USDF ALL-BREEDS AWARDS PROGRAM

For Mountain & Moorland Breeds
 

Designed to recognize the accomplishments of all breeds of Native Ponies of the British Isles both in dressage and in-hand competitions sanctioned by USEF/USDF. 

GENERAL RULES

• A horse must be declared with USDF for a participating registry by September 30, 2006 in order to participate in the All-Breeds Award program.
• Horse and owner must meet all requirements of the participating registry.
• If competing for All-Breeds division awards (Freestyle, Adult Amateur, Junior/Young Rider, Vintage Cup, or Dressage Sport Horse Breeding) award rules pertaining to that division must be fulfilled.
• Scores can be earned with multiple riders, except for Adult Amateur, Junior/Young Rider, and Vintage Cup divisions.

• Minimum of eight scores:

• From four different judges

• From four different competitions

• Including two at 58% or higher from highest test of the level.

• Median score of 58% or higher to qualify.

PRIX ST. GEORGES, INTERMEDIATE I, INTERMEDIATE II, AND GRAND PRIX

• Minimum of four scores:

• From four different judges

• From four different competitions.

• Median score of 55% or higher to qualify.

• Horse must be lifetime registered with USDF when scores are earned.
• Owner must:

• Be a USDF participating or business member when scores are earned.

• Verify eligibility with participating registry (list available at www.usdf.org).

• Verify that an All-Breeds declaration has been made by accessing the USDF score check or owner’s portfolio on the USDF Web site.

• Rider must be a USDF participating member when scores are earned.
• If competing for All-Breed Adult Amateur, Vintage Cup or Junior/Young Rider awards, rider must verify this status with USDF by September 30, 2006.
• Memberships and horse registrations begin when all application forms and fees are received by USDF office. If joining USDF (including changing membership to participating status) or registering a horse at a competition, membership and registration begins as of the date of application. This date must be in accordance with USDF/USEF dressage division rules.
• If a horse does not have an existing All-Breeds declaration, the owner must make a declaration by September 30, 2006. Once an All-Breeds declaration has been made, it can not be changed. Horses are eligible for All-Breeds awards based on the registry into which the foal is first registered. If the horse is eligible for multiple registrations and not previously recorded with USDF, the owner must make a choice of registry for the purpose of USDF All-Breeds awards only. If there is no All-Breeds participating registry for a horse’s breed, the owner may declare for a participating breed registry before September 30, 2006.

• All eligible scores are recorded, however, only the top two scores from each individual judge will count towards the median score calculation.
• The median score is the score exactly between the highest and lowest scores. (New for 2006: The bottom 20% of scores will not be dropped.)
• Freestyle scores are only recorded for freestyle division.
• Scores must be from open, junior/young rider, adult amateur, or Great American Insurance Group/USDF qualifying and championship classes, or other classes specified in the general rules,
• or from the same classes restricted to horses of the particular breed.

• If scores are earned in open and breed-restricted classes, the combination of the scores is used to calculate the median score.

• Classes restricted to horses of a particular breed must be judged by a USEF-licensed dressage judge.

• Scores earned in classes restricted to horses of a particular breed or restricted by height will recorded for only All-Breeds awards.

Awards are presented at Annual Convention:

• Registries may award up to five certificates per level and division. Other prizes may be given by the registry at their discretion.

GENERAL RULES

• A horse must be declared with USDF for a participating registry by September 30, 2006 in order to participate in the All-Breeds Award program.
• Owners of foals that have not yet received breed papers can make a declaration for the foal by submitting a letter of verification from the participating registry by September 30, 2006. 
• Horse and owner must meet all requirements of the participating breed organization.
• If competing for All-Breeds division awards (Freestyle, Adult Amateur, Junior/Young Rider, Vintage Cup, or Dressage Sport Horse Breeding) rules pertaining to that division must be fulfilled.For competition purposes, the age of a horse is considered to be one-year old on the first day of January following the actual date of foaling.
• Age/sex eligibility is determined as follows:

• Fillies and colts three years of age and under may show ONLY in dressage sport horse prospects classes/categories.

• Mares and stallions age four and over may show only in breeding stock classes/categories.

• Geldings of any age may NOT show in breeding stock classes/categories. Geldings age three and under may show ONLY in sport horse classes/categories.

• Minimum of three scores:

• From at least two different judges

• From three different USDF/USEF-recognized competitions.

• Median score of 58% or higher to qualify.

• Horse must be lifetime registered with USDF when scores are earned.
• Owner must:

• Be a USDF participating or business member when scores are earned.

