Dressage for dummies

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FFAQ

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Hi!

I've posted some REALLY basic questions here before and the answers were so useful and kind about my ignorance I thought I'd post another!

Dumb question coming up...

If I decide to start competing in BD next year, how many times can I compete at the same level? I'd be starting with the intro test. Is it like music exams where you do each grade once (hopefully) and then move on, or is a case of continuing to compete at intro until you get enough points/a high enough score to move up?

To be honest, I'd be so chuffed with myself that I was actually doing it that I'd happily carry on at intro for years!! 🤣
 
Have you done any unaffiliated dressage tests? Joining BD and working out their current system is so complicated and quite expensive.

I’ve just started with my mare and I plan to compete at unaffiliated doing Intro at as many different venues as I can for a while, once I’m gaining good %’s then I will move up to the easy Prelim’s again at unaffiliated.

I do hope to join BD at some point.
 
As MahoganyBay says, the BD rules can be a bit complicated however I say give it a go as the judging is more consistent, the BD office is very helpful, venues have minimum facility and arena surface requirements to meet and you'll probably find you do better than you expected!

Having said that, there are limited numbers of Intros at BD. I would recommend starting with their 'MyQuest' competition - this is aimed at people just starting out in dressage, goes up to Novice, and they always have Intro at these comps. I think the membership fee is also cheaper if you only target MyQuest to begin with. There are slightly different rules and I think if you get over a certain score (70% maybe) too many times then you have to move up but the BD website can tell you more.

In 'normal' BD (outside MyQuest) you can continue at a level for as long as you like, but I'd suggest starting on this once you're confident at Prelim so you have more competition opportunities. Once you have experience at higher levels, the rules say that you have to compete in 'Silver' or 'Gold' sections, but when you're setting out with your first horse you can pretty much stay in Bronze all the way up the levels.

There are tonnes of eligibility rules and different sections allow you to aim for different Championships outside MyQuest, but don't worry about all that as you get going, you'll pick it up as you go along! I also recommend going along to some BD training in your Region, it's a good way of getting to know other competitors, hearing about their back stories (trust me, even those out competing at a decent level have been where you are now!) as well as picking up some skills.

Good luck!!
 
I haven't seen intro classes at BD other than my quest or team quest so if you want to do intro that is the place to start, although i have only done BD and not my quest as this came in years after i started doing it making me not eligible for it- this is a great place to step into BD as otherwise you will be going into prelim bronze level straight away.
If you can get a BD rule book they have handy flow charts that explain which levels you can enter and when you have to move up.
 
Ah! Thank you lovely people! I'd only heard of my quest in the last few days and that was going to be another question but it's been answered already! 😁
 
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