Rocking Horse T3D Awards

[flbay]

To help make the T3D experience as extraordinary and positive as it was for me (a once in a lifetime experience for an adult ammy I would think), I am contributing to the awards. Rather than for the top placers, I am looking into a "participation" token gift for each entry or perhaps fun awards to those specifically who do not place but deserve an award for some reason or another.

What would you like to receive as a participant - theoretically? If you were to ribbon? If you don't and have a disastrous weekend after all the hard work and preparation? What have you liked the most and least as awards previously?

Depending on the number of entries, I was thinking of token gift for ALL and then maybe

5 - $20 gift certs to BofB or similar
5 - some other nonhalter or saddle pad gift

I was thinking of ideas like:

Most memorable dressage ride (good or bad)
Most spectacular show jumping round (good or bad but of course not dangerous)
Fittest
Best Turnout for Jog
Best recovery (related to rider or horse getting flustered maybe by a dog, etc)
Most enjoyable 3 day participant (voted on by the office staff)

Of course, I am going to get Alice's ok for anything.

I would love to hear ideas from other eventers. I know how much work and how many sacrifices it takes to get to a T3D for a working amateur, so I want to reward those who may not come away with a ribbon.

Thank you in advance for any feedback!!

[RSEventer]

I think all of your ideas are good- I am not riding at that level yet, but it is my goal to get there one day. Ask Alice also, she might have some good suggestions. I think it's great that you are doing this also:)

[FLeckenAwesome]

Wow!!! That is a great idea!!!

I know that the AEC's one year had a shirt that had a rearing horse and said "Dressage This" and it was for the person that moved up the most after their dressage ride :) Hee hee... Pretty cute.

I think those are all great ideas and would be awesome!

[CookiePony]

That is so wonderful of you! Also, check with Robin Bass-- she is coordinating some awards through Adult Riders.

[RunForIt]

That is so wonderful of you! Also, check with Robin Bass-- she is coordinating some awards through Adult Riders.


you are supposed to be doing Vandy work! :lol:

[FLeckenAwesome]

Got the Area 3 awards covered!!! We've got VTO coolers again as well as a gift certificate...$100, I believe.
Go Robin and Area 3 Adults :)

[flbay]

LOVE the "Dressage this" idea~ Wonder where I could get one of those.

I am in contact with Robin. She and the area III adult riders are doing a FAB job with awards. Just wanted to add some nontraditional "participant" type awards.

[FlightCheck]

I'd be happy to sponsor a "Oldest horse and rider combined age" award.

[FLeckenAwesome]

Flbay... i think your ideas are AWESOME!!!!

And I agree... it would be a great thing to get something even if things didn't go quite as planned.... you still made it to the T3D!!!
I have no idea where they got the "dressage this" Shirts, but I thought it was hilarious :)

All your ideas are great! I also like the combined age idea too :)

[flbay]

Flightcheck, LOVE your idea. I will PM to discuss details if you do want to sponsor that award.

Can't find a "Dressage THIS" T shirt but will keep looking for websites that allow personalized horsey type stuff.

Would people prefer awards like t shirts? gift certificates? vendor coupon for use at the show?

I could potentially even do something different for each award....should they be humorous like "geriatric vitamins" for FC's combined oldest age?

What about for "Highest scoring OTTB" with the humorous meaning of accumulating the most points if one happens to occur?

I want things to create noncompetitive awards atmosphere for things people don't realize something about their (otherwise nonribboning ride) might be noticed.

[EventingChase]

I am riding at the training three day and these sound great! How about awards for biggest horse, smallest horse, most colorful etc?

Also awards for best color coordinated/outift cross country? I don't know.. just throwing stuff out there. I always like stuff that I need but am always running out of for prizes... liniment, stud plugs, shampoo, poultice, fly spray/coat conditioners....

[flbay]

EC,

CONGRATS to YOU! Good luck in these last few weeks prepping!

So, as a participant, you would like to receive these things? (I know I would but I am practical, too.)

Getting a bucket of poultice, some road studs, fly spray, shampoo etc would be EASY to do..and we may be able to do MORE awards if we do something like that. But, would it seem too impersonal or last minute?

Like your suggestions of biggest and smallest as well as most colorful combo.

Please keep the suggestions coming!

[EventingChase]

Thanks! I am very excited. I think it will be a fun time.

I love practical prizes but I am kind of a geek like that. Momento type gifts/prizes are always nice but I want stuff I can USE and not "paying" for it... even better!

[AM]

In addition to selecting the prizes, think about the criteria for awarding them and who is going to select the awardees. Make sure the person planning the awards ceremony has the award and and the winner's name in a timely manner.

[FLeckenAwesome]

Oooh, I'd win most colorful for sure!!! IF.... hee hee... we had qualified for this one ;)

But oooh, I do like the practical stuff idea... maybe a big bucket of stuff - poultice, poultice paper, stud plugs, liniment, fly spray, etc. That would be awesome. And I wouldn't think it impersonal really. Not any more than a halter that might not fit my horse's ginormous head :)

Great ideas!!!!

[Catalina]

Maybe one day I will do a T3D, but I just wanted to say that I LOVE the idea of practical stuff. I bet that if you gave something like stud plugs alone as a completion gift, people would be thrilled; I know I would (I am always losing those pesky things :mad: :lol:).

[Camstock]

Best coordinated (could be interpreted as attire or state of mind) rider and groom

Best run vet box

Most colorfully-run vet box

Love the daily-use item awards.

Also, I bet Long Format Club attire would be really appropriate as an award.

[flbay]

Thanks all to the great input so far.

Camstock, what is this?

"Also, I bet Long Format Club attire would be really appropriate as an award."

Sorry, I am totally ignorant.

AM, great things to keep in mind. Thanks! I will be sure to not add to confusion at award time by being thoroughly prepared.

[RacetrackReject]

I rode at a barn that gave out little awards at their Christmas party every year. They had things like Velcro Butt Award, Arena Dart Award, Hard Luck Award, etc. Usually the best and most touching was the "Just Happy To Be Here" Award. It generally went to the person who shows up almost every day, rain or shine, sound horse/unsound horse/no horse, and was happy to ride whatever was handed to them and just be there taking it all in.

You could still do that for the T3D for the person who might not be having the best luck, but keeps smiling through it all and most importantly, having fun.

[flbay]

Bumping to see if there are any more great, unusual ideas for awards out there!

[QHEventr]

Tote Bags are always a nice award because they can be used everyday! Maybe a tote bag with the event logo, and T3D on it! Baseball hats are nice as well! Make sure to come up with an award for the grooms as well! None of us could do a 3D without them

I LOVE the award for the horse/rider who move up the most after XC or SJ. Could say "dressage this", or "Dressage....just proves you showed up!"

I'd love to see an award for the oldest competing horse, oldest rider, or maybe something for finishing closest to OT on Chase, and XC.

[FlightCheck]

QH Eventer, I'm sponsoring the "oldest combination" award - to the horse and rider whose combined age is the highest!