Established in 1974, The American Driving Society, Inc. (ADS) supports carriage drivers in the United States and Canada. Over 80 ADS-recognized events are held across North America each year.
Want to join? Click "Become a Member" on the right side menu or print and mail in this ADS Membership Form.
ADS members enjoy a variety of benefits including Accident and Excess Medical Insurance, the opportunity to purchase a $1,000,000 Excess Liability Policy through Equisure, driver education, print publications like The Whip magazine, The Wheelhorse e-newsletter, educational grant opportunities, and much more. The ADS also trains and maintains licenses for more than 100 officials who serve the driving community in a variety of capacities.
GET DRIVING!
Would you like to start driving your horse or pony? The ADS can help you find a club, trainer, coach or clinician in your area. The ADS is divided into eight regions, and each has its own dedicated Regional Director who can answer your questions and help guide you to clubs, events, and other members near you. Our goal is to help people get started in the sport safely. We have many local driving clubs in all parts of the United States that are available for you to join, so you can begin to experience all the sport has to offer. Many local clubs host recreational drives, educational seminars, play days, and ADS-recognized competitions. You can network with members, ask questions, and receive support from fellow drivers. At the ADS we welcome and celebrate all breeds and sizes of equines!
WHY SUPPORT THE ADS?
The ADS is a 501c3 dedicated to the future of carriage driving and carriage driving competition. Help to preserve that future by supporting the ADS. You can do that best as a member of the organization which built and keeps the sport, maintains the Rulebook, creates and updates driven dressage tests, trains and licenses officials for driving events, supports regions and driving clubs, and forms the entire basis of the driving sport.
WHO ARE WE?
Since 1974 the ADS has operated primarily through its member volunteers—members helping members. The ADS has a 25-member Board of Directors and 12 committees that underpin the society: Combined Driving, Pleasure Driving, Recreational Driving, Education, Rulebook, Event Standards, Development, Dressage, Affiliate Relations, Licensed Officials, Executive, and Governance & Bylaws. 11 Honorary Directors who have a long history of service to the ADS act in an advisory role to the Board. Two staff members support the organization.
Share your ideas, meet new friends and benefit from what we can all give to each other. Come drive with us and have FUN driving your equines!
ADS MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
- A subscription to our glossy quarterly magazine, The Whip, featuring all the latest news and feature articles for the sport of carriage driving.
- News from the carriage driving world delivered right to your inbox via ADS email blasts.
- Our digital newsletter, The Wheelhorse, sent to your inbox eight times per year.
- Online access to the ADS Trail Guide, a state-by-state guide of carriage-accessible trails in the United States.
- Online and print access to The Omnibus, our comprehensive guide to upcoming carriage competitions.
- Automatic Accident and Excess Medical Insurance.
- Optional $1,000,000 Excess Liability Insurance through Equisure.
- You'll be eligible for our expansive recognition programs, including the ADS Youth Championships, Hours to Drive and Driving Buddies, the North American Intermediate and Preliminary Championships, the Intermediate and Preliminary Calculated Championships, and the ADS Driven Dressage Awards.
- Online access to the membership directory and ADS' NEW Online Educational Collection.
- Member-only access to the NEW ADS Lettered Dressage Tests, Driver’s View.
- Access to the Driven Dressage Handbook, a learning aid for ADS Dressage Tests.
- Retail discounts from a variety of vendors.
ADS MEMBER CLUB BENEFITS
ADS Member Clubs are listed in each issue of The Whip and in the regional section of the ADS website, two places new drivers go to find a local club. Club membership benefits include:
- Club listings in The Whip and regional pages
- A mailed copy of the quarterly magazine, The Whip
- An emailed copy of the ADS newsletter, The Wheelhorse
- Access to the ADS Video Library (including coverage of historic driving events, webinars, and educational seminars) for club events
- Use of ADS Dressage Tests and Scoresheets at club events
- Access to the ADS Forms Library
- Access to the ADS Booth In A Box for setting up an ADS booth
- Eligibility to apply to be an ADS Blue Ribbon Club
- Eligibility to run ADS Educational Events covered by ADS Liability Insurance
- Knowing that your club is supporting carriage driving for future generations
The American Driving Society, Inc. offers several membership options. Canadian residents incur a $30 international shipping fee.
- Lifetime: $1920 includes all benefits of an Individual membership and does not incur the annual international shipping fee of $30.
- Individual: $85 (voting)
- Junior: $40 For individuals under the age of 18 (non-voting and is not eligible for insurance benefits)
- Commercial: $120 (non-voting and is not eligible for insurance benefits)
- Family: $115 A family membership is defined as not more than two adult members (who will have one vote each) and their dependents under the age of 19.
- Club: $60 This is NOT for individuals, only for Clubs (non-voting and is not eligible for insurance benefits).
- Club Lifetime: $1,750 includes all benefits of a Club membership.
Would you like to purchase a gift membership? Simply log out of your own profile and click the red "Become a Member" text on the right side menu of this page. Select the type of membership you'd like to gift and fill in the recipient's information. You can pay online with a credit card or via PayPal. Need assistance? We're always glad to help. Please call us: (608)237-7382