It is the intent of the program to encourage members to become active by volunteering at various activities and events sponsored or sanctioned by MCTA throughout the year. We would not be able to provide quality horse trials, clinics, and activities without the assistance of our amazing and dedicated volunteers and acknowledge that reward and recognition of these services are critical to the retention of volunteers in the organization.
Sign Up to Volunteer at EventingVolunteers.Com to be a volunteer at MCTA Recognized Horse Trials
Because volunteers are so essential to the very existence of eventing, MCTA tries to recognize their contributions as well as those of horses and riders.
M a r y l a n d C o m b i n e d T r a i n i n g A s s o c i a t i o n
VOLUNTEER AWARD RECIPIENTS
1984 Cher Snyder, Leslie Keigler, Skip Rollins
1985 Ann McKay, Sally Stump, Ruth Frey
1986 Iva Gillet, Linda Reynolds, the Maher family
1987 Cathy Tucker [Slaterbeck], Sherry Schnepfe, Jim Miller
1988 Jane and George Morgenroth, Ed Johnson, Andie Yellott
1989 Ami Howard, Mary Sue Mood, Bruce and Nancy Mountz
1990 Rosalie Beasley, Wendy Takacs, Ann Yellott
1991 John Snyder, Daun and Pam Van Ee
1992 Elice Shelton, Dee Huddles, Clay Winn
1993 Valerie Hunt Steinberg, Anne Wagner, Jamie Maher
1994 Dana Bright, Libby Southall, Nancy Morris
1995 Jeanie Gore, Nell Thompson
1996 Barbara Laiken, Janene Gerling-Dunsmore
1997 Sue Ward, Susan Boice
1998 Beth and Bert Collier
1999 The Larson-Peterson family
2000
2001 Scott and Linda Nickel
2002 Lisa Staples (“Yes Dear” Trophy—Rick Staples)
2003
2004
2005 Kate Pratt, Nell Thompson
2006 Dave and Maria Wisner
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011 none awarded
2012 none awarded
2013 none awarded
2014 none awarded
2015 none awarded
2016 Chris Donovan, Ann Lyons, Mardi Herman, Eliza Herman
2017 Patti Fenwick, Sue Page, Joanne Offidani
2018 Katie Novotny, Alicia Davis, Nicole O’Neil, Natalie Huso
2019 Betsy Hochstein [Pearce], Toni Woods, Rich Bison, Julie Abe
2020 Emma Hinke, Jaime Loichinger, Delaney O’Neil
2021 Iina Rammschmidt, Holly LaBarre, Dell Rhodes
2022 Scott Waters, Cynthia Hiener, Leah Hiener
2023 Holley Covey, Rebecca Paul, Susan Hart
2024 Ginger LaBarre, Kelsey Brinegar, Donna Lockard
2025 Katie Novotny, Jean Seiler, Wendy Tobias, Doris Hoppers
EDWARD K. JOHNSON SPECIAL FOCUS AWARD
1995 Mary Sue Mood (for fence judging at the Atlanta Olympics)
THE EDWARD K. JOHNSON MEMORIAL TROPHY
Donated by MCTA to the MD 5* at Fair Hill for their
“volunteer-of-the-year”
M a r y l a n d C o m b i n e d T r a i n i n g A s s o c i a t i o n
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Connie Bison
Chris Donovan
Ruth Frey
Shockey Gillet (in memoriam)
Holly Gilmore
Jean Gore (in memoriam)
Brenda Herzog
Ami Howard
Jamie Maher
Ann McKay
Kim Meier (in memoriam)
Jane Morgenroth (in memoriam)
Nancy Morris
Bodgie Read (in memoriam)
Walter Reynolds
Debbie Rollins-Frank (in memoriam)
Dorothy Troutman (in memoriam)
Cathy Tucker Slaterbeck
RUTH FREY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Ruth Frey
Alicia Davis
Mardi Herman
Holly Covey
The Ruth Frey Volunteer Trophy
Awarded by MCTA to an outstanding
very longtime volunteer
MCTA Bucks
MCTA pays “MCTA Bucks” to members who volunteer at MCTA organized functions. MCTA bucks can be exchanged for discounts on entry fees to our events, cross country schooling, clinics held throughout the year, activities, and the banquet.
They cannot be used for membership dues or to purchase items.
Certificates are issued in two denominations: $25 for half-day (4 hours) of volunteering and $50 for a full day (8 hours) of volunteering.
Each HT and Clinic Organizer will manage MCTA Bucks for their activity. MCTA Bucks Certificates can be combined. However, no residual value will be re-issued. For example: should someone turn in four – $25 certificates for an $85 entry fee; the residual $15 is not refunded.
Legally, the certificate has no cash value and therefore cannot be traded for actual cash.
Fun Stuff
When you volunteer at our events, you receive lunch and snacks, swag, and of course the aforementioned MCTA bucks.
Volunteer Awards and Recognition
MCTA recognizes our most faithful volunteers with accolades and Volunteer of the Year awards at our Year End Awards Banquet. It’s a wonderful opportunity to feel great about giving to your community and feeling great about yourself.
