WHAT IS ECTRA
Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Association (ECTRA) was founded in 1970. The objectives and judging parameters that were developed by the past and present ECTRA officers, directors, and members continue to provide this organization with knowledge and ideas developed from a million plus miles of actual trail competition.
Competitive, Endurance Riding, and Competitive Driving are popular worldwide. ECTRA has standardized the management procedures, judging methods and the scoring system for its sanctioned events. On a sanctioned event every competitor is assured of consistency in the judging procedures. ECTRA provides a rewarding way for horse people to increase their knowledge in the care and use of trail horses through its sanctioned ride events.
ECTRA recognizes the American Endurance Ride Conference as the premier Endurance Ride organization in the United States and will sanction any ride sanctioned under AERC. This is why you will see Competitive as well as Endurance events listed on the ECTRA Ride Calendar.
ECTRA judges good, serviceable sound, steady and enthusiastic trail horses. The scoring system determines the best conditioned horse, not necessarily the best athlete. The conformation of the horse, riding or driving styles are not judged. Good horsemanship strategy will show up at the end of the event. Given equal horses to start, a good rider will bring their horse to the finish in the best condition. No special type or breed of horse is required. The prerequisite is a well conditioned, enthusiastic horse.
Judging at all ECTRA competitive events is based on the horse’s condition at the beginning of the event. Changes that occur during the event are subtracted according to the scoring categories. ECTRA has instituted an objective numerical scoring system. This allows the competitor a way of comparing their horses' performance form one event to another.