The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) All-Breeds Awards program is designed to recognize the accomplishments of specific breeds in the sport of dressage. These awards celebrate horses declared for a participating registry or organization (PO) and compete in standard divisions and levels, from Training through Grand Prix. While the “Open” division is the standard for all-breed recognition, USDF also offers optional divisions that allow for more specialized recognition. These optional categories can include freestyle, adult amateur, junior/young rider, vintage cup, para-dressage rider of the year, USEF four-year-old, FEI five- and six-year-old, materiale, and dressage sport horse breeding. This comprehensive system ensures that a wide range of equine athletes and their riders can be celebrated for their dedication and skill in dressage.
Specific All-Breed Award Rules and Declaration Process
To be eligible for the USDF All-Breeds Awards, a horse must be declared with USDF for a participating organization (PO) by August 1 of the award year. Late declarations are accepted with an additional fee until September 30. The declaration process involves submitting a copy of the horse’s breed papers, the All-Breeds Awards Declaration Form, and a $45 fee to USDF. Owners are encouraged to consult the list of all-breeds awards POs on the USDF website to find their relevant organization.
Once an all-breeds declaration is made, it remains valid and does not need to be renewed annually. However, changes to the declaration, such as a change in the horse’s registry, can be made by submitting the necessary forms, the horse’s new registry papers, and a $50 change fee by August 1 of the award year. It is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that both the horse and owner meet all the specific requirements of their chosen PO. The “Open” division is the default for all-breeds recognition, encompassing all riders regardless of status. However, participating organizations have the discretion to recognize additional optional categories. Owners interested in competing in these optional divisions must meet the specific eligibility criteria for each category and verify their status (e.g., adult amateur, junior/young rider) by September 30.
Award Requirements and Eligibility Criteria
The requirements for earning scores to qualify for these awards vary depending on the dressage level.
Training, First, Second, Third, and Fourth Levels
For these foundational levels, a minimum of eight scores are required. These scores must be from at least four different judges and four different USEF-licensed/USDF-recognized competitions. Crucially, at least two of these scores must be 60 percent or higher from the highest test of the level. To qualify for the award, the median score must be 60 percent or higher.
Prix St. Georges, Intermediate I, Intermediate II, and Grand Prix
At the higher levels of dressage, the requirements are slightly adjusted. A minimum of four scores are needed, again from at least four different judges and four different USEF-licensed/USDF-recognized competitions. The median score must be 60 percent or higher to qualify for consideration.
General Eligibility
Beyond the score requirements, there are overarching eligibility rules for both the horse and the owner.
Horse Requirements
The horse must possess a USDF Lifetime Horse Registration (LHR) at the time the scores are earned.
Owner and Rider Requirements
The owner must have a USDF Participating Membership (PM) or Business Membership (BM) and be a member in good standing with USDF when the scores are recorded. They must also verify their eligibility with their PO and confirm that an all-breeds declaration has been submitted. Similarly, the rider must hold a USDF PM and be a member in good standing with USDF during the score-earning period.
For those aiming for awards in optional divisions, the owner must proactively determine which optional categories their PO recognizes and ensure all specific eligibility criteria are met. Information regarding these optional divisions can be found on the USDF website.
Recorded Scores and Award Distribution
The way scores are recorded and how awards are distributed is also specified.
Score Recording
Musical Freestyle scores are exclusively recorded for the musical freestyle category. Scores can be earned from various classes, including open, junior/young rider, adult amateur, Great American Insurance Group/USDF qualifying and championship classes, and other specified classes. Importantly, classes restricted to horses of a particular breed must be judged by a USEF-licensed dressage judge. Scores from these breed-restricted classes are recorded solely for the all-breeds awards. If scores are achieved in both open and breed-restricted classes, the combination of these scores will be used to calculate the median score.
Award Distribution
Provided that a sufficient number of horses meet the minimum award criteria, participating organizations (POs) are mandated to award first and second place in each level of the standard open category. They also have the option to award up to five places per level. For recognized optional categories, POs must award at least first place in each level where enough horses have met the criteria. Champions and reserve champions at each level in the open category, and recognized optional categories, will receive a custom cast USDF medal. The PO may offer additional prizes at their discretion. The prestigious awards ceremony, where champions and reserve champions are recognized on stage, takes place at the Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention. Certificates for award recipients will be made available online.
