ATA Awards Program
Learn More about the ATA Awards Programs below!
The ATA has many types of recognition programs for successfully performing Trakehner horses. It began presenting competition awards in 1976 at the 2nd Annual Meeting. Those were “High Score Awards” in Dressage, Eventing and Hunting.
In 1977 at the 3rd Annual Convention, a number of awards were presented for the first time. Awards for performance in Dressage and Eventing were codified as the Trakehner Verband Award (Dressage) and the Trakehner Förderverein Award (Eventing). The “Gerda Friedrichs Breeders Award“ was first presented to the breeders of a successful eventer. Over the years, the criteria for this award changed. In 1978 it was awarded to “..the stallion or mare who has been most successful during the year in in-hand competition breeding shows.” In 1983 Ann and Nick Chandler donated a bronze sculpture of a mare giving birth for this award. Near the end of her life in 1987, Gerda wished the award to be given in recognition of the broodmares and foals of North America. At that time, the award was renamed the Gerda Friedrichs Memorial Award.
At the 1977 meeting, Eugen Wahler announced his intention to “donate a challenge trophy to the breeder of the performing horse who does the most to promote the Trakehner horse in North America.” This award became known as the Palmenblüte Award and was first presented in 1978.
In 1979, a High Score Award for an Open Jumper was presented for the first time.
1984 saw what was to become the $10,000 Board of Directors’ Award given out for the first time. This one time award goes to the owner of a North American foaled horse registered with the ATA and named to an international team representing the United States or Canada. Recently, a $1,000 bonus was added to this award that goes to the horse’s breeder.
In 1984, the Karl-Heinz Barton Trophy was donated by Marie-Luise Barton in memory of her late husband. It is to be awarded “to an individual for exemplary service to the ATA”.
In 1988 the Cäsar Memorial Cup was awarded for the first time. It was donated by David and Pat Goodman in memory of their home bred Approved Stallion Cäsar (Donauschimmer/Celana/Amagun) to be awarded “to the ATA approved Trakehner stallion with the year’s highest score in Eventing”.
Among the awards that have been given infrequently over the years are Suitability, Trail Riding, Endurance, Driving, and Junior Rider Awards.
Exceptional Performance Awards are awarded to a ATA registered or recorded horses that meet certain high performance criteria in Show Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, and Endurance. All horses registered or recorded with the American Trakehner Association, including geldings and Appendix registered horses, are eligible to earn Performance Bronze *Pb*, Performance Silver *Ps*, and Performance Gold *Pg* designations.
Horse of the Year Awards are divided into Performance Awards in all competition disciplines at all levels where Trakehner horses are competing, and Breeding Awards (stallions, mares, foals) based on inspection results.
There are also High Score Trakehner Ribbons awarded at individual shows when requested by the show organizer.
Rules & Results Submission Form
Performance Awards by Discipline
Complete list of award winners from the program’s inception to the present.
Member Awards
Awarded to ATA members. These awards include the Karl-Heinz Barton Trophy, Gerda Friedrichs Memorial Award, and the Koenig NowPac Award to name a few. Click Here for a complete list of all past winners and descriptions of each award.
Merit Awards
Awarded to horses for accomplishments in the show ring. These award include the Palmenblüte Award, Trakehner Förderverein Award, Trakehner Verband Award and the Cäsar Memorial Cup to name a few. Click Here for a complete list of all past winners and descriptions of each award.
Member Awards
GERDA FRIEDRICHS MEMORIAL AWARD: A perpetual trophy donated in memory of early member Gerda Friedrichs. It is to be presented annually to a member of the ATA for outstanding breeding success of an ATA stud book registered Trakehner broodmare and her foals.
KARL-HEINZ BARTON TROPHY: Donated in 1984 by Marie-Luise Barton of Castell Imperator-Hof, Sorento, Illinois in memory of her late husband Karl-Heinz Barton. It is a perpetual trophy awarded annually to an individual member for exemplary service to the ATA.
Merit Awards
PALMENBLÜTE: Donated by Eugen Wahler of Klosterhof Medingen, Germany in 1978. It is a perpetual trophy awarded to the ATA purebred Trakehner who has contributed the most in competition to promote the breed in North America.
TRAKEHNER VERBAND AWARD: Donated by the Trakehner Verband, it is awarded annually to the most successful purebred Trakehner in Dressage.
TRAKEHNER FÖRDERVEREIN AWARD: Donated by the Trakehner Förderverein, it is awarded annually to the most successful ATA purebred competing in Eventing.
CÄSAR MEMORIAL CUP: Donated by David and Pat Goodman, Wonderland Farm, West Chester, PA, in 1987 in memory of their home bred Approved Stallion Cäsar (Donauschimmer/Celana/Amagun). It is a perpetual trophy to be awarded annually to the ATA approved Trakehner stallion with the year’s highest score in Eventing
