Every year, fans of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event are in for at least one new experience, and that’s part of what makes this CCI4* competition’s motto—“The Best Weekend All Year”—ring true: between the thrills of competition, special events, and changes in the sport, the event and the sport are ever-evolving.
This year, one important change involves scoring: the dressage phase is kicking off the competition with revamped Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) scoring rules, changing the way this first phase influences the final score at FEI-level events. As you watch dressage on April 26-27, you may notice a change in test scores and a smaller range of scores than you have in previous years. That’s a result of the FEI’s decision to remove the dressage coefficient in the calculation of scores—a change in eventing scoring rules that will have major implications on the sport at the FEI level.
We spoke to Marilyn Payne, a two-time Olympic eventing judge and member of the committee that proposed the change, about what this coefficient is and what we can expect to see at a CCI4* now that the dressage coefficient has been removed from scoring.
A Score That’s Easier to Understand
The dressage coefficient, which multiplied the marks from the judges by 1.5 in the calculation of an individual’s score, was designed to apply a desired influence of the dressage phase on the competition as a whole. “By removing the coefficient, the dressage score is now a simple percentage,” said Payne. “It is easy for fans to understand, and it is easier for our athletes to understand, as well!”
The FEI Eventing Committee wants to make the sport and its scoring more self-explanatory to a wider audience, and therefore more accessible to all equestrians and eventing enthusiasts.
Scores are Closer Together
The dressage coefficient broadened the spread of marks, creating an unbalanced influence for the dressage score on the final score. “Without the coefficient, you will see scores closer together than you have in the past,” said Payne. “When there is a smaller point difference between the top and bottom riders at the end of dressage, placing can change a lot more dramatically after cross-country the next day. It makes cross-country day even that much more exciting.”
This is particularly advantageous for people who have a horse who is not as good a mover as others. “Closer scores increase the importance of making time in the cross-country, and a four-star event is a whole different story,” said Payne. “A four-star brings a real endurance factor to the event. People say that you really don’t know if you have a four-star horse until you reach the finish for the first time.”
Promoting the Importance of Cross-Country
The cross-country test is the distinguishing element of the sport, and eliminating the dressage coefficient helps emphasize that phase without diminishing the dressage phase.
“This does not take away from dressage in any way,” said Payne. “Dressage schooling is essential to help your cross-country. The horse is more rideable, more responsive, more fit and agile. You do not want to head into a four-star without that vital foundation in good form.”
Safety Benefits
The FEI General Assembly found that removing the dressage coefficient will address risk management issues through rebalancing the importance of cross-country skills in FEI competitions. “This rule change is about safety,” Payne said. “We want people to spend more time focusing on the unique cross-country aspect of our sport, of course, but this change is most importantly a safety benefit for our FEI athletes and horses.” said Payne. “Riders focusing too much on dressage can end up over-controlling their horses. The horse needs to be able to correct itself on cross-country and take care of itself without relying on the rider telling him what to do. You don’t want to be making last-minute corrections at the jumps. The horse performs best when there is less interference and he can use his natural ability to get you both safely across the jumps.”
Find more information about the latest FEI eventing regulations in the 2018 FEI Eventing Rules guide.
Tune in to USEF Network to watch dressage April 26-27 starting each day at 8:30 a.m. Times are subject to change due to weather conditions at the venue; for the complete, up-to-date broadcast schedule, visit USEF Network.