• Verify eligibility with participating registry (list available at www.usdf.org).

• Verify that an All-Breeds declaration has been made by accessing the USDF score check or owner’s portfolio on the USDF Web site.

• No membership requirement for the handler.

Memberships and horse registrations begin when all application forms and fees are received by the USDF office. If joining USDF (including changing membership to participating status) or registering a horse at a competition, membership and registration begins as of the date of application. This date must be in accordance with USDF/USEF dressage division rules.

If a horse does not have an existing All-Breeds declaration, the owner must make a declaration by September 30, 2006. Once an All-Breeds declaration has been made, it can not be changed. Horses are eligible for All-Breeds awards based on the registry into which the foal is first registered. If the horse is eligible for multiple registrations and not previously recorded with USDF, the owner must make a choice of registry for the purpose of USDF All-Breeds award s only. If there is no All-Breeds participating registry for a horse’s breed, the owner may declare for a participating breed registry before September 30, 2006.

• Each score will be recorded only once.
• All eligible scores are recorded, however, only the top two scores from each individual judge will count towards the median score calculation.
• The median score is the score exactly between the highest and lowest scores. (New for 2006: The bottom 20% of scores will not be dropped.)
• Scores must be from the same age/sex category.
• Scores must be from USDF DSHB score sheets (which are appropriate to each judging category) and that are current at the time of competition and earned at USDF/USEF-recognized competitions.
• Scores must be from open* in-hand, Cosequin®/USDF Breeders’ Championship (USDF DSHB) Series Final in-hand classes, and applicable breed-only and individual breed classes (IBC’s).  Therefore, scores from other championship, amateur or junior handler, group, or under saddle classes will not be considered. 
• A USEF DSHB judge or DSHB guest-carded judge must officiate.
• Only the final adjusted percentage score (after callbacks) for each class will be counted.

Awards are presented at Annual Convention:

• Registries may award up to five certificates per age/sex category (or by a more general division such as filly, colt/gelding, mare, or stallion) and give other prizes at their discretion.

Categories which may be awarded:

Mountain & Moorlands As "Sport" Ponies. . .? 

Some may ask, "Is appropriate to judge an M&M pony or cob as a 'sport horse'"?

Promoting native ponies as "sport horses" is nothing new. The first M&M studbooks were established for this very reason by the Polo Pony Society, later aka Polo and Riding Pony Society, later yet aka National Pony Society. i.e, 100 years or so ago.  Back then they apparently thought native ponies were very suitable for riding sports. And what is especially important for a good ridden pony for whatever discipline (like dressage)? Correct conformation and movement. It doesn't matter what the breed is, all native pony breed standards, like any sport pony or horse standard (which are one and the same), insist on this as a primary focus -- if the natives didn't have this they would not still be here today. They needed the same traits to survive all those eons in the wild (plus a good measure of hardiness! :))  And it is thus no coincidence that conformation and movement also make up 90% of the score at Dressage at Devon. (At this particular event numerical scores earned are weighted as follows:  Movement 60%, Conformation 30% and General Impression 10%.) 

The USEF/USDF "dressage sport horse" standard, like that used at Dressage at Devon, is probably not at all what one thinks -- it makes no difference whether it is a horse or pony, the standard is the same, and it is pretty generic!  In fact, there is absolutely nothing contradictory in this standard compared to any M&M breed standard:

From USEF Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Regulations: DR10 -- Judging Specifications
"6. Conformation is to be evaluated in terms of potential trainability,
potential performance and predisposition to unsoundness. Function, not
fashion, is to be emphasized. Weakness or conformation faults with a
predisposition to unsoundness or to difficulties in training shall be
penalized. Blemishes are not to count unless resulting from conformation
faults.
7. Gaits are to be evaluated in terms of purity, quality and correctness.
Purity and correctness are more important than brilliance at this level.
Correct gaits contributing to ease of training and the horse remaining sound
and usable are more important than gaits which are merely superficially
flashy. Purity and quality are judged mainly in profile. Correctness is
judged mainly while the horse is coming to and going away from the judges'
position."

Thus, this "dressage sport horse standard" is perfectly in line with all M&M breed standards.  The same emphasis on "form and function" is also
fundamental to any native pony breed. The judges are not (supposed to be!)
looking for flashy, high-level dressage movement - just a sound, trainable,
free-moving horse or pony with correct conformation, which are all that is
required for basic dressage. We expect these traits in all the M&M breeds, no matter what discipline for which they are used.  So go get 'em guys and show them what the natives are made of!  Dressage is not just for horses anymore. . .!