Where does this happen?
I am happy to travel to local livery yards, or private yards. If you are further away but would like to take part, I can look into judging by video.
Contact me to discuss you requirements, and get costings, which will vary due to distance travelled, arena hire and number of riders involved!
Gold, Silver or Bronze award?
During this initiative it is possible to achieve 1 bronze, silver and gold award for each test.
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The first time you score over 64% you achieve a Bronze award.
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First score over 68% achieves a Silver award.
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First score over 72% achieves a Gold award
A rider can ride a test as many times as they like until they achieve the gold award standard. Once you've achieved a Gold it's time to work on another test.
Does Gold mean I'll always score over 72%?
NO, certainly not.
Dressage is a subjective sport, and just because a test went well one day does not mean it will be the same the next time you ride it, and different judges score differently too.
This is why this initiative to a specific to a certain judge. Through judge training we do try to maintain a even handed standard of marking, but there will always be differences from judge to judge. This is why, at higher levels of competition there is more than one judge around the arena, and a rider's final score is the average of all judges marks.
Have a go - Dressage
Watching our top Dressage riders on their 'Dancing Horses' can be inspiring, and daunting. The best partnerships are absolutely poetry in motion, and many of us 'regular riders' may watch with a 'there's no way I could ever do that' feeling. Well to be honest very few horse and rider combinations can perform as fluently and beautifully as Charlotte DuJardin and Valegro, but even they both started at the beginning, with the basics we all work on.
Not all riders want to compete, but many like a challenge. This initiative is a training program to encourage riders to step out of their comfort zone in little baby steps, hopefully improving their horses balance, rhythm and responsiveness to the aids. I use BD tests from Introductory (walk & trot) to elementary, BE tests from BE90 to Novice and pony club tests.