United States Dressage Federation

• Print this page

Adequan®/USDF Musical Freestyle Challenge

These awards, like the Adequan®/USDF Musical Freestyle Awards, are designed to recognize horses that have achieved the required scores at the necessary levels in a competition year.

Requirements
First, Second, Third, or Fourth Levels

• Must have a minimum of eight non-freestyle scores:
  • From four different judges
  • From four different USDF-recognized/USEF-licensed competitions
  • Must have two at 60 percent or higher from the highest test of the level
  • Must have a median score of 60 percent or higher to qualify.
• Must have a minimum of three freestyle scores:
  • From three different judges
  • From three different USDF-recognized/USEF-licensed competitions
  • Median score of 60 percent or higher to qualify

Intermediate I or Grand Prix

• Minimum of four non-freestyle scores:
  • From four different judges
  • From four different USDF-recognized/USEF-licensed competitions
  • Median score of 60 percent of higher to qualify
• Minimum of three freestyle scores:
  • From three different judges
  • From three different USDF-recognized/USEF-licensed competitions
  • Median score of 60 percent of higher to qualify

Eligibility

• 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) and be a member in good standing of USDF when scores are earned.
• Rider must have a USDF PM and be a member in good standing of USDF 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 registering a horse at a competition, membership and registration begin the date of application. This date must be in accordance with USEF dressage division rules.

Recorded Scores

• Overall score is calculated by combining the non-freestyle median (60 percent of total) and the freestyle median (40 percent of total). Score equivalents:
  • FEI Junior Freestyle is equivalent to Third Level Freestyle.
  • FEI Young Rider Freestyle is equivalent to Fourth Level Freestyle.
• Ties will be broken by the highest freestyle score.
• Scores from restricted classes (with the exception of breed-restricted) will count towards year-end awards median score calculations.

Awards

• Certificate and prizes are awarded to the owner and will be presented at the Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention.
• One award will be presented at each level for First, Second, Third, Fourth, Intermediate I, and Grand Prix.
• Champions at each level will receive a commemorative plaque and a personalized certificate sponsored by Adequan®.

For more information about musical freestyle, see our musical freestyle section.

Return to Year-End Awards