Dressage people..........

B

beatrice

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 July 2007
Messages
837
Location
North East
Visit site
What scores would you want to be achieving at Un aff Prelime before you affiliated?

Just wondering when would be the best time to affliate my girl!

Any advice greatly appreciated!!!!!
smile.gif
 
I have only done one test with her since i got her which i got 60% in.
However before i got her she did a couple of BD tests and got over 70%, i just havn't quite found all the buttons yet!!

looks like i have a long way to go yet!!!
 
I affiliated Grace when she kept coming 1st at Unaffil Prelim... with scored between 69% and 73%. I found her scores dropped quite a bit to 65% at affiliated, but since affiliating in May in the past month or so we are consistently getting above 67% now, usually around the 69% stage.

However, marks are not everything... If you affiliate you get more consistent judging, better venues etc etc.
 
i affiliated after 2yrs of winning at unaffil prelim, then novice and elem consistently gaining score high 60's to 70's. scores dropped to an average of around 65% at novice (never did prelim affiliated)
 
this is a hard one i think as really i would rather compete all my horses affilaited as i know i will be judged fairly by a competent judge at a suitable venue, but im prepared to pay the fees straight off for registering, however for other ppl who want to do unaffilaited first i would want to achieve 65% + under a experienced judge
 
For myself, because it was my first time affiliating, I wanted to be consistently achieving high 60s or 70. However, if I had my time again I probably wouldn't bother and get straight out affiliated because I have more faith in the judging! The places I used to do unaff the marking could be really generous/fickle/"facey" and the comments were useless and although people will criticise aff. judging I've generally experienced no problems! Remember you don't have to be reg'd to do aff. prelim you could even enter HC if you're really worried about what mark you'll get! Give it a go!
grin.gif
 
I agree with Little_Mare, give it a try at affiliated on a class ticket and see how you go. You tend to get fewer entries and therefore more space warming-up etc at affiliated. Plus a better standard of judging - hopefully
smile.gif
 
There are a number of venues that run affiliated and unaffiliated in the same class if you know what I mean, they then award two sets of rosettes separately. Try these first so's you can compare your scores with the affiliated bods and if your horse is 'holding her own' against them then I'd go affiliated.
 
I know my horse can do it...she did with a previous rider, its' just me......i can get the work out of her at home i just find it difficult to be calm enough for her to relax (tension is her biggest problem).

Which is why i'm worried about taking her BD as i'm sure this will make me more nervous so want to make sure i can hold my own as don't want to emabrress my girl!!!!

I think i will try to do a few more unaff and see how they go, then go BD once i'm feeling a few less nerves (3 yrs out of riding has totally drained my confidence!!!!)
 
I just want to add, I felt very nervos about going affiliated this year. Once I had been and done a competition I then realised they are no different to unaffiliated ones. There are all different types of horses, just like there are at unaffiliated, and there are people who have impeccably behaved rides and others (ermm, I have been one of these o a few occasions) whose horse prefers jumping out the white board as opposed to staying in them
smile.gif


Go and get a class ticket through BD and just have some fun... you can decide after that whether you want to affiliate or not.
 
Echo Becki1003 - I felt sick going to my first BD but once you've done it you realise its no more scary than an unaff. comp and I've found everyone to be really friendly and helpful!
laugh.gif
You don't need a class ticket to do BD prelim so don't waste your money (like I did!).
 
Its those pesky rules again! No one told me though - either at BD when I bought them or the centres where I entered! At least I got a couple of magazines out of it...
tongue.gif
 
I have been told that affiliated can almost be 'easier' then unaff, as it is controlled as to whom can enter prelim. I know of several combinations competing at unaff Prelim and walk trot when really they should be competing at Novice if not elementary.
 
I'm about to aff my pony, we've been getting 70% at unaff novice, I am a bit nervous, I suppose imagining that everyone else will be mounted on enormous wb's, & there will be me on my 14hh Welsh X. After the super duper judging I got this Sunday at unaff, I am even more determined not to waste any more money!! (Apparently I didn't halt at A for 4 secs, my friend timed me, & I failed to give & retake, there was a photo of it, & yes it was 4 3 strides) I didn't notice a guide dog inside her car, but assume he as asleep on the back seat. Lots of unaf do use listed judges, but god knows where they dredged this erm "lady" up from!!!
 
The last horse I competed affiliated, our marks actually improved when we went affiliated, compared to unaffiliated - though the unaffiliated stuff we did was with un-listed judges, and my horsey was a bit ugly, so I think we lost marks on that!

Also, I like the points system and having restricted and open secitons as it give people more of a fair chance.
 
We were winning comfortably at prelim with an average of 76% but we had to go straight into Affil Novice as no prelims round here
smile.gif
 
I think it's a misconception that you have to be "winning" unaffiliated before you go BD - afterall people who compete at unaffiliated invariably compete BD too - they use the unaffs to gain ring experience or simply to get out and about when there are no BD comps on - Standards unaff round by me are very high indeed - and not everyone can win! I'd say that before you go BD you need to have consistency in your tests and scores (although scoring isn't to be relied upon either as many judges score vastly different!) Ensure that you and your horse are working consistently - your horse is working over it's back and bends correctly through it's body, is infront of your leg and obedient to your aids - if you are scoring mid 60s consistently unaff you should give BD a try - afterall you don't have to join up to do that - just go on a day ticket and see how you get along - you may be surprised!
grin.gif

Kate x
 
I have just read everybody else's comments and want to add that you can enter the prelim classeses at affliated level without being affiliated - just enter the open section. I have done this a couple of times to test the water
smile.gif
 
Thanks everybody for your help!

Think i will have a go at a few more unaff......see how we do and then go for it!! Also i will try and find a venue that runs the open sections so i can see how we get on!

Just need to get mares tension under control as she is more than capable of working at a v high standard at home which is v frustrating!!!!

Thanks again!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top