Welcome to the MCTA Volunteer Page. Do you know that MCTA has a volunteer program? To read about this, please click on WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS! You want to volunteer, but wish you could see what the duties are BEFORE you sign up for a particular job? Not a problem. We got that covered. Please help yourself to the following free information. Still have questions? No trouble at all. Please email Eliza Herman and we will try to help you.
MCTA Bucks
MCTA has brought back and revamped the “MCTA Bucks” to members who volunteer at MCTA organized functions. The MCTA bucks can be exchanged for discounts on entry fees to our two events, clinics held throughout the year, activities, and the banquet. They cannot be used for membership dues or to purchase items.
Certificates are issued in two denominations: $10 for half day (4 hours) of volunteering and $25 for a full day (8 hours) of volunteering. Each HT and Clinic Organizer will manage MCTA Bucks for their activity. MCTA Bucks Certificates can be combined, however, no residual value will be re-issued. For example: should someone turn in four - $25 certificates for an $85 entry fee; the residual $15 is not refunded. Legally, the certificate has no cash value and therefore cannot be traded for actual cash.
Okay, so you are saying to yourself… ‘Hey, I have more time before a horse trial and I want to know what kinds of jobs I can choose from.’ Keep in mind that first come, is first served, so just click on the highlighted links to read more about each job:
EVENTS (can happen year-round)
- Clinics
- Schoolings and Combined Tests (CT)
- Round Tables
- Expo
- Maintain Cross-Country (XC) Obstacles
BEFORE THE HORSE TRIAL
- Organizer
- Secretary
- TD (Technical Delegate)
- Advertising Chairman (Sell ads to put into the program to help cover the cost of the Program)
- Building Stadium Jumps
- Painting Stadium Jumps
- Building XC Obstacles
- Grounds Maintenance (Trim bushes, move felled trees, rake, re-seed, remove rocks etc.)
- Make Signage
- Chief XC Steward
- Chief Fence Judge (Jump Judge Coordinator)
- Dressage Steward
- Stadium Steward
- Award Solicitation (Visit Tack shops and other businesses and ask for donations that can be used for awards)
- Public Relations Chairman (Create flyers, omnibus listing and ads; distribute flyers)
- Program Chairman (Create Program coordinating with Secretary and Advertising Chairman)
- Order and Manage Ribbons, Medals, Trophies
JUST BEFORE THE HORSE TRIAL
- Grounds Steward (Develop site plans, help each Steward determine what equipment, supplies and utilities they will need; arrange for porta-johns, garbage and manure removal; on the day monitor supplies (porta-johns, support parking; post event retrieve signage, store supplies, update inventory lists, remove garbage.)
- Hospitality Chairman (Menu, care and feeding of officials’ morning & afternoons coffee breaks, and lunch. Make sure water is available for competitors and spectators.)
- Ground Jury
- Safety Steward:
- Stabling Steward (Determine number of stalls readily available; shop for best price on bedding, arrange for manure and garbage disposal, repair stall as needed, plan where people will be stabled and provide info to Secretary, make map directing people to the stables for Secretary to include in packets, post stall maps, make stall cards and post on assigned stalls. Ensure stalls are left clean.)
- Set up Dressage Rings
- Decorate Dressage Area
- Set up Stadium Course
- Decorate Stadium Jumps
- Decorate XC Obstacles
- Set up Tents, Tables, Chairs
- Stadium Course Designer
- Scorers (Be familiar with rules, derive performance accounts for Riders & Horses in levels, divisions, sorting to determine award-winners, produce timely and accurate results.)
- Scoring Scribe (Posts results (notating time) and notifies Communications Steward that scores are posted)
- Grounds Maintenance (Trim bushes, move felled trees, rake, add footing materials, etc.)
ON THE DAY OF THE HORSE TRIAL
- EMT
- Veterinarian
- Farrier
- Communications Steward (Announcer)
- Parking Chairman (Ensures trailers park in the proper fields and in a space-conscious, yet safe manner, distributes competitor packets; notifies Secretary which packets not picked up.)
- Trash Pickup
- Dressage Judge
- Dressage Scribe
- Dressage Ring Steward
- Dressage Bit-check
- Dressage Gatekeeper
- Dressage Runner (Takes score sheets to Scoring)
- Stadium Judge
- Stadium Scribe
- Stadium Ring Steward
- Stadium Jump Crew
- Stadium Gatekeeper
- Stadium Warm-up Steward
- Chief Stadium Timer
- Stadium Timers
- Stadium Fence Repair Crew
- Stadium Dismantling Crew
- Stadium Collecting Steward (Bridle number Collector)
- Stadium Runner (Takes score sheets to Scoring)
- Chief XC Timer
- XC Timers
- XC Scribe
- XC Starter
- XC Assistant Timer(s)
- XC False Starter
- XC Obstacle Repair Crew
- XC Warm-up Steward
- XC Area Safety Coordinator (Establishes and coordinates medical services including transportation of injured riders.)
- XC Area Safety Stewards
- XC Chief Fence Judge
- XC Fence Judge (DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CROSS-COUNTRY JUMP JUDGING GUIDELINES)
- XC Couriers (Outriders)
- XC Collection Steward (Collects pinnys at the finish line)
- Awards Chairman (Assists Secretary by handing out ribbons, prizes and trophies)
POST HORSE TRIAL
- Take Down Tents, Tables, Chairs
- Take Down Dressage Arenas
- (including warm-up)
- Take Down Stadium Jumps (including warm-up)
- Take Down XC Warm-up
- Put Away Dressage Arenas
- Put Away Stadium Jumps
- Put Away XC Warm-up Jumps
- Put Away Tents, Tables and Chairs
- Clean up trash and remove
- Stabling manure and garbage is removed
- Signage is taken down
- Signage is stored
- Tools are cleaned, maintained and stored
- Flags and Fence Numbers are taken down and stored
- Secretary’s area is swept, trash removed and furniture is put in order
- Grounds Repair (Re-seed, rake, fill in stake holes, etc. )