Next Up: Bronze Medal

To kick off the long weekend, I came home from work to a welcome surprise - my certificate and "patch" (what ARE you supposed to do with those??) from the USDF acknowledging my USDF Rider Performance Award at Second Level!  Pretty cool, and a huge thank you to Katchi for earning me the scores for the award!  While I'm taking it day by day with Katchi's eventing plans, I have a definite next dressage goal:  the USDF Bronze Medal.  I'm just a solid half pass and flying change away (plus a whole lot better quality of work and some serious sitting trot work- yes, I realize this won't be easy!)... but it actually feels within reach.

One of my big pet peeves is equestrians using technically correct language that implies something easily (purposefully) misinterpreted by other equestrians who perhaps do not have as much understanding of national and international training, competition, and award programs.  So, by way of full disclosure - my bronze medal goal is NOT for a 2016 Olympic bronze medal!  :) For now, I'll leave the Olympic medal goals to my trainers! But the USDF Bronze Medal is no less an achievement for the rest of us! For those curious, here are the official requirements:

6 scores of 60% or higher:

1st level: 2 scores, 2 different judges & 2 different rides (check, got it!)

2nd level: 2 scores, 2 different judges & 2 different rides (yay! got that too!)

3rd level: 2 scores, 2 different judges & 2 different rides (a half pass & flying change short!)

And for those wondering whether you might set your own rider performance award goal, those awards are available for Training, First, and Second levels for 4 scores of 60% or higher at the level, from 4 judges and 4 rides, at 2 different USDF recognized shows.  Pretty solid goal... and when you reach it, then you too can have a patch that you don't know what to do with!!!