I’m trying to pull together a “show” of sorts for the first week in April. Will be judged, won’t be pinned as we won’t have many people so not really a competition. Judge will give comments after the test and rider can ride the test again if they want. Basically. anyone can use the day to get what they need out of it before the show season. We were talking about making it fun by having superlative awards. The one that was mentioned as an example was best turnout. 85% of the people who come are coming are going to be from one show barn where the horses are clipped, the riders all have expensive tack, matching polos/pads etc, compete at top levels and know how to braid etc. (they are coming to shake the cobwebs out before the season begins) I also want to get people who might try a dressage test for the first time, have never braided, ponies aren’t clipped… So basically they would be showing up with a knife to a gun fight in that category. So, what other things can we award that are more inclusive of the WIDE gulf we may have of riders? Any ideas?
I’m assuming you want something that doesn’t cost much money?
Given that gulf…wow… I was thinking maybe a coffee card, something truly neutral…
Can you separate the tests by experience level? And then awards from there?
I put a fun show together for our local fair and had a very small budget to work with. What I did was approach my local feed store and they donated a bunch of treats for us to give out. I also went and bought a bunch of candy and made up candy bags for everyone. Also got a good deal on carrots so every entry got a couple for the equines. Everyone loved it and it was super low stress for me. Good luck!
Assuming you keep a copy of each test sheet, there are tons of things you can do…
Most improved (greatest difference from first test to second)
Most improved on a single movement
Best walk (average all walk scores on a test)
Best halt (same idea)
Most tactful riding (rider who best helps a scared/spooky/naughty horse have a good experience)
I think the OP was looking more for ideas about fun award names, rather than item ideas.
You could do “most Improved” since you said riders could ride the test a second time. Would be easy to see who’s scores went up the most and it wouldn’t matter what the horse or rider looked like. Your novices are more likely to win that one, as they will probably have the most improving to do, if only because the first time for anything can be a bit rough.
Other than that you can tailor some of the awards to novices, if you don’t want them all going to the experience folks.
Most Improved
Best Horsemanship, for that person who maintains their cool when their horse just NOPES right the heck out of everything.
Best Sportsmanship, for the individual who does the most to aid and support their fellow competitors
If you have a horse who is competing at an advanced age, either long term or just starting out, you could highlight that.
If you have a particularly young rider you could highlight that.
Wooliest Horse, for the super fluffy beastie. Everyone loves a fluffy pony. 
Best Hair
Oldest horse/rider combo… or youngest combo
Silliest test (don’t want to say ‘bad’), could be split into horse who have shown before ‘cobweb’ award and never shown before, the ‘chartreuse’ award.
Great ideas! We also used super silly ones like 1) horse and rider lookalikes, 2) shiniest coat (horse!) 3) wooliest horse or pony, 4) Miss or Mr Congeniality (horse again!) you get the idea. You can make up anything and everything.
Some classic superlatives:
Class clown
Cutest couple (another one aimed at the pony crowd)
Most athletic
Best hair (could go in the direction of braiding or overall fuzziness)
Best dressed
Best sportsmanship
Some other silly ideas:
Most alert horse or biggest spook sat (if necessary there could be another award just for the biggest spook)
Best post-ride celebration
best first test? (first as in the first time they’ve ridden a dressage test, not first level)
Happiest rider
Future olympian
Highest and lowest combined horse and rider ages
–Longest tail
–Most spots
–“Name your score” : Rider submits what they think their score will be when they check in to the show, and the persons whose score comes closest wins.
– Most “creative” error
–Slowest walk
In my opinion, I think you can spend more time on this than it will take to run the actual show and can end up accidentally hurting people’s feelings. Unless the show is mostly kids/youth, as an adult I would rather not have something like that, I would rather the show manager save their money or time. Or if you want to award something that is low cost/free, then offer to video the rides for the participants. That would be useful to them.
Best Attempt at Airs Above the Ground - aka the Vienna Award… I have had several youngsters that should have won this over the years!
I would love fun awards at a schooling/shake out the cobwebs show - sometimes dressage just takes itself far too seriously and we all need to take a step back and just… enjoy the fun!
I think the oldest/youngest/fuzziest/shortest/tallest kind of thing is the way to go - and leaves the scores out of it.
I like the “guess your score” idea.
Best Improvisation (for Horse and/or Rider) who doesn’t QUITE do the test as written…
What about using the Danish System to award ribbons based on scores, rather than pinning in the traditional manner? I do think superlatives can be hard to do unless you can think of something positive to use for each award. I can see it being embarrassing to some people to get a prize because their horse was acting up, they didn’t bother to clip, or they made some other mistake they would rather forget.
How about making the superlatives optional?
When riders sign up have a list of the various awards on a form and have them sign if they wish to be considered. Make it all or nothing. That way no ones feelings can be hurt and those who don’t want to participate don’t have to.
I agree with making the awards positive and not related to a bad ride or having the cash to be at a show barn, especially if you’re expecting kids.
I love the idea of “guess your test score” and “most improved”. Consider things like “whitest white” , “Horse best matches the color of the rider’s breeches” and if there are kids, “closest in age of horse and rider” and such. These are pretty objective categories. You can have a halter class where a judge awards the closest match between rider hair and tail color, and rider hair and coat color. Have everyone jog their horse in individually and line up like a halter class. Similarly, biggest discrepancy between hair color and tail / coat color. The judge can give individual tips on how to better present their horse, independent of hair color. Or score them even though the actual score doesn’t count for the class win. Scores are handed out to the handlers, not posted anywhere. These are fun AND educational classes.
Some optional awards can be for things like Widest Score Range Within One Test or Best Airs Above the Ground or other such awards if there is a clear standout AND the rider has a sense of humor about the ride (left the arena laughing, not in tears). If the show is not that big, you can approach the riders and ask if they’d mind being awarded something like “least use of the arena” for a particularly spooky ride - I’ve been there (!) and would have loved such an award at a fun show (everyone saw the ride anyway!) - it makes people laugh and I very obviously would have won this award at a few shows.
You can probably make up some awards just by watching the rides and the sense of humor of the rider. This would help you distribute the awards more evenly.
I’d consider listing some objective “fun” awards and listing a bunch To Be Announced.
Have a great time!
Kind of like the “paper plate” awards they gave out at the end of middle school cross country. If you bill it as a Fuzzy Fun show, fix a text kind of clinic or show, then I think people will be more prepared to have a good time. You might just have a bunch of almost fortune cookie sayings printed out and just have a random draw to go with their text and a carrot. So you get your test, a pithy comment that may or may not apply and a carrot.
I love the superlatives idea! Heck, I’d be happy to get a “Remembered My Test” ribbon. :lol:
I finally realized what I think might not work well about this idea WRT a dressage show or ride a test clinic thing like you’re scheduling.
People don’t stay all day.
They come, they do their thing, they chat a bit get their scores and go home. The best tail awarded at 9:30 am will be long gone by the time that the thing is over and they aren’t there to get their prize.
I think your efforts are better applied on the front end, with buckets of carrots at check in so they might grab one or two for their horse, and little goody bags for participants. Niceties like that are sweet and easy to manage day-of. Hot cider or cold lemonade in dispensers at the desk, stuff like that 
