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Permalink Reply by Bernd on May 11, 2009 at 10:55am

Well,
there is really no standard. Every country riding association can do what they want.
The only international standard are the FEI tests but those are the upper echelon of the dressage world.

Below that level regulations are very different.

In Gemany you'll find 5 levels from E (entry) to S (=High level which is more or less the same as FEI intl. level)

For Entry level there are no prerequisites. Everybody can go and try it.

Getting to the next level you will have to pass an exam where you have to show that you can do it. This will give you a competition licence for your desired discipilne. Disciplines are Dressage, Jumping, Eventing, Driving. Most people do Dressage and Jumping at the same time, but you can get a licence for one discipline only if you want.

Now you can compete and whenver you reach a certain number of successes = get a score among the top 25%-33% of the starters, you qualify for an upgrade to the next level until you reach level 5 (S).
This upgrade is mandatory so that the higher level riders cannot block the succes for the lower level riders.

If you manage to get among the top 25% in S regularily you can get a nomination for international competitions.

In Germany estimates are that there are about 1.4 Million people riding more or less often. Only about 7%-10% have a competition licence.

Well and the rule book in Germany for competitions has more than 500 paragraphs, so that beginners have something funny to learn :-)) I don't think that the German riding association has invented burocracy, but they are certainly an expert user of it.

Ciao
Bernd

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Permalink Reply by Macsk on May 18, 2009 at 9:12pm

Do you think we can make an overall view by translation and what is required for next level?
I think it'sinteresting, because in the Netherlands you have two levels:
Riding with your own horser or leasing an horse or at a horseteachingschool.
Actually it;s basic dresage or national or international. The last one is of course FEI.
In the Netherlands we have forn basic with own horses and registered:
B-level for Beging-starters
L1 and L2 Light
M1 and M2 for Medium
Z1 and Z2 for Heavier

After that you get Heavier competitions:

ZZL &ZZZ national niveau

But I yhink we should first find a way to find out the basics between different counties and how to settle it, before we go on in nationhal leverage.

Does any body have a vioew how to put it in a good overview, since we are a global horselovers community?

I think we need to know a little bit more knowledge about other countries and over borders, to colmmunicate with each other.

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Permalink Reply by Wiola Grabowska on June 29, 2009 at 6:26pm

Here is how it looks in the UK, governed by British Dressage http://www.britishdressage.co.uk/

Introductory Level (walk & trot tests)
Preliminary (also called Prelim)
Novice
Elementary
Medium
Advanced Medium
Advanced
Prix St Georges
Intermediaire I
Intermediaire II
Grand Prix

Then you also have:

Freestyle tests
Under 21s tests
Young horse tests

Riders normally stay at each level until they are getting in high 60% but that's not a rule at all.

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