In addition to SHOC's established and unprecedented international "Awards Program," 2001 marked the first year SHOC participated in the U.S. Dressage Federation's "All Breeds Awards" Program. SHOC also continues to offer Horse of the Year awards to its members in multiple foreign countries as well as in North America.  

Annual "Horse of the Year" awards are be made in the following disciplines: Dressage (including in-hand/led), Eventing, Hunters (including in-hand/led), Showjumping, Combined Driving, Side Saddle, and Endurance according to membership in, and points maintained and verified by the Equestrian Federation of the country in which the member is competing. USEF and/or USCTA and/or USDF, etc. in the U.S.; CEF in Canada and the British and European equivalents. Many of the discipline organizations such as the USDF, USEF (formerly known as "AHSA") and USCTA, accrue points only from the date of membership with their organization and recording with them. SHOC is limited to making awards based on the verification of points from the applicable organizations. For example, if you are registering your horse and applying for the SHOC Awards Program in February and you have been recorded with AHSA since the beginning of their point year (prior to February), SHOC will recognize the points that AHSA verifies from the time recorded with them, even if it is before February.

Currently, SHOC Horse of the Year awards are made to participating members competing with a myriad of breeds, cross-breeds and colors, including, Appaloosa, Knabstrupper, Buckskin, Cremello, Palomino, Perlino, Pinto and Solids (all other colors) in categories within the disciplines recognized by the applicable country's equestrian federation, such as: USEF, USDF, USCTA, CEF, etc. Members interested in participating in the annual awards program outside of the U.S., Canada, and England, please contact SHOC for further information.  

All interested participants must be a SHOC member in good standing, submit a SHOC Awards Program Application and pay the appropriate fee by no later than the first participation in a competition or April 1st, of the competition year, whichever occurs first.  Fees are $35 in the U.S. for each of the following disciplines: In-Hand Dressage, In-Hand Hunters, Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, Jumpers, Combined Driving and Endurance; members outside the U.S., fees are $45 per country in each of the disciplines. Members participating in the Awards Program and competing in more than one country must pay fees for each country which fees include one discipline. For example, an American member competing in the U.S. and Canada must pay $35.00 to compete in Jumpers in the U.S. and an additional $35 to compete in Jumpers in Canada, for a total of $70. Another example of participation in the Awards Program in multiple disciplines is an American member competing in the U.S. and Canada in two (2) disciplines, for instance, Eventing and Dressage must pay $35 x 4 for each country's disciplines as there are potentially four (4) awards from such participating in both countries: Eventing and Dressage in Canada and Eventing and Dressage in the U.S. Any participant applying to participate in the Awards Program after April 1st may be considered by SHOC, however, an additional late fee will apply.

    Applications may be obtained from the SHOC office or by downloading them in the Forms section of this website.