That Damn Russian Judge - Scoring in Dressage

Unlike tests that we have taken in the past, a dressage test entails a very specific sequenced pattern of movements, gaits and paces to demonstrate the horse-rider team. Just like school though, tests are level-specific and require movements appropriate for that level. The higher the level, the more complex the movements required and the higher the expectation from the judge(s).

But how are these tests marked? Dressage is not like horse jumping where it is clear for all to see that you have a clean round under time or you have one or more faults by knocking down a rail and/or being over time. In dressage, just like in figure skating and gymnastics, scoring is based on a judge’s perception and interpretation. As such, there is always a subjective component. And as a DDD, I just hate the subjective nature of things because it is ripe for favoritism and abuse. I’m not saying it occurs, but one never knows. Moreover, there is always someone who disagrees with the judging…most often the people who don’t win!

Scoring and judging is based on a fairly rigorous criteria involving scoring of specific movements during a “test” evaluating the horse, rider, and horse-rider interaction. The test is a set sequence of movements at various gaits and paces moving the horse-rider team to various points in the dressage arena. Tests vary across countries but there is an international test standard for all those competing to be on a regional or national team to compete internationally. These are set by FEI (see useful links). The test difficulty in terms of movements and horse-rider interaction (see training pyramid in previous post) varies across the level of the rider from beginning (training level at local shows) all the way up to grand prix (FEI international Olympic-level competition).

Since the FEI tests are standardized across the world of Dressage, it is probably the best one to provide an example. The link below takes you to a pdf file of the Junior Rider Individual FEI test. Or take a look at the picture below for one much more in tune with reality.

 
FEI Junior Individual Test

On each specific movement listed, the judge (or multiple judges as you move up the training levels) evaluates it on a 10-point scale from poor to excellent. Multiple judges are used at higher levels of competition to help to further remove the potential (perception) for subjective bias in evaluation and scoring. Because some movements are more difficult than others, they would be given more weight in the scoring, for example, counted twice. This is listed in the coefficient column of the sample test above.

In addition to scores for each movement, there are scores for the evaluation of the overall ride, a series of collective marks.

The overall test score is the sum of scores for each movement and collective marks once any weighting has been applied minus any deduction in marks for specific errors made by rider and/or horse. This total is divided by the total possible score to calculate a percentage score – the final score (calculated to 3 decimal places). If there are multiple judges, then the final percentage score is the average across all judges.

What is the judge looking for when assigning the score for each movement? The following provides an example. It is an excerpt from the Dressage Canada rule book on JUDGING A TEST as to what judges look for in the movements at each testing level.

ARTICLE E 9.7 JUDGING A TEST

Judges are personally responsible for their decisions and classifications.
They may not take into account any advice or observations from persons
who are not members of the ground jury or anything that they know
beforehand about the competitors or their horses.

1. The mark for each movement should establish whether the movement
is performed sufficiently (5 or above) or insufficiently (4 or below).

2. In a movement which must be carried out at a certain point in the
arena, it should be done at the moment when the competitor's body is
above this point, except in transitions where the horse approaches the
letter from a diagonal or perpendicular to the point where the letters are
positioned. In this case, the transitions must be done when the horse’s
nose reaches the track at the letter so that the horse is straight in the
transition.

3. If a problem appears once, it may be treated lightly by the judge; if it

appears successively, it will be scored more harshly each time, i.e.
nodding, stumbling, shying, etc.

4. Grinding teeth: If a horse is content and happy to work, then it is not a

resistance and does not need to be penalized. If the grinding is caused
by tension (stiff back, swishing tail, etc.), one must go down 1 point on
the quality of the movements and in the mark for submission.

5. Horses that get their tongues over the bit or perform with an open

mouth shall be marked down.

6. In the freestyle, the timing of the test begins in the first stride after the

salute – which must be made inside the dressage arena and facing the
judge – and ends after the final salute. The judging of EC freestyles
begins at the move-off after the halt.

7. The judging of EC and FEI freestyles begins with the halt.

8. If an athlete at FEI Junior level or higher rides an FEI test in a snaffle
bridle, the judge must make a note to that effect on the test sheet.

9. No competitor can be required to ride prior to his/her scheduled time,

however, as a matter of courtesy and to aid in the efficient running of
the competition, competitors should be aware that they may be asked,
with due notice, to advance their showing times.

10. All movements and certain transitions which have to be marked by the

judge(s) are numbered on the judge’s sheets.

 

 

So this was my attempt, however feeble, to provide some idea of the scoring and how scores are given. And since I’m still confused on all the nuances that go into scoring, I remain:

Humbly yours,  

DDD

Sources:
Equine Canada/Dressage Canada - see useful links
FEI - see useful links