United States Dressage Federation

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Adequan/USDF Breeder of the Year Awards

Designed to recognize USDF breeders, these awards are presented to breeders of horses ranked in the Adequan/USDF Dressage Horse of the Year.

General Rules

• Points will be assigned to all horses that are ranked in the USDF Horse of the Year Award (HOY) list at any dressage level.
• Horse rankings within each level will be determined using the current USDF HOY criteria.  If a horse has met all eligibility criteria to be ranked for HOY awards in the current competition year, it will receive breeder award points.  (This means that the horse has earned a minimum number of scores from a minimum number of shows and judges.  The ranked score is the median score.)
• For dressage, points will be assigned to all horses ranked in the “open” category, at each of the nine USEF/FEI HOY award levels.  Points will also be assigned to FEI young horse year-end award categories.
• If a horse earns points in more than one dressage level, all points will be counted.
• A breeder must have at least two and a maximum of five horses to qualify for a breeder award.
• If a breeder has more than five horses ranked in the HOY awards (any levels), only the points from the top five will be counted.
• The horses will be ranked in each level and points will be assigned based on a point system to be determined by the USDF Sport Horse Committee.  The total ranking for each breeder will be determined by adding the points earned by the horses with the most points (up to five horses maximum per breeder).

General USDF Horse of the Year (HOY) rules that will apply to the Dressage Awards

• Minimum of eight scores (Dressage Training-Fourth), four scores (Dressage FEI Levels)
  • From at least four different judges
  • From at least four different competitions
  • Median score same as adequan®/USDF Year-End Awards for each category (HOY “Open;” USEF 4-year-old, FEI 5-year-old, and FEI 6-year-old)

Eligibility (all same as HOY except for Breeder)

• Horse must have a USDF Lifetime Horse Registration (LHR) when scores are earned.
• Owner must have a USDF Participating Membership (PM) or Business Membership (BM) when scores are earned. 
• Breeder must be a USDF PM or BM by the end of the competition year (September 30).
• Rider must be a USDF PM when scores are earned.
• Memberships and horse registrations begin when all application forms and fees are received by USDF.  If joining USDF (Including changing membership to participating status) or if registering a horse at a competition, membership and registration begins the date of application.
• “Breeder” is the person or entity listed on a horse’s registration papers.  A change in name or recorded breeder can only be authorized or performed as an official entry on the registration paper by the registry that issued the paper.

Recorded Points

Point will count from USDF dressage HOY, USEF 4-year-old USDF year-end award, FEI 5-year-old SUDF year-end award, and FEI 6-year-old USDF year-end award, excluding freestyles.

Awards

• Five awards will be presented to breeders of dressage performance horses.
• Commemorative plaques for the top two breeders are presented at the Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention.
• The Adequan®/USDF Breeder of the Year will also have his/her name engraved on the Hilltop Farm perpetual trophy, presented at the Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention.  This trophy will be on permanent display in the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame.
• A complete breeder ranking list for both dressage and DSHB is available.

Other Information

• USDF Breeder of the Year FAQ
• Number of dressage award categories:
• Nine Dressage HOY levels in “open” category
• Three FEI young horse categories (4-year-old, 5-year-old, and 6-year-old)
• Twelve total categories count for the dressage breeder award

Return to Year-End Awards