggins Test (Silver only)
Mandatory.

Equine Canada Competition Rules

Dressage in Niagara is a series of Equine Canada sanctioned Bronze dressage competitions. Dressage Niagara Silver Competitions are recognized member competitions of Equine Canada. Equine Canada Rules will apply; competitors are responsible for knowledge of these rules. Rule changes for 2008 can be found at Equine Canada .

Contact the Competition Coordinator for further information. Please do not contact Competition locations.

For technical information, such as legality of specific equipment, contact Pat Davis, our Equine Canada Steward: (519) 824-0471.

Competition numbers must be worn at all times while a horse is on the competition grounds.

Levels A horse/rider combination may compete at two consecutive Levels and in the
corresponding Freestyle class. No horse may compete in more than 4 technical tests.

Drug Testing: ** New for 2008 Applies to Bronze and Silver Competitors**
A $5.00 drug-testing fee is assessed on each entry. Any horse entered in any class at a competition subject to the requirement to pay drug testing fees may, while on the competition grounds and on the recommendation of the provincial Equine Medications Control Committee appointee, be selected for equine medication control testing.

Equine and Human Medication Rules: see EC Rulebook, Section A, Chapter 10, for details.

Silver Only

Eligibility: A horse/rider combination which has received three or more scores of 60% or better in one competition season at the same class level at Gold competitions is not eligibile to enter that, or a lower, class level at Silver competitions.

Person Responsible For Entry
The Person Responsible for a horse is an adult who has, or shares, responsibility for the care, training, custody and performance of the horse and who has official responsibility for that horse under EC Rules and is liable under the penalty provisions of the Rules for any violation of the EC rules. The person responsible must hold an EC license (see A203.5). For the purpose of these Rules, the
Person Responsible is normally the trainer, owner or competitor who rides or drives the horse during an event, or a parent or legal guardian in the case of junior competitors. The Person Responsible is ultimately responsible for the condition, fitness and management of the horse and is alone responsible for any act performed in the stables by himself or herself or by another person with authorized access to the horse, or while the horse is being ridden, driven or exercised. (See EC Rules article A1011 for more information)

Parents and Guardians (A214.2): Parents and guardians are entitled to sign their children's entry forms without being EC members or holders of a Sport License, provided they agree to abide by the rules and penalties contained in the Rule Book. However, the owner of the horse must hold a valid EC Sport License and the owner's EC Sport License number must be included on all entry forms.

Categories

The Open category is open to all riders.

The Junior category is open to riders until the end of the calendar year in which they turn 18.

The Adult Amateur category is open to riders who are no longer Junior and who, do not accepted remuneration for training a horse and/or coaching any person to ride a horse, including clinics and seminars, in the dressage discipline; who do not hold an EC English Coaching Certification at Level 2 (dressage option) or Levels 3-5 Dressage; who are not an EC B, M, S or FEI Dressage Judges; who are not current or former CET short/long listed riders or have represented Canada internationally.

An EC Amateur may accept remuneration for instruction or coaching of the disabled.

General Rules

Dogs: As a courtesy to the canine residents at the farms we visit, please leave your dogs at home

Warm-up: Use designaed warm-up areas only. Observe proper riding etiquette during warm-up

Longeing: Use designated longeing areas only

Refreshments will be available at all competition locations

Volunteer Service

It is a requirement of membership in Dressage Niagara that each member donate half a day of volunteer service to the club each year. Club activities are run solely by volunteers and many are needed to make competitions run smoothly.

To assist in planning, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator (see below), as early in the season as possible, to indicate when you would like to volunteer. A Volunteer webpage now describes the various jobs available at Dressage Niagara competitions.

For riders and coaches who cannot help on show days, it is also acceptable to designate a capable substitute (friend, relative) to perform the volunteer hours. Please identify the substitute to the Volunteer Coordinator before the volunteer hours are worked. Annual awards will not be given if volunteer service is not completed.

Contact: Jane Langdon (905) 468-8534

Freestyles

Freestyle tests must be ridden to music. The music must be on a cassette tape or CD, and be handed in to the Competition Office at least 2 hours before the start of the class.

A Freestyle test is open to horses competing at the same technical level as the Freestyle. A
horse may compete in one Freestyle level only.

Eligibility: Silver Competitors Only
To enter a Freestyle at a Trillium competitions a horse/rider combination must achieve a
score of 55% or better in a technical test at that competition level prior to competing in
the Freestyle class (EC Rules Section E.2.3.d)

Classes offered:
The Cadora Training Level Freestyle will be offered at Bronze competitions only. First through Third Level Freestyles are offered at all competitions. The Fourth Level, Prix St Georges and Intermediaire Freestyles are offered at Bronze competitions only.

