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Rules

​Here you'll find all of the rules governing the E-riders Online Dressage competitions. Be sure you're familiar with all the rules, including how to record your test correctly before entering.

Skip to Class Restrictions

Skip to How to Upload Video

Skip to Tack & Turnout

Skip to Judges & Results

Skip to How to Film Test

Skip to BD Class Rules

General Rules

  1. On entering any of the classes with E-Riders, you accept and abide by the Rules and Terms & Conditions laid out here

  2. Any rider of 18 years of age and under must have parental permission

  3. Horse and rider combinations may not enter a class more than one level below their highest entry in any competition class – eg if you have entered a Novice test, you cannot enter an Intro test. Competitions are not confined to E Riders only and includes BD, BE, RC and any other affiliated or unaffiliated competitions.

  4. Horses must be aged 4yrs and over

  5. Entry fees will not be refunded once an entry has been accepted. If you need to withdraw, you can do so by clicking on your entry from your account page & clicking withdraw. This will give you a credit to use at a later date.

  6. E-Riders reserves the right to refuse an entry without stating a reason (don’t worry – we most probably will never do this…but it needs to be stated just in case!)

  7. Once you have uploaded your video or submitted it via a Youtube link you may not delete or re-upload a new video. If you have realised you have made a mistake please email susie@e-riders.co.uk and we will try and assist best we can.

  8. Entries deadline: All entries must be paid by 23:00hrs on the 28th of the month. Videos must be uploaded by 16:00hrs on the last day of the month. After this time entries and videos cannot be received and no refunds will be made. 

  9. Videos of tests must not be entered if they have already been judged in another competition. The video must be taken for the purpose of your E-Rider entry only. You must verbally introduce your video  with your name, horses name, test ridden and the month of competition you are entering - if you do not include the month or have no verbal intro at all you will be deducted 2 marks from your test. Any video which is suspected of having been filmed during another competition, submitted for another online competition or an old recording will not be accepted. In these circumstances no refund will be offered. 

  10. You are riding at your own risk, E-Riders take no responsibility for any injury occurred to either horse or rider whilst recording their video entry. Correct riding attire and appropriate protective wear MUST be worn

  11. Copyright laws and music licence restrictions (PPL) must be adhered to when submitting any video footage or photographs or printed material. E-Riders will not be liable for any costs incurred as a result of infringement of copyright laws or music licence restrictions by any competitor 

  12. Postage - The 'delivery' fee is applicable to all UK entries. If you do not win any rosettes within the month, you may contact susie@e-riders.co.uk to claim a free postage voucher for your next entry.

  13. If you reside OUTSIDE of the UK - you will be sent a PayPal invoice for your specific postage costs.

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Class Restrictions

Restrictions apply to rider & horse combinations at the START of each league - once you have started a league you may continue in that section to the end. However you must still never compete more than 2 consecutive levels. (eg - you can compete at intro and prelim, but not intro and novice). You can only compete in one section (limited/juniors/restricted/open/elite) per level. Fun class scores do not count towards league restrictions.

If you exceed the restrictions but would still like to compete at that level you may enter as HC or request a review from the organisers who will make a decision, their decision will be final. 

We ask that you enter levels appropriately to the abilities of you and your horse - random spot checks will take place each month on horses and riders and if you are deemed to be entering classes below your capability we have the right to make your entry HC. This decision is down to the organisers and their decision will be final.

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LIMITED SECTION - This section is limited to 10 riders per class. Horse & Rider combo are not to have scored above 64% at the level entered or above. 
Horse & Rider combination must not have competed at the level above in any competition.
Rosettes placed 1st-10th - colours may vary. This class does not gain you league points. Entering a Limited section class will not kick you out of lower levels.

 

-------------------------- INTRO --------------------------

*Intro Restricted Classes*
The combination (horse & rider) are not to have scored 68% or higher three times or more in an intro class.
The combination (horse & rider) are not to have competed at prelim level or above.
Horse & Rider combination that have won an Intro Restricted League or Championship are required to move up to Intro Open level.
Horse must not have any BD points at Novice level or above or to have competed at affiliated BE90 or above

*Intro Open Classes*
The combination (horse & rider) are not to have score 70% or higher three times at Intro Level
The combination are not to have scored 68% or higher three times at Prelim Level
Horse & Rider combination that have won an Intro Open League or Championship are required to move up to Prelim level.
Horse must not have any BD points at Elementary level or above or to have competed at affiliated BE90 or above

