Dressage Committee Raises the Bar At USEF Connvention in Louisville

Article and Photos by Diana DeRosa

An Outline of the Plan of Implementation

While it is premature to cover the specifics of the various proposals as they are not finalized, the plan is to continue discussing with the membership and within the Dressage Committee what the various qualification processes should include.  These three proposals will then be finalized at the Dressage Committee’s June Meeting and then distributed through the USDF Group Membership Organizations (GMO) and Participating Membership (PM) Delegates to be disseminated among their constituencies.  This will allow “the people a voice to give their feedback,” added Janet. 

The Dressage Committee will then take all this feedback into consideration and will go to the December USDF Convention where they will have an open discussion about the proposals.

If there is one thing that Janet feels they’ve learned through all the uninformed rumors about this proposed qualification it is that the communication between the membership and the leadership needs to improve.  Many false rumors were being spread that caused for unnecessary concerns and ill-will.

The basic focus of the proposals is centered around achieving a minimum score of 58% and that scores of 58% or higher would be given points.  Riders would then need to compile the necessary points (the # 10 is being mentioned) in order to qualify.  Yet the system will allow scores to be retroactive.  In other words if riders/horses get the necessary scores they need before the qualification begins those points can be used.  And in some cases riders will already be qualified even before the final proposals are put in place simply because they will have already met the criteria in prior shows.

“Hopefully riders will continue tracking their scores,” noted Janet, “because they may already have what they need.”