Dear Amy
This year a group of my riding friends were lucky enough to attend the United States Dressage Finals in Lexington, Kentucky as spectators. It was wonderful to see so many riders from the Aiken area competing. We were really excited on Saturday evening when watching the Grand Prix freestyles in the Alltech Arena to see you were judging, and we have some questions about that.
We understand there is a process to be eligible to compete at the finals and we wondered about how the judges are chosen. What protocol do you need to judge at finals? Do you pick your classes, your arenas, or the other judges you will be working with? What happens if you know the riders that are in your class?
Also, we noticed the classes have three judges, two on the short side of the arena, and one on the long side. Do you pick which letter you are at? Do you discuss your marks with the other judges? It was fascinating to see how fast all the scores were displayed and announced.
We are hoping to come again next year, hopefully as competitors!
Dressage Dreamers
Dear Dreamers,
How exciting that you were able to attend the U.S. Dressage Finals in Kentucky. You are lucky to have been able to go this year because this was the last year the finals will be held in Kentucky, at least for a while. The Kentucky Horse Park has been the site of the prestigious show since its inception 10 years ago. Starting in 2025, the finals will take place at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio. The show dates are set for October 30 to November 2, 2025.
Let’s start by explaining what the U.S. Finals are, and how you can be eligible to compete. This is a national level championship where top U.S. horse-and-rider combinations from across the country come to vie for the championship title. It is a Level Five competition, which is the highest level of competition under United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) rules. All levels are offered, Training through the Grand Prix, including freestyles. Classes for championships are split into junior/young rider, adult amateur, and open divisions.
Unfortunately, you cannot just enter a championship class at this show. In order to be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen, you must declare your intention to compete, and then you must compete and qualify in a regional championship. The U.S. is divided into nine dressage regions. Each region holds a USDF regional championship show, usually in September or October. Champion and reserve champion combinations from all the levels at these regionals are automatically invited to the finals, as long as they earn at least a 57% in their championship class, they are U.S. citizens, and, importantly, they have submitted their declaration of intent by the deadline, which is midnight on the day prior to the start of their regional championship show. There is no fee to declare your intention to compete, and declaring will not commit you to go to the finals, but it gives you an opportunity if you meet all the other requirements.
Even if you are not champion or reserve at the regionals it is possible to qualify, as long as you have met the other restrictions. If the top two horse-and-rider combinations decline an invitation or are otherwise ineligible, the next highest-placed combinations are invited, all the way down through the fifth place (as long as the score is at least 57%). In addition, there is wild card eligibility. Receiving a wild card spot is based on the score of your championship ride at the regionals, and does not take into account how you place in the competition. Horse-and-rider combinations that earn a minimum score or above earn a wild card spot. The minimums vary by level, and Open and Adult Amateur riders have different required scores. For instance, at Training Level, an Open rider needs to earn a 72%, while for an Adult Amateur, the minimum score is 68%. At Intermediaire I through Grand Prix, Open riders need a 66%, while AA riders need a 64%.
Now that we know how you can be a competitor, let’s get to your questions about judging. I did have the opportunity to be one of the many dressage officials at the 2024 finals. This is actually the second finals I have judged, but the Saturday night Grand Prix freestyles in the Alltech indoor arena was an exciting first for me.
For any dressage show, including regionals and finals, a judge will receive an invitation to officiate. A judge may accept the invitation or decline it. It is a great honor to receive any invite, especially for the more prestigious competitions. All licensed judges have ratings – r, R ,S, or FEI – which limit what levels and at what shows they are qualified to judge. At the finals most judges hold an S or an FEI license.
The show management decides which judges to assign to the various classes and arenas at the show – the judge does not make a request. However, judges do tell the management about any rider conflicts they might have, such as if they have a student competing in a specific class. It is also helpful if the rider makes a note in their entry that they may not compete in front of a specific judge if there is a known conflict. There is a USEF rule that prohibits judges from officiating in a class that includes their students, clients, family, coaches and others with similar relationships, unless the relationship has been terminated at least 30 days before the show. To answer your question, it is acceptable to know the rider you are judging, as long as you observe the USEF rule.
The U.S. Dressage Finals presents an opportunity to compete in front of three judges. When there are three judges, the chief judge is placed at C on the short side of the arena. Another judge sits either at H or M, also on the short side, and the third judge is placed at B or E on the long side opposite X. If there is a judge placed at H, the side judge is on the other side of the arena at B, and vice versa: if there is a judge at M, the side judge is at E. This configuration enables each judge to have a good view of the performance and to evaluate different aspects of the ride: These combined views can really tell the true story of what goes on in the test.
The finals used electronic scoring, and you are correct that the final percentages were available very quickly, as they generally are in shows with electronic scoring. Judges are encouraged to submit their marks as the competitor is leaving the arena. It is really great for the competitor, spectators and judges to see results quickly. In answer to your other question, judges arrive at their marks independently. Each judge has their own electronic board and each has a code we put in that displays our signature. When you have completed your final marks, you place your code, push “submit” and your score is final. You do not consult with the other judges before you submit your marks, and you cannot see the other judges’ scores until they have all pressed the submit button. All three scores are averaged together for your final score and placing.
I hope that answers your questions about finals. Also, congratulations to all my fellow Aikenites for all your successes. I do hope you, your friends, and all dressage riders get an opportunity to experience the U.S. Dressage Finals at least once in their lifetime, as a spectator, or better yet as a competitor. Keep pursuing your dressage dreams!