Prize-Giving Etiquette and Dress

Published by Peter at September 17, 2020

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I have noticed that many riders do not know the etiquette expected of them at a prize-giving ceremony.

The first thing to understand is that it is a ceremony, and you are a participant. The etiquette is that if you win a prize, you must receive it mounted. Before you send your horse home, check if you are amongst the prizes, and if the prize-giving is mounted or unmounted. If it is mounted, as it usually is for horse shows, keep your horse handy. Sure, loosen the girth and keep the horse comfortable. Before you go in for the actual prize-giving ceremony, put on working boots if you took them off for the dressage test, tighten the girth, and wipe your horse clean.

Make sure you are properly dressed, as you would have done for the competition. Just because you won the class doesn’t give you the right to show-up without your boots on, or without your jacket. You have to be dressed as you were for your competition. No taking off your jacket or boots, or untying your stock or tie. As you must walk the course in your competition attire, you must collect your prize in it.

The ceremony is not only to honour the winners of the class, but also to give the sponsors recognition and thanks. Without sponsors, we would have no shows!

Polo and some horse shows have unmounted prize-giving ceremonies. You still have to be properly dressed. If it is a team event, make sure that everyone is dressing the same way – come dressed as a team.

The picture is important. It goes onto websites, into magazines and on social media.

Coming dressed as you would for the event shows respect to the sponsors, the organisers, the owners of your horse, the horse itself and even yourself.

Organizers go to a lot of trouble to find sponsors. The sponsors have other sports that are always asking them to sponsor – they are under no obligation to sponsor your show. So be respectful, and don’t forget to thank the sponsors.

Do not walk into the arena without your horse if it is a mounted ceremony. If your horse cannot go in for the prize-giving for whatever reason, it is your job to borrow a horse. From now on, if a rider is improperly attired or unmounted for a KL Academy of Polo Event without prior permission, we will not hand out a prize.

Avoid a disaster with Horse & Hound’s prize-giving advice:

Don’t:

✗ Overtake. Shooting past higher-placed competitors is bad-mannered and dangerous.
✗ Hog the limelight. Circle just once, unless you’re the winner.
✗ Overdo it. Throwing your hat in the air or dropping your reins can end in disaster. Even professionals have messed that one up.

Do:

✓ Try to create a prize-giving atmosphere at home. Although it’s hard to mimic the atmosphere of a big arena at home, playing a CD with loud applause can help.
✓ Take a stepping-stone approach. A gradual progression through the competition levels should get a horse used to prize-givings.
✓ Practise making your horse stand still. Asking a horse to stand still under pressure should be a priority, whether this is out hunting, at the mounting block or after something high-energy like canter.
✓ Be honest. Tell the organisers if your horse hates rosettes or rugs before they try to attach something to him.
✓ Borrow a horse. If yours is truly terrified, find a safer alternative.
✓ Smile! It’s your moment of glory — remember to enjoy it.

Prize-giving etiquette: dos and don’ts

Here are the guidelines for prize giving protocols and media activities at FEI Events during the Covid-19 pandemic (Effective 1 September 2020).

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