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United States Dressage Federation

Home » Awards » Performance Awards » Year-End Awards » Dressage Sport Horse Breeding Horse of the Year

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 Member (PM) or Business Member (BM) 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 on 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 gelding 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

  • Each scores 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.
  • 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 and earned at USDF-recognized/USEF-licensed competitions.
  • Scores must be from open in-hand or Great American Insurance Group/USDF Breeders’ Championship (USDFBC) Series Final in-hand classes. Therefore, scores from other championship, amateur or junior/young rider handler, individual breed, group, or under saddle classes will not be considered
    • Open DSHB class is defined as any class which is open to all horses within the specified age and sex group. There are no restrictions based on breed, size previous performance, qualifications, residence, or membership of owner, breeder, or handler.
  • 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 and yeld mares (mares without foals)
    • Four-year-old and older broodmares with or in foal as of January 1 of competition year (mare only to be judges)
    • 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 Tro” is by artist, Barbara Noble.

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