*Intro ELITE Classes*
Open to all combinations - as long as they have not competed at Novice Level

-------------------------- PRELIM -------------------------- 

*Prelim Restricted Classes*
The combination (horse & rider) must not to have scored 68% or higher three times at Prelim Level.
The combination (horse & rider) are not to have competed at Novice level
Horse & Rider combination that have won a Prelim Restricted League or Championship are required to move up to Prelim Open level. 
Horse must not have any BD points at Elementary level or above

*Prelim Open Classes*
The combination (horse & rider) are not to have score 70% or higher three times at Prelim Level
The combination are not to have scored 68% or higher three times at Novice Level
Horse & Rider combination that have won a Prelim Open League or Championship are required to move up to Novice level. 
Horse must not have any BD points at Elementary level or above

*Prelim ELITE Classes*
Open to all combinations - as long as they have not competed at Elementary Level

-------------------------- NOVICE --------------------------

*Novice Restricted Classes*
The combination (horse & rider) are not to have scored 68% or higher three times at Novice Level
The combination (horse & rider) are not have competed at Elementary level
Horse & Rider combination that have won a Novice Restricted League or Championship are required to move up to Novice Open level. 
Horse must not have more than 25 BD points at Elementary level or any points at levels above

*Novice Open Classes*
The combination (horse & rider) are not to have score 70% or higher three times at Novice Level
The combination (horse & rider) are not to have scored 68% or above at Elementary Level or above.
Horse & Rider combination that have won a Novice Open League or Championship are required to move up to Elementary level. 
Horse must not have any BD points at Medium level or above

*Novice ELITE Classes*
Open to all combinations - as long as they have not competed at Medium Level

-------------------------- Elementary --------------------------

*Elementary Restricted Classes*
The combination (horse & rider) are not to have scored 68% or higher three times at Elementary Level
The combination (horse & rider) are not be competing at Medium level
Horse & Rider combination that have won an Elementary Restricted League or Championship are required to move up to Elementary Open level. 
Horse must not have more than 25 BD points at Medium level or any points at levels above

*Elementary Open Classes*
The combination (horse & rider) are not to have scored 68% or above at Medium Level or above 
Horse & Rider combination that have won an Elementary Open League or Championship are invited to move up to Medium level - However, you can continue to compete in BD classes at Elementary level provided you are still eligible as per BD rules. Winners of the E Riders Championships in the Open Section will not be eligible to compete in the championships at Elementary level in future competitions.

-------------------------- Medium & Advanced Medium --------------------------
Medium - Horse and Rider combination must not be competing at Advanced level or above

Advanced Medium - Open to all

BE90 - Prelim Open restrictions apply
BE100 - Novice Open restrictions apply
BE Novice - Elementary Open restrictions apply
BE Intermediate - Open to all

*Veterans*
The rules for E Riders applies to all horses but in the Veteran section where possible, veterans should compete at the highest level at which they are capable of and commensurate with their competition experience. An application may be made to the organisers to drop down a level if injury or similar prevents the horse from competing at the higher levels. In the event of winning the league and the horse not being able to move up a level, the horse will still be permitted to do BD classes if eligible under BD rules.

All Fun classes run under our Open restrictions above

Tack and Turnout

  1. Show attire is not required, but smart clothes and gloves must be worn. If you are not wearing gloves you will be deducted 2 points.

  2. Riding hats must be worn. Suitable footwear with a heel and gloves must be worn for safety reasons. 

  3. Bridles– For Introductory, Preliminary and Novice tests – ordinary snaffle bridle; Elementary and above – ordinary snaffle or double bridle. Nosebands must be worn, a drop, cavesson, grackle or flash with a snaffle or a cavesson with a double bridle. 

  4. Bits – BD permitted bits only, of which are: Loose ring snaffle, snaffle with jointed mouthpiece where the middle piece should be rounded, Egg-butt snaffle, D-ring or racing snaffle, Loose ring snaffle with cheeks (Fulmer), Fulmer keepers are permitted, Snaffle with upper cheeks only, Hanging cheek snaffle, Straight bar snaffle (Must be straight with no ports or raised bumps), Snaffle with rotating mouthpiece, Snaffle with rotating middle piece, rotary bit with rotating middle piece. Bombers Equestrian’s Flexible Mullen and Loose Ring Ultra Comfy, as well as eight types of Myler bit, The Happy Mouth Bit HB-6000-SP and the HB-6801-SP model are all allowed under the new rules. No bit guards are allowed. No clips on bits from bridle

  5. Other tack - martingales, side, running or elasticised reins or fluffy rein covers may not be used in any competition class. Belly bands are not permitted

  6. Neck straps or balancing straps (a loop on the front of the saddle) may be used at all levels in British Dressage tests. Cruppers are also allowed in British Dressage tests.

