When to affiliate and does it get easier?! (dressage)

Law

Law

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 July 2005
Messages
5,954
Location
Mid Wales
Visit site
After my exciting day yesterday a couple of people have asked why isn't Mr D affiliated. I was working on the basis that I'd spend a season (the next 6 months) going out and trying more dressage before deciding to affiliate next year. If we are inconsistent then there wasn't a lot of point in affiliating (in my mind). Also we might have had a good day yesterday but they weren't necessarily affiliated judges so our marks may have been higher than if it was an affiliated class. (Although I know two of them were good judges and all 4 marked us within 1.5% of each other on the different tests so we were consistent in all tests)
So question one is at what point do you consider affiliating?

Second question is does it get any easier to remember tests when you compete them more often? I had 4 tests yesterday and I managed to remember most of one but had them all called
blush.gif
I'd much rather know the test inside out in my head than have it called but I worry that I'll never remember any of them!
 
Blimey, I struggle with 2 tests, I'd never remember 4!!

Why not go and do some aff prelims? You don't have to register to do them and then you'll know whether or not you are ready?
 
4 Was a moment of madness! I wasn't thinking when I entered
crazy.gif


I was thinking about going on a ticket at some point when there is something on up the road from me. There is a good centre about 4 miles from the yard although I don't know if there is anything on til Winter now
frown.gif
 
But for prelims you don't even need to be on a ticket! You just enter. You can even qualify for area festivals and only need to join if you then qualify for and go to the nationals.

Just do some prelims without the added expense, I am (because I can't afford to aff BD, so may as well make the most of it!)
 
Some people would affiliate when they aregaining good percentages at unaffiliated as the next step up so to speak, others do when they want better venues (sometimes) and trained (hopefully) more consistent judges.

Give the prelims a go and see
 
I affliated mine so that I could get more consistant judging and yes once I did get a wacky mark but apart from that my marks were more or less about right. I have also affliated mine so that I can do tests on a surface, due to her navicular I don't want to compete on grass.
She was going well prelim and has always been 60% or above novice so thought it was time to affliate. It also means I can qualify for area festivals and maybe try for the regionals.
 
Definitely go for the prelims unaffiliated!

Dont panic about remembering the tests.. I have such a bad memory, I have most of my tests called for me all the way up to Advanced classes!!!
blush.gif


When you first go to the affiliated shows, think of the tests as cheap training sessions with the judges.. take their critisism/ comments as stuff to improve on, maybe even talk to them after the test for more insight into their perspective!

Have fun hun!
 
I affiliated when I felt that unaffiliated judging was inconsistent and the venues weren't brilliant - it's usually when you start getting 62%+ unaffiliated - I'd have a go - affilated competitions are really well organised and the judging is consistent
 
I have jusy affiliated Grace because she was doing consistently well unaffiliated with marks over 65% in the Prelims. Plus, I also wanted more consistent judging. This weekend i got 65% for our first unaffiliated Novice and then 54% for our second one and I would say there was no difference in the way she went. If anything, her medium canter was improved and her medium trot more working through from behind.
 
Forgot to add, Grace was getting 67%, 73% and 66% so not really consistent... then at the weekend she got 61% for a Prelim because she was just not concentrating
laugh.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top