DefinitelyDressage.com

From my FB post... If you are a member of USEF/USDF, they are preparing to roll back the extraordinary rule change that was passed last year to raise the qualifying score of Musical Freestyles to 63%.

However, this resolution won’t pass without the competing memberships’ input. If you compete, if you compete MFS, and if you agree that the Musical Freestyle qualifying score should be rolled back to the original 60% (which by the way is what you need to gain your rider medals at each level), please log in to www.usef.org (https://www.usef.org/…/resou…/rules-regulations/rule-changes)
and leave your comment.

In true USDF/USEF fashion, it is incredibly hard to find. So, I’m including step-by-step instructions. Thank you all!

1. log in to USEF.org

2. hover over the COMPETE link in the top navigation, the the Rules & Regulation link in the pop out menu that appears.

3. Scroll down to the Rulebook image - click on learn more. It’s the first image link on the left.

4. Scroll all the way down to Additional Resources and click on Rule Changes/Learn more. Again, first block on the left.

5. Under “Currently Active Proposed Rule Changes by Category”, select “DR-Dressage” and hit the search button.

6. Select the rule change entitled “022-19 DR 129.9 musical freestyle ride” You can view the change and then click comment

7. Write a comment about why you think the extraordinary rule change should be rescinded

Dresseur, I know that you have an informed perspective on this.

But why is the change that bad??

So, a lot of it is the way in which they did it. They forced it through as an extraordinary rule change and didn’t let members know it was even a consideration.

The other part that I find so egregious is that they are not raising the score qualifications to get your medals- you need 60% (at any test in the level) to get your bronze, silver or gold. (Obviously the # of scores and the number of judges is at play there too- but 60 is what you need). So,60 is good enough for that, but not to be able to qualify for and ride a MFS? The argument is that they want people to be proficient and that right now, they are getting sub-par rides. Well, then change the judging criteria, because 60 is already deemed to be proficient enough for medals. Judge and score accurately, not just rewarding huge movement and you won’t have “sub par” MFS.

The other issue I take umbrage with is that MFS attract people to our sport. They are fun, engaging and relatable in a way that normal tests aren’t. I know MANY people that have ordinary horses that have to squeeze out every last point from the judge and get 60-62 range because the gaits are limited. These people can (again- earn medals) but be cut out of freestyles, when in fact, those same people are able to choreograph to the best of their horse’s abilities and knock the freestyles out of the park with 70+%. So, why are we cutting out more of the base? With no discussion? It’s what a few elite judges want (Janet Foy included), because their poor eyes are bleeding from all the ordinary horses in their sub par MFS.

If they want to change it- up the score requirements all the way around, or, judge dressage as it’s meant to be judged- as a test of training- not how huge the horse moves.

That is all. For now

Thanks for the explanation and HOW TO. Comment submitted.

Dresseur wrote:
If they want to change it- up the score requirements all the way around, or, judge dressage as it’s meant to be judged- as a test of training- not how huge the horse moves.

Not to derail, but I really wish judging would reconsider having all scores be a derivative of the gait score. Or, if that must stay then make the gait score about the correctness, rather than the quality.

The way the scoring is set up now a horse that is considered a 9 mover can make several mistakes in a test and still outscore a 6 mover doing a clean test. It makes the riding and the training matter less, which I don't think anyone really thinks is right.

Blob, I agree. I think that horses should be rewarded if they are spectacular movers. But a spectacular mover with tons of errors in their tests should not beat a steady, error free test. I hate the "halo" points. And that's also part of why I find it such a spectacularly bad idea to raise the minimum qualifying score of the freestyles. I have ridden horses in shows that were totally average movers and didn't have a lot of scope for their movement. I had to fight for every single bit of my score and I considered it a job well done if I got over 62%. There are a lot of regular people riding regular horses that the rule cuts out of the fun of the freestyle. Judges need to score appropriately and look at what's in front of them, and not be dazzled by big, black warmbloods with flinging front legs that do headstands in the canter piris or whatever. Like, I'm sorry, when the whole pirouette and test is done in this manner, this shouldn't garner a 60%. I don't care what the horse moves like.

Yes, I should clarify that I have no problem with a 9 mover doing a clean test and beating a 6 mover doing a clean test.

It's only when it's clear that a nice horse is being rewarded well above good riding that I get frustrated, not even so much for myself (I'm not putting in clean tests!), but I see it happen often.