The Freestyle tests used are the Cadora Training Level Freestyle (included in this Handbook and available for download at Cadora) and the EC First through Intermediaire I Freestyles (included in the DC Competition Handbook and the Cadora Omnibus and available for download at Dressage Canada.

All Freestyles are performed in the 20 x 60m ring. Time allowed is 5 minutes; performance to be finished between 4 1/2 and 5 minutes. Training, First and Second Level Freestyles are ridden on an ordinary snaffle bridle. Third and Fourth Level Freestyles are ridden on ordinary snaffle or simple double bridle.

Movements of a higher level than the level of the Freestyle are not allowed and, if performed, will incur elimination. Freestyle tests may not be called.

Ribbons and Placings

For more information see Equine Canada Rules Section E 3.13

Classes will be divided by category (Open, Adult Amateur and Junior) as indicated in Classes and Tests above.

Ribbons may be awarded to 6th place in all classes. Placings are decided by total marks. If marks are tied, preference is given to the competitor with the higher Collective Marks. If the Collective Marks are tied, the competitors remain tied, and the next placing is omitted.

Any competitor receiving a score of less than 50% is not eligible for ribbons or placings.

Any competitor receiving a score of less than 40% will be considered eliminated from the class, and no score will be posted. (EC Rules Section E 3.13.j)

Bronze Only
Five entries constitute a class. In any class with fewer than 5 entries, riders must achieve the following minimum percentages before a placing will be awarded:

No ribbons or pizes will be awarded below 4th place.

Awards and Prizes

High Point Awards

High Point ribbons are presented at all competitions. Riders must obtain 55% or better to be eligible. Dressage Niagara membership is not required for this award. Separate Junior ribbons are awarded..

Dressage Niagara Annual Awards

To be eligible for Dressage Niagara Annual Awards a competitor must be a member of Dressage Niagara and must compete in three or more Dressage Niagara Bronze or three or more Dressage Niagara Silver competitions during the season. Scores will count towards awards from the date and time the membership is paid.

A Championship, a Reserve Championship and an Honourable Mention will be awarded at each Level (eg Walk/Trot, Training Level, etc). The winners are decided by totalling the 3 highest scores received at a minimum of three Dressage Niagara Competitions. One of the scores to count must be received for the highest Test at the given Level (eg Test 4 for Training Level).

Scores are counted separately for each horse/rider combination. In the case of a tie, each winner will receive the full award. If the tie is for the
Championship, no Reserve Championship will be awarded. If the tie is for the Reserve Championship, no Honourable Mention will be awarded

Awards will be given for Open, Adult Amateur and Junior in accordance with the categories offered at Bronze and Silver competitions.

In order to be eligible to receive a Championship, the competitor must have received an average of 60% or better on their top three tests; 57% for the Reserve Championship; 54% for the Honourable Mention.

Championships at the Walk/Trot and PreTraining Levels may only be won once by a horse/rider combination. Championships at the Training through FEI Levels may be won a maximum of twice by a horse/rider combination.

Separate Silver Annual awards will be given if Dressage Niagara presents a series of three or more Silver Competitions in a season. Competitors are not eligible for both Bronze and Silver awards at the same competition level in the same season.

**NEW** The Perfect 8 Award
Replacing the Most Improved Rider Award, this award is earned by any rider who achieves an 8 in their Collective Marks for Rider position and use of aids. A copy of the relevant test must be submitted to the Competition Coordinator by September 21, 2008 to be eligible for this award. Only scores earned during the 2008 season will be considered.

The Buzz Lightyear to Infinity and Beyond Award
This award is given in recognition of a volunteer's efforts that rise above the call of duty.

The rider or a suitable designate must complete 4 hours of volunteer service in order to be eligible for Annual Awards.

Dressage Canada Awards

New for 2008!
2008 scores from Silver dressage competitions will be eligible for Dressage
Canada Achievement Awards. The Eight Award will be expanded to include Silver dressage competitions.

Competitors must be Dressage Canada members to be eligible for these awards. For details and forms, visit Dressage Canada

Silver Dressage Championships

To qualify for the Silver Dressage Championships, a horse/rider combination must compete in two Silver competitions and earn 2 scores of 55% or higher at each Level to be entered.

A separate prizelist will be published for the Championships. Further contact information will be published in the Dressage Niagara Newsletter and here, when available.

Cadora-Ontario Awards

Check at Cadora-Ontario for 2008 programs and awards

For more information on Dressage Niagara competitions, please contact the Competitions Coordinator

Revised or reviewed July 3, 2008