Outside the Sandbox

Wow, March is slipping away fast!

As you know, the GDCTA yearbook is just around the corner. This is the place many businesses include in their print advertising plans because people hold on to these commemorative issues of Collected Remarks. For details, check out our media planning guide on the website: www.gdcta.org/advertise.

Quick reminder, we have new awards for 2021! In addition to the awards we’ve been offering, we have added two new awards for our young schooling show riders – the Letterman Jacket and Rider Award. Check out those new programs on the website: https://www.gdcta.org/program-rules.

Along with those new youth awards, we’ve made it easier to qualify for the year-end awards program. Now scores earned at GDCTA-hosts shows, count twice toward the requirements! Read that again - scores earned at GDCTA-hosted shows count twice toward the year-end awards program. You could qualify for dressage in one two-show weekend. Wow, that’s easy!

GDCTA-hosted shows:

• April 17-18 GDCTA Spring Fling Schooling Show at Wills Park • May 15-16 Greater Atlanta Dressage Southern (GADS) I &II at the Horse Park • August 21-22 GDCTA Summer Finals Schooling Show at Wills Park • September 4-5 Labor Day Classic I & II at the Horse Park September 30 End of 2021 Show Season • October 8-10 GAIG/USDF Regional 3 Dressage Championships at the Horse Park

In the meantime, we have many activities lined up. If you are interested in participating behind the scenes, the Volunteer Coordinators would love to hear from you.

• March 28 Kudzu Klinic: Ride-A-Test & Learn to Scribe at Revelation Farm June 1 deadline for GDCTA Training Grant Applications • May 8-9 Anne Gribbons Dressage Clinic at Shannondale Farm • June 26-27 JJ Tate Dressage Clinic at Shannondale Farm • July 24-25 Laura Graves Dressage Clinic at Shannondale Farm • August 7-8 Jeremy Steinberg Dressage Clinic at Shannondale Farm

As usual, more events will likely be added. If you have ideas or want to get more involved in general, let me know if you want so I can send you a Zoom invitation for our boarding meetings monthly on the 3rd Monday at 7:00 PM.

Warmest regards,

Caren

Caren Caverly President, GDCTA ccaverly@comcast.net 770-713-4025

GRANT Mission

The GDCTA Grant has been established to provide funding support for GDCTA member-riders who are working to sharpen their riding skills. Four grants of $800* each will be offered to GDCTA members for concentrated work with a trainer of their choice within one year of receiving the grant award.

The mission of the GDCTA Grant Program is to provide educational opportunities to members who have

demonstrated exceptional commitment to and/or excellence in the sport as well as service and ambassadorship within the Association.

The grant is meant for a GDCTA member to have the opportunity to be in a training situation that is not readily available during the course of his/her daily pattern. Grant monies must be used to participate in educational programs that include, but are not limited to: seminars, workshops, clinics and training programs

Categories

• Adult Amateur – Dressage • Professional • Combined Training • Jr/YR

Requirements

These grants represent an investment by GDCTA. The recipient understands that the membership will benefit as a result of the recipient’s experience, therefore it is a requirement that the recipient will:

• write an article for the GDCTA newsletter,

Collected Remarks, for use on the GDCTA website and for GDCTA’s use in other publications • give a verbal report at a GDCTA board meeting as soon as possible after their training is complete • volunteer at least 8 hours (or the equivalent of one day) at a GDCTA function within a year of receiving the grant.

*I understand that I will receive an initial $600 of the grant after details of my training are confirmed, and one month before my training; the balance in the amount of $200 will be sent to me when the GDCTA newsletter editors receive my training experience article.

Opening Date: February 1, 2021

Closing Date: June 1, 2021

Winner Announcement: July 1, 2021

Apply online:

www.gdcta.org/training-grants

Questions?

• GDCTA members in good standing. • US Citizen or permanent US resident holding

Green card • Involvement in a regular riding program with active instruction over the last three years

Eligibility

Janie Pride Grant Program Committee Chair 706-326-4354