In 2009, the Professional Horseman’s Council in partnership with Charles Owen founded the Charles Owen Technical Merit (COTM) Award to reward juniors and adult amateurs for demonstrating safe and appropriate cross-country riding technique and educate riders and trainers as to what constitutes safe cross-country riding.
New in 2018, the USEA has changed the eligibility of the COTM award to be judged at the Training level for adult amateurs and juniors who have not competed at the Intermediate level or above. This enables organizers to choose from two options. Organizers may either have a Training Rider division and judge only the juniors and adult amateurs competing in that group, OR if an organizer does not offer a Training Rider division they may still hold a Training Amateur division and the USEA will provide a list to the organizer of all eligible riders in that division who have not competed at the Intermediate level or above.
The Charles Owen Technical Merit Award is now presented at one event in each USEA Area each year at the Training level to one junior rider and one adult amateur rider who have not competed at the Intermediate level or above. Every eligible rider at the Training level is automatically judged during their cross-country round on the five criteria listed below and receives a score sheet with written comments, providing valuable feedback on their cross-country riding technique. Level III and IV ICP instructors, USEF licensed eventing officials, and USET Senior Team riders are all qualified to judge the Award.
The winners of the Charles Owen Technical Merit Award at each event during the year receive a Charles Owen body protector and helmet bag, and then the overall highest scoring junior and adult amateur rider from all 10 events receives a voucher towards a Charles Owen helmet.
2018 Charles Owen Technical Merit Schedule
Pine Top Advanced H.T. | February 22-25, 2018 | Thomson, GA (Area III)
Golden Spike H.T. | June 16-17, 2018 | Ogden, UT (Area IX)
Coconino Summer I H.T. | July 6-8, 2018 | Flagstaff, AZ (Area X)
The Event at Rebecca Farm | July 18-22, 2018 | Kalispell, MT (Area VII)
Fitch's Corner H.T. | July 21-22, 2018 | Millbrook, NY (Area I)
Cobblestone Farms H.T. | August 3-5, 2018 | Dexter, MI (Area VIII)
Shepherd Ranch SYVPC H.T. II | August 24-26, 2018 | Santa Ynez, CA (Area VI)
Seneca Valley Pony Club H.T. | September 8-9, 2018 | Poolesville, MD (Area II)
Otter Creek Fall H.T. | September 14-16, 2018 | Wheeler, WI (Area IV)
Texas Rose Horse Park | November 10-11, 2018 | Tyler, TX (Area V)
The USEA would like to thank Charles Owen for sponsoring the Technical Merit Award.
For more information on the Charles Owen Technical Merit Award, please contact Kate Lokey, (703) 779-9897, or visit the Charles Owen Technical Merit Award page.
Adult amateur Arden Wildasin’s 39-page long competition report with the USEA began in 2005 when she completed her first Beginner Novice with Mr. Fox. If you would have asked her then if she ever imagined she would be prepping for what she hopes to be her first five-star outing 20 years later, she wouldn’t have believed it was real.
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation is pleased to announce the opening of the 2025 licensed official development grant application.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation is pleased to announce the opening of the 2025 licensed official development grant application.