Now that this is open, the first poll is live!
Currently, RVCTA competitions encompass five of seven recognized levels under the United States Eventing Association; novice, training, preliminary, intermediate, and advanced. These five levels create an appropriate level of difficulty for the association's goals. However, it is possible to add the other two levels if there is sufficient demand.
Beginner Novice is the lowest recognized level of USEA competition; the maximum fence height on cross-country is 2'7", with minimal efforts and very straightforward courses. At RVCTA, the entry fee for BN would be 100c, and instead of offering prize money, the contest would offer training points to the winners. Uniquely, BN would be open to four-year-old horses; however, it would be closed to horses who had competed at the intermediate and advanced levels in the past. there would, of course, be no prerequisites for Beginner Novice, and BN would not become a prerequisite for Novice. The color scheme of BN is black on yellow.
Modified lies between Training and Preliminary - it was designed to help horses bridge the sizeable gap in difficulty. Modified has a maximum fence height of 3'5" and includes fewer of the complex questions presented at preliminary. At RVCTA, Modified would be an optional level between Training and Preliminary, having the same qualifications as Preliminary and the same prizes as Training. Horses could compete at Modified in order to prepare for Preliminary, or to have more success with prize money and the leaderboards than they'd have at the upper levels. The color scheme of M is orange on dark blue.
Please, place a vote on which levels, if any, you think we should add to the association! Happy eventing!