  7. Boots or bandages are allowed to be worn

  8. Spurs and a whip may also be used

  9. No exercise fleeces or sheets to be worn

  10. Nose nets and fly veils are permitted (with exception of tie down veils)

If you are wearing any non BD legal tack - your test will still be marked but you will not be eligible for placings or league points)

How to Film your Test

  1. The person videoing MUST be standing behind C, holding your phone landscape (if the video is in portrait you will lose 2 marks) and zooming in at the A end of the school.

  2. You need to be in a marked arena with correct measurements (either 20mx40m or 20mx60m depending on the test you have entered) either on grass or in a school. Markers MUST be clearly displayed - if you have no markers or they are in the wrong place your test will be HC.

  3. Ask your ‘filmer’ (kindly) to try their hardest to keep you in the centre of the screen at all times - if you disappear from view, the judge will not be able to score you for those movements.

  4. The video must have sound (if it does not your test will still be marked but you will be HC and not be eligible for placings or league points) - you may have a caller for the test but you may not have training help.

  5. Your video must have NO cuts or edits. It must start at least 2 seconds before the rider enters at A and preferably 4 seconds after the rider salutes at the end.

  6. Either you or the person videoing your test MUST verbally introduce the video - you must include your name, the horses name, E-Riders and the month of competition. If you are not introduced or don't include the month for the test you will be deducted 2 marks.

  7. Saluting. BD rules state you hold the reins (and whip if carried) in one hand and the other hand is lowered to the rider’s side. The rider should nod their head. As per BD rules if you salute with the whip hand you will be deducted 2 marks.

  8. Breathe, SMILE and HAVE FUN!

How to Upload your Video

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We recommend that you upload your video to youtube and then submit your link via your account page. This way youwill be able to look back over your videos in the future and see how far you have progressed!

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Click here to see how to submit your entries

Judges & Results

  1. Judges decisions are final. No communication or discussion will be entered into by E-Riders, any of its representatives or the judge involved. Any objection or appeal regarding a score must be made in writing within 24 hours of the test being judged.

  2. Very rarely mistakes may be made with calculating percentages, please ensure we are notified by email within 24 hours of receipt of your test sheet and we will endeavour to rectify any errors

  3. Rosettes will be awarded 1st - 10th place. Equal placings will be awarded meaning more rosettes!

  4. Results will be posted on our Facebook Page on the 2nd of the following month

  5. Classes may be split to avoid overcrowding. They will be split at random as follows;

    1. 31 - 50 entries – classes will be split randomly in 2 groups

    2. 51 - 80 entries – classes will be split randomly in 3 gorups

    3. 81 - 110 entries – classes will be split randomly in 4 gorups

  6. If classes are split –

    1. There will be 1st – 10th rosettes for all groups

    2. The winner of the class overall will receive the prize from the sponsor. The 1st places in the split groups will receive sweets & treats. League points will be awarded as per normal rules to the class (not split groups)

British Dressage Classes

  1. We are licensed by British Dressage to run the BD tests via our online platform.

  2. Classes will cost £14.00 to enter 
    Rosettes will be awarded 1st-10th place 
    Classes will run under E-Rider Open Restrictions 
    Intro and Prelim classes will be split Juniors/Seniors
    You will earn E-Rider points & Championship Qualifications from these classes
    Your test sheet will be electronic and will be available through the results pages after the class is complete and the results have been published

  3. All classes will gain league points and rosettes and prizes will be awarded at the end.  Leagues will run per level plus Juniors League for Intro and Prelim.

  4. All E-Rider Rules on filming your test apply

  5. ALL British Dressage Classes are subject to the following rules;

  • Scores will not be recorded with BD or count towards any future BD qualification

  • All competitions run in accordance with BD rules

  • All tack and equipment must be fully compliant with BD regulations

  • BD horse welfare policy must be adhered by all participants at all times

  • All tests will be judged by a BD listed judge at the appropriate level

  • Scoring / structure of competitions will be in accordance with BD tests

  Submission of pre-judged tests is not permitted for competition purposes

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