EVENTS (can happen year-round)
- Clinics
- Schoolings and Combined Tests (CT)
- Round Tables
- Expo
- Maintain Cross-Country (XC) Obstacles
BEFORE THE HORSE TRIAL
- Organizer Checklist
- Secretary
- TD (Technical Delegate)
- Advertising Chairman (Sell ads to put into the program to help cover the cost of the Program)
- Building Stadium Jumps
- Painting Stadium Jumps
- Building XC Obstacles
- Grounds Maintenance (Trim bushes, move felled trees, rake, re-seed, remove rocks etc.)
- Make Signage
- Chief XC Steward
- Chief Fence Judge (Jump Judge Coordinator)
- Dressage Steward
- Stadium Steward
- Award Solicitation (Visit Tack shops and other businesses and ask for donations that can be used for awards)
- Public Relations Chairman (Create flyers, omnibus listing and ads; distribute flyers)
- Program Chairman (Create Program coordinating with Secretary and Advertising Chairman)
- Order and Manage Ribbons, Medals, Trophies
JUST BEFORE THE HORSE TRIAL
- Grounds Steward (Develop site plans, help each Steward determine what equipment, supplies and utilities they will need; arrange for porta-johns, garbage and manure removal; on the day monitor supplies (porta-johns, support parking; post event retrieve signage, store supplies, update inventory lists, remove garbage.)
- Hospitality Chairman (Menu, care and feeding of officials’ morning & afternoons coffee breaks, and lunch. Make sure water is available for competitors and spectators.)
- Ground Jury
- Safety Steward:
- Stabling Steward (Determine number of stalls readily available; shop for best price on bedding, arrange for manure and garbage disposal, repair stall as needed, plan where people will be stabled and provide info to Secretary, make map directing people to the stables for Secretary to include in packets, post stall maps, make stall cards and post on assigned stalls. Ensure stalls are left clean.)
- Set up Dressage Rings
- Decorate Dressage Area
- Set up Stadium Course
- Decorate Stadium Jumps
- Decorate XC Obstacles
- Set up Tents, Tables, Chairs
- Stadium Course Designer
- Scorers (Be familiar with rules, derive performance accounts for Riders & Horses in levels, divisions, sorting to determine award-winners, produce timely and accurate results.)
- Scoring Scribe (Posts results (notating time) and notifies Communications Steward that scores are posted)
- Grounds Maintenance (Trim bushes, move felled trees, rake, add footing materials, etc.)
DAY OF THE HORSE TRIAL
- EMT
- Veterinarian
- Farrier
- Communications Steward (Announcer)
- Parking Chairman (Ensures trailers park in the proper fields and in a space-conscious, yet safe manner, distributes competitor packets; notifies Secretary which packets not picked up.)
- Trash Pickup
- Dressage Judge
- Dressage Scribe
- Dressage Ring Steward
- Dressage Bit-check
- Dressage Gatekeeper
- Dressage Runner (Takes score sheets to Scoring)
- Stadium Judge
- Stadium Scribe
- Stadium Ring Steward
- Stadium Jump Crew
- Stadium Gatekeeper
- Stadium Warm-up Steward
- Chief Stadium Timer
- Stadium Timers
- Stadium Fence Repair Crew
- Stadium Dismantling Crew
- Stadium Collecting Steward (Bridle number Collector)
- Stadium Runner (Takes score sheets to Scoring)
- Chief XC Timer
- XC Timers
- XC Scribe
- XC Starter
- XC Assistant Timer(s)
- XC False Starter
- XC Obstacle Repair Crew
- XC Warm-up Steward
- XC Area Safety Coordinator (Establishes and coordinates medical services including transportation of injured riders.)
- XC Area Safety Stewards
- XC Chief Fence Judge
- XC Fence Judge (DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CROSS-COUNTRY JUMP JUDGING GUIDELINES)
- XC Couriers (Outriders)
- XC Collection Steward (Collects pinnys at the finish line)
- Awards Chairman (Assists Secretary by handing out ribbons, prizes and trophies)
POST HORSE TRIAL
- Take Down Tents, Tables, Chairs
- Take Down Dressage Arenas
- (including warm-up)
- Take Down Stadium Jumps (including warm-up)
- Take Down XC Warm-up
- Put Away Dressage Arenas
- Put Away Stadium Jumps
- Put Away XC Warm-up Jumps
- Put Away Tents, Tables and Chairs
- Clean up trash and remove
- Stabling manure and garbage is removed
- Signage is taken down
- Signage is stored
- Tools are cleaned, maintained and stored
- Flags and Fence Numbers are taken down and stored
- Secretary’s area is swept, trash removed and furniture is put in order
- Grounds Repair (Re-seed, rake, fill in stake holes, etc. )
Instructions for volunteers that would like to sign up for a future event:
- Go to www.EventingVolunteers.com
- Click on “I’m a Volunteer”
- Create a new account
- Click on the confirmation link sent by eMail
- Return to www.EventingVolunteers.com
- Click on “I’m a volunteer”
- Log in with your credentials
- Fill out the “New Volunteer Form”
- Once complete, you will be redirected to the Volunteer Dashboard
- Click on the open event that you would like to sign up for