Adequan/USDF All-Breeds Dressage Sport Horse Breeding (DSHB) Awards

Designed to recognize outstanding breeds competing in dressage sport horse breeding, these awards are awarded to the top performing horses in all levels of DSHB based on breed.

Specific All-Breeds DSHB Award Rules

These rules are in addition to the general rules for the year-end awards.

  • A horse must be declared with USDF, for a participating organization (PO), by August 1 of the award year in order to participate in the all-breeds award program.
  • Late declarations will be accepted August 2-31 with payment of a $100 late fee, and declarations will be accepted September 1-30 with payment of a $300 late fee. No declarations will be accepted after September 30 for the current competition year.
  • Declarations can be made by submitting a copy of the horse’s breed papers, All-Breeds Awards Declaration Form and $35 declaration fee to USDF.
  • Owners of foals who have not yet received breed papers from their organization may submit, prior to September 30 of the award year, a letter from the PO stating that the foal is eligible for the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards.
  • Foal letters of eligibility will remain on file only through December 31 of the foal year.
  • It is the responsibility of the owner to submit the horse’s breed papers, once issued, along with the All-Breeds Awards Declaration Form.
  • Owners should access the list of all-breeds awards POs on the USDF website. NOTE: Some POs do not give awards in the DSHB category. It is the responsibility of the owner to verify if their PO has chosen to recognize the DSHB category. This information can be found on the USDF website.
  • Once an all-breeds declaration has been made, it does not need to be renewed and can only be changed by submitting the All-Breeds Awards Declaration Form, a copy of the horse’s registry papers from the new organization, and the $50 declaration change fee to USDF by August 1 of the award year. Horse and owner must meet all requirements of the PO.
  • Specific eligibility criteria for DSHB Horse of the Year must be met.
  • For competition purposes, the age of a horse is considered to be one-year-old on January 1, following the actual date of foaling.
  • Age/sex eligibility is determined as follows:
    • Fillies and colts, three years of age and under, may show only in dressage sport horse prospects classes/categories.
    • Mares and stallions, age four and over, may show only in breeding stock classes/categories.
    • Geldings of any age may not show in breeding stock classes/categories. Geldings age three and under may show only in sport horse classes/categories.

Scores Required

  • Minimum of three scores:
    • From at least three different judges
    • From three different USEF-licensed/USDF-recognized competitions
  • Median score of 65 percent or higher to qualify

Eligibility

  • Horse must have a USDF Lifetime Horse Registration (LHR) when scores are earned.
  • Owner must:
    • Have a USDF Participating Membership (PM) or Business Membership (BM), and be a member in good standing of USDF, when scores are earned.
    • Verify eligibility with PO.
    • Verify that an all-breeds declaration has been made by accessing the USDF website.
  • There is no membership requirement for the handler.

Recorded Scores

  • Scores must be from the same age/sex category.
  • Scores must be from USDF DSHB scoresheets (which are appropriate to each judging category) and that are current at the time of competition.
  • Scores must be from classes where horses are judged individually in-hand including USDF Breeders Championship Series (USDFBC) final in-hand classes. Scores from restricted classes that are otherwise eligible will count towards median score calculations including individual breed classes. Scores from amateur or junior/young rider handler, group, and under saddle classes are not eligible for DSHB all-breeds awards.
  • Scores earned from in-hand classes at Regular and Local Competitions may only be applied towards USDF year-end award calculations if the applicable USEF division rules state that the in-hand classes will follow all rules in USEF Sub-Chapter DR-2 Dressage Sport Horse Breeding.
  • Only the final adjusted percentage score, after callbacks, for each class will be counted.

Awards

  • Given that there are enough horses that have met the minimum award criteria as detailed above, POs must award first place in each of the age/sex levels listed below, if they have chosen to award the DSHB or materiale categories. They have the option of awarding up to five places per age/sex level:
    • Fillies of current calendar year
    • Colts/geldings of current calendar year
    • Yearling fillies
    • Yearling colts/geldings
    • Two-year-old fillies
    • Two-year-old colts/geldings
    • Three-year-old fillies
    • Three-year-old colts/geldings
    • Four-year-old and older maiden mares and yeld mares (not currently bred or nursing)
    • Four-year-old and older broodmares in foal as of January 1 of competition year or currently nursing (mare only to be judged)
    • Four-year-old and older stallions
    • All materiale categories
  • Champions in each of the age/sex levels will receive a custom cast USDF medal. If the PO chooses to award additional placings below first, second place winners will also receive a custom cast USDF medal.
  • Other prizes may be given by the PO at their discretion.
  • Only champions and reserve champions will be awarded on stage at the Adequan®/USDF Annual Convention.
  • Certificates will be available online.