United States Dressage Federation

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Adequan/USDF Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Horse of the Year

Designed to recognize horses that have exemplary scores throughout a competition year in dressage sport horse breeding classes, these awards are presented in the following categories: fillies of current calendar year, colts/geldings of current calendar year, yearling fillies, yearling colts/geldings, two-year-old fillies, two-year-old colts/geldings, three-year-old fillies, three-year-old colts/geldings, four-year-old and older maiden and yeld mares, four-year-old and older broodmares, and four-year-old or older stallions.

General Rules

• Minimum of three scores:
  • From at least two different judges
  • From three different USDF-recognized/USEF-licensed competitions
• Median score of 65 percent or higher to qualify

Eligibility

• Horses must have a USDF Lifetime Horse Registration (LHR) when scores are earned.
• Owner must be a USDF Participating (PM) or Business Member (BM) and be a member in good standing of USDF when scores are earned.
• No membership requirement for the handler.
• 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 begins the date of application. This date must be in accordance with USDF/USEF dressage division rules.
• 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.
  • A “young horse” is one that is three years of age or younger.
  • A “mature horse” is one that is four years of age or older.
• Age/sex eligibility is determined as follows:
  • Fillies, colts, and geldings three years of age and under may show ONLY as sport horse prospects.
  • Mares and stallions age four and over may show in breeding stock classes.
  • 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.
  • Horse must be eligible to compete in the class to be eligible for an award in that division, per USEF DR 203.

Recorded Scores

• Scores must be from the same age/sex category.
• Scores must be from USDF DSHB scoresheets (which are appropriate to each judging category) current at the time of competition.
• Scores must be from classes where horses are judged individually in-hand including Great American Insurance Group/USDF Breeders’ Championship (USDFBC) Series Final in-hand classes.
  • Scores from restricted classes that are otherwise eligible will count towards year-end awards median score calculations, with the exception of individual breed classes. Some individual breed classes may count towards all-breeds awards if the participating registry/organization (PO) chooses. Scores from amateur or junior/young rider handler, group and under saddle classes are not eligible for DSHB year-end awards.
  • Only the final adjusted percentage score (after callbacks) for each class will be counted.

Awards

• Certificates and prizes are awarded to the owner and will be awarded at the Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention.
• All awards winners will received personalized certificates sponsored by Adequan®:
  • Five in each age/sex category
• Categories to be awarded:
  • Fillies of current calendar year
  • Colts/geldings of current calendar year
  • Yearling fillies
  • Yearling colts/geldings
  • Two-year-old fillies
  • Two-year-old colts/geldings
  • Three-year-old fillies
  • Three-year-old colts/geldings
  • Four-year-old and older maiden mares (never been bred) and yeld mares (not currently bred or nursing) (mares without foals)
  • Four-year-old and older broodmares with or in foal as of January 1 of competition year (mare only to be judged)
  • Four-year-old and older stallions
• Champion and reserve champion in each category will receive a commemorative plaque sponsored by Adequan®.
• Champions will also receive a wool cooler.
• The highest scoring champion’s name will be engraved on a trophy that is on permanent display in the Roemer Foundation/USDF Hall of Fame. This bronze sculpture titled “Traveling Trot” is by artist, Barbara Noble.

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