The CAPALL AWARDS™ are Riding Skills and Stable Management Awards designed to assess the achievement of pony and horse riders from their beginning stages up to advanced level. The CAPALL AWARDS system is progressive, ensuring that riders will have a record of their developing talents and experience of equitation as well as their knowledge of stable management.
The key points of the CAPALL AWARDS system are:
2. Stable Skills
3. Experience requirement
The key points of the CAPALL AWARDS system are:
- A progressive series of skill levels through ten assessment stages from beginner to advanced rider.
- No need for horse/pony ownership and ideal for weekly riders.
- Non owner riders can complete assessments at their riding school with their normal horse/pony.
- Each rider is free to progress at their own speed, there is no competition.
- From 2017, a dedicated website for those participating in the Capall Awards with teaching advice, instructor guidelines and materials for all levels of award.
- Each level comprises three strands:
2. Stable Skills
3. Experience requirement
- Where the candidate's normal riding instructor fulfills the relevant qualification requirements, Levels 1 to 5 can be assessed by the candidate's normal instructor to ensure a relaxed atmosphere.
- Assessments at Level 6 and above must be completed by a qualified Assessor other than the candidate's normal teacher and drawn from a panel of CAPALL AWARDS approved Assessors.
- Jumping is always optional and can be omitted without penalty by completing an alternative/additional flat work section.
- A pass must be achieved in both Riding Skills and Stable Skills and the requisite experience level must be achieved for an award to be made.
- Pass Certificates are awarded for all levels.
- Although each CAPALL AWARDS Level assumes and will test all knowledge and experience comparable with passing prior Levels, more experienced riders can enter at any level up to Level Four as advised and approved by their riding instructor.
- ALL candidates for CAPALL AWARDS at Level Five and above must satisfy the prerequisites listed in the syllabus before acceptance for assessment.
- There are three assessment days each year, normally on the final weekends of January, May and September.
- The first assessment day will be Sunday 29th May 2016.
- Through 2016 Levels 1 to 5 will be assessed.
- From 2017 Levels 1 to 10 will be assessed.
- Assessment fees for each level for 2016 will be €25 for levels 1 to 5 and €50 for levels 6 to 10.
Conduct of Assessments
- The safety of riders, those on nearby, other ponies/horses must be the top priority in the conduct of CAPALL AWARDS at all levels.
- Every establishment presenting CAPALL AWARDS must have current public liability insurance.
- For Levels One to Five it is desirable that candidates ride the pony/horse normally used for their tuition at the riding centre where they receive lessons.
- Owner-riders ride their own pony/horse.