Dressage Competitions

Dressage competition is a graded examination system. A horse-and-rider combination rides a prescribed pattern of movements — a test — in a rectangular arena, and a panel of judges marks each movement on a scale of 0 to 10. The result is expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible score. The levels are ordered so that each asks for more collection, more difficult movements and more refined communication than the one below, from a novice horse’s first test up to Grand Prix, the level of the Olympic Games.

This section documents how that system works. It is newer than the wiki’s buying sections and is being expanded article by article under the editorial policy.

The levels

Every major federation runs its own national level ladder, and the international levels sit on top of it.

National levels. Germany grades classes E, A, L, M and S (Einsteiger to schwer, “difficult”); the Netherlands rides B, L1–L2, M1–M2, Z1–Z2 and ZZ-Licht; the United States runs Introductory, Training Level and First through Fourth Level; Britain runs Intro, Prelim, Novice, Elementary, Medium and Advanced. The ladders differ in naming and in detail, but they test the same progression: first rhythm, contact and obedience on large figures, then lateral work and collection, then flying changes and the beginnings of high-school work. The wiki’s glossary maps the common equivalences that sale adverts rely on, and the article on training levels and what they mean in adverts covers how sellers describe them.

International (FEI) levels. Above the national ladders, the Fédération Équestre Internationale defines the international tests. The small tour consists of Prix St Georges and Intermediate I; the medium tour of Intermediate A, B and II; and the big tour of the Grand Prix, the Grand Prix Special and the Grand Prix Freestyle. Separate FEI divisions exist for young horses (5-, 6- and 7-year-old classes), ponies, juniors, young riders and riders under 25.

How a test works

A dressage test is ridden from memory (a reader may be permitted at lower national levels) in a 20 × 60 metre arena marked with letters — the smaller 20 × 40 metre arena survives in lower national classes. The test sheet prescribes a sequence of movements, each performed at or between the letters, and each receiving a mark from 0 (“not executed”) to 10 (“excellent”), with half-marks allowed. Movements the test writers consider especially telling carry a coefficient that doubles their weight, and marks for general impression are added at the end. The sum, divided by the maximum possible and multiplied by 100, is the familiar percentage.

The Freestyle (Kür) works differently: the rider choreographs their own floor plan to music, subject to a list of compulsory movements for the level. It is scored twice over — technical marks for the execution of the movements and artistic marks for rhythm, harmony, choreography and the degree of difficulty attempted.

Judging and scoring

At national shows a single judge at C may officiate; at internationals a panel of five (up to seven at championships) sits around the arena at the letters, each scoring every movement independently. The percentages of all judges are averaged for the final score. Sitting at different points around the arena, judges legitimately see different things — straightness is visible from C, the quality of the trot half-pass from the side — which is why panel scores usually differ by a point or two of percentage, and why a larger spread attracts attention.

As a rough orientation to what percentages mean: above 60% is a solid test at the level, above 65% is competitive, above 70% is a good score, and at international Grand Prix the world’s best combinations score in the high 70s and above 80% in the Freestyle. Federations also use score thresholds as gatekeeping: qualification for championships, eligibility to move up a level, and the FEI’s minimum eligibility requirements for major games are all expressed as percentages achieved at designated competitions.

The competitions that matter

International competitions run under FEI rules are designated CDI (Concours de Dressage International), starred 1* to 5* by prize money and status; CDIO events host the Nations Cup team classes. The championship calendar cycles through the Olympic Games (team and individual medals; the team competition is decided in the Grand Prix Special, the individual in the Freestyle), the World Championships, the continental championships such as the European Championships, and the indoor FEI Dressage World Cup series, decided in the Freestyle at a final each spring. Below these sit the national championships and the regional circuits from which combinations qualify.

Results at these competitions are also the sport’s price-setting mechanism: a horse’s record in FEI sport is among the strongest value factors described in this wiki’s article on what drives dressage horse prices.

Planned articles

This section grows on the wiki’s normal review schedule. Planned coverage includes the level systems country by country, each FEI test in detail, judging criteria movement by movement, the freestyle and its degree of difficulty, qualification paths to championships, and profiles of the major competitions. Corrections and proposals are welcome via the contribute page.