Becoming a Judge
We operate a comprehensive training and assessment scheme which enables judges to progress up the levels, or ‘lists’, from preliminary to the heady heights of judging grand prix tests at championships.
Many trainers and riders use the knowledge they have built up to progress into a judging career. Becoming a judge helps with test riding and coaching skills as well as the general understanding of the way of going of the horse.
The 'lists'
The lists range from six to one. As a list 6 Judge, you can judge Preliminary competitions and this increases to list 1, where the most experienced are able to judge Grand Prix tests at championships. To remain listed you have to attend a seminar, and to upgrade your listing you need to complete the relevant pathway through our Judge Education system.
Contact officials@britishdressage.co.uk for more information or call 02476 698831.
How to become a Trainee Judge
You must be a minimum of a Full (non-competing) member with us to register as a Trainee Judge.
To start your judging journey, you will be required to complete the registration (£15) to be a Trainee Judge through your BD online profile. Your registration will be valid for 12 months and you will be required to attend an induction session within the first year of your registration. Once you have completed the registration and it has been processed, you will be contacted directly with further information about booking an induction session and you will also receive a trainee pack with useful documents to help start you on your judging journey. Our Judge Educators’ are currently delivering the Trainee Judge induction sessions as a Zoom online session.
What it means to be a Trainee Judge
Once you have attended an induction session with us, you will have the option of your details being visible on our ‘Find a Judge’ facility, we will provide a GDPR consent form for you to complete if you wish to be visible.
As a Trainee Judge your options are:
- Be a Trainee Judge and judge at unaffiliated competitions. You will be required to renew your £15 registration annually and attend an annual seminar to remain up to date. Every two years you will be required to attend an induction session to refresh your Trainee Judge knowledge and understanding.
OR
- Register for the Judge Education system (£30) to join a pathway in the view to become a listed Judge and judge at affiliated competitions.
How to become a Listed Judge
Once you have registered as a Trainee Judge and attended an induction session, if your aim is to eventually become listed and judge at affiliated competitions you can register for our Judge Education system. Our Judge Education system has been designed to support and guide you along your journey to become a listed Judge and in upgrading through the lists too in the future. The system comprises of completion of both ‘non-technical’ and ‘technical’ modules. Non-technical modules are generic judging topics where as the technical module is level specific and focuses on areas such as movements at the level. You will be provided with all necessary information about the Judge Education system following your induction session attendance.
If you have registered as a Trainee Judge after 10 August 2020, you will be required to fulfil the below pre-requisite:
In order to be eligible to undertake an online assessment, candidates entering the new Judge Education system must have achieved three scores at 62% or above at affiliated Novice level dressage or affiliated Novice horse trials or in the relevant para grade tests.
OR
To have achieved 3 Novice scores of 65% or above at BD Freestyle affiliated competitions.
System overview:
Our Judge Education system is a combination of:
- Attendance to interactive workshops
- Completion of self-directed learning activities such as sitting in, writing, practice judging, and observing training
- Portfolio activities
- Online final assessment
As a Trainee Judge, if you register for the Judge Education system you will follow the 'New Judge' pathway. Common questions and helpful information can be found in the Judge Education system FAQ document below.
If you are on our system as a ‘Trainee Judge’ following your induction session attendance, you will be able to access our ‘Judge Education System’ page (login required)
Get in touch!
If you have any questions or queries about becoming a Judge, please get in touch with our Officials Education Supervisor Jess La Rosa.
If you are a Trainee or listed judge you can access our judges information page below. You will be required to input your BD online username and password for the pages below as it is restricted to judge access only.
How to become a Para Judge
If you are a list 3 or above judge, you can now become a para judge by following the brand new para judge pathway! As our para community continues to grow, we really do need more para Judges to support this growth and following this pathway could not be simpler.
Please click here to access the horse monkey website for available training and assessment dates.
The International Equestrian Federation's publication FEI Dressage Handbook Guidelines for Judging, has been written by some of the most experienced FEI Dressage Judges'. It will help with understanding scores and the criteria outlined in the FEI Dressage Rulebook. It is available from the British Dressage shop.
