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.
Return to Year-End Awards