Show Management Suggestions

The following are not rules!  You are not required to do most of them!  However, the hints might help you give a better show.

Naming Your Show:  To obtain and promote FADS brand identification and thereby popularize FADS shows, FADS will front the name of your show.  For example, FADS @ Blue Horse Farm.  Using FADS in your show name also informs riders that your show is a fun, friendly, and relaxed show and that riders can qualify for FADS Season-End Ribbons. 

Advertising Your Show in Print, the Internet and Your Web Site: To obtain and promote FADS brand identification and thereby popularize FADS shows, it is recommended that you include the terms “Frederick Area Dressage Shows,” “FADS,” the FADS web site URL (www.fadsshows.com), and the FADS logo in any advertisements you have in print, on the internet, and on your website.

Prize List and Hold Harmless Forms File Type:  It is recommended these documents be in PDF file type as this is a more universal format readable by more riders.  If you need assistance converting your documents to PDF, feel free to ask for my assistance at LeslieRaulin@gmail.com.

Picking a Judge:  There are two major considerations in picking a judge: 1. judge training and 2. judge variety.

  1. Judge Training:  Although not required, it is preferable that you select an L graduate or higher judge.  This ensures your judge has graduated from an official USDF/USEF judge program and is therefore judging by established standardized criteria.
  2. Judge Variety:  Riders prefer to show in front of a variety of judges.  It is therefore better to select a judge that is not also judging frequently at other FADS shows during the show season.

Click here to find L judges currently listed by USDF (the list changes with new judges added and judges removed that have not updated their credentials).

Click here to find r and higher judges currently listed by USDF (the list changes with new judges added and judges removed that have not updated their credentials).

For the above, select the Region (1), the State (Maryland or Virginia), the Designation (L graduate and USEF Licensed Officials), and the Title (L Graduate, r judge, R judge) – this will help you find an officially trained judge.

Number of Rides in a Class:  FADS shows are supposed to be fun!  Riders like to take home ribbons!  Therefore, whenever possible, do not schedule more than six for record horse/rider pairs in a class.  That way, everyone gets a ribbon for their effort!  After all, a blue ribbon costs the same an any other color. 

Show Classes:  There are two major considerations in establishing show classes: 1. classes with similar levels and 2. classes with similar test types.  Shows are competitions; therefore, riders prefer to compete against horse/rider pairs performing similar levels and/or test types. 

  1. Classes with Similar Levels: Whenever possible, each class should have rides of only one level (class with only Intro level rides, only Training level rides, etc.).  Whenever possible, schedule a class for each test (Intro Level Test A, Training Level Test 3, etc.).  Since all USDF/USEF levels now have three tests, very often for a level you will have more rides for the 2nd test than for the 1st and 3rd test; if needed, you may want to split the rides for the 2nd test into two classes so riders riding the 1st and 2nd tests are in different classes than riders riding the 2nd and 3rd tests.  If you need to put more than one level in a class, whenever possible, schedule adjacent levels together (Second and Third together, not Intro and Second together, etc.).  While it is preferable for a rider riding two tests to be in two classes, this is not always possible.  It is ok to have a class with only one or two riders! 
  2. Classes with Similar Test Types: Different test types have different judging criteria; therefore, it is recommended they be in different classes.  For example, schedule musical freestyles in a separate class, eventing tests in a separate class or classes, etc.  If you schedule a class with a mixture of USDF/USEF level tests, eventing tests, musical freestyles, etc., the judging criteria are not comparable so the resulting scores are not comparable.   (HINT: USEF Training Level tests are not comparable to USEA (Eventing) Training Level tests so it is not recommend they be scheduled in the same class.)

Show Scheduling – Classes vs. Order-of-Go: In a USEF/USDF licensed/recognized show, the rides in a class must usually be scheduled in a contiguous block.  This is not required in FADS schooling shows.  Therefore, to accommodate trailering arrangements, trainers that are riding and coaching, riders with more than one horse, etc., a class may have a rider with a special scheduling request at 8:30AM, another rider with a special scheduling request at 10AM, and the balance of the class starting at 2PM.  It is best that the riders with special requests ride earlier than the balance of the class so their out-of-sequence ride does not inconvenience the balance of the class.  Also, you will need to make arrangements for the out-of-sequence rider(s) to get their ribbon(s) if they must leave before the balance of their class is finished. This is usually done by collecting a postage fee from the rider, which is over $7.00 to mail one ribbon (Nov 2025).

AM and PM Classes: Some shows have riders at the same level/test that want to ride in the AM and others that want to ride in the PM in a manner that does not let you schedule some riders in a class in the AM and some in the PM. A solution is to have two classes, one in the AM and one in the PM. For example, you could have a training level test 1 AM class and a training level test 1 PM class.

HC Rides:  

  • HC is hors concours or hors de concours.  In licensed shows a rider may get permission to ride HC if they have trained with the judge within 30 days of the show or have another relationship with the judge that could give a competitive advantage.  The rider gets a score sheet but the scores do not count toward class placings and do not count toward national awards.  In schooling shows, show management may determine if and when a rider must or can ride HC.  In some schooling shows a rider that has trained under the judge within 30 days of the show may be allowed to ride and the scores will count for class placings; in other schooling shows the rider will only be allowed to ride HC.  Also, in some schooling shows a rider may ride the same test twice in one class and get scores for both rides that will count toward class placings; in other schooling shows a rider may ride the same test twice in one class and get scores for both rides but the second ride would be HC.  For shows on the FADS Show List, show management may determine their own rules and requirements for riding HC or not.
  • All rides that could be considered HC rides will not count toward FADS Season-End Awards.

Splitting Classes by Rider Status:  FADS riders are Youth Riders (YR – less than 18yo during the entire show season), Adult Amateurs (AA – 18yo and older at any time during the show season and do not receive equine-related income), or Professionals (PRO – 18yo and older at any time during the show season and receive equine-related income).  Details are at USEF Rule GR1306 (click here to see the rule).  When you have enough riders entered in a class, splitting the class by rider status is recommended.