Is it customary for the owner of the horse or the rider/trainer to receive prize money at a Dressage competition? Assuming the owner is paying the rider to ride the horse and covering all expenses I would expect the owner would receive the prize money. This is not a situation that I have ever come across before because prize money has never been an option at most dressage shows! When I owned a horse competing in jumpers the owner always received the prize money. It appears that the organizers of the show in question will be sending prize money to the riders… which may lead to an awkward conversation. I’m curious as to what is usually done in this situation.
When my trainer was the showing rider, the little $ I received were given to me. These were, I think, CDI events, so may have different rules/process.
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The owner should receive the prize money under the circumstances you described. If the horse won HOY, USDF would send the prizes to the owner (I know this because I own a horse who won HOY as a foal and I was sent the prizes as owner). I haven’t experienced this for regionals, but I would guess it would be the same (registered owner receives the check–but contact USDF to be sure).
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Also, thinking back, I had to fill out some form for tax reporting purposes and I might have had to put recipient on the entry? It was a couple years back…
In that situation, I would fully expect owners to receive the prize money. However, if the rider was paying for all the expenses (for example, someone who leases a horse), I would expect them to receive the prize money.
All that to say, I suppose unless they specifically ask on the entry, it might not be immediately clear to show management who should actually receive the money.
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If you (general) are actually leasing then aren’t you considered the owner for show purposes at that point?
I can not imagine an owner who has full leased a horse wants to be responsible as the owner when it comes to drug testing and such a horse that they have no control over.
I believe that USDF lists lessees as owners for the period that they report leasing the horse. They are listed as Owner on the entry forms as the lessee and would receive the prize money.
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When I type in my lease horse’s USDF number for shows, it’s his owners name that shows up and they always announce “Mander, riding Dobbin, owned by Mama Dobbin”. 🤷
I do sign as the “Agent” though.
I guess they do not register leases like some other governing bodies do. Thank you for clarifying.
There’s always the chance I’ve screwed something up too haha
But we don’t do anything noteworthy enough for it to matter I suppose. No prize money for me 
Or perhaps because leasing and prize money are less common in the dressage world than in the H/J world, people are less aware or less concerned with recording the lease with USDF.
There appears to be a process available to record a lease.
UDSF horse recording changes
I suppose that could be it too. What I did in the hunters there was no prize money so…
I also never leased anything. I have just learned about properly recording a lease here on the forum and from people I know who have done it.
TIL 
I guess I need to go read the rulebook(s) again.
Good thing we’re not doing regionals - that would have been an unfortunate thing to discover.
