2022 Key Events & Deadlines

European Young Rider Tour:

• Selection memo and more information
• Athletes wishing to be considered for selection for this Tour must submit an application by 5:00 p.m. ET, Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
• The application for the Young Rider European Tour is available on our website here.

U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions
August 22-28, 2022
HITS Chicago at Lamplight Equestrian Center, Wayne, Ill:

• Application of Intent deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on June 16, 2022
• Qualifying requirements and more information
• National Qualifying Calendar
• Questions? Email [email protected]

FEI Dressage World Championships
August 6-14, 2022
Herning, Denmark:

• Qualifying period: September 1, 2021 – May 8, 2022
• The first deadline to apply for the 2022 FEI Dressage World Championships is Wednesday, March 2^nd. Applications submitted online after March 2 and received by USEF on or before March 9, 2022, will be charged an application fee of $300 per application. No applications will be accepted after 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.
• Selection procedures and more information

FEI North American Youth Championships (NAYC)
August 9-14, 2022
Traverse City, Michigan:

• Qualifying period:July 27, 2021 – June 20, 2022
• The first NAYC application deadline is March 15, 2022 ($50 per application). Application and fees submitted online between March 16 and April 26, 2022, will be charged $100 per application. Applications and fees submitted online between April 27 and May 10, 2022, will be charged an application fee of $300 per application.
• Selection procedures and more information

FEI World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses in Dressage (Five-, Six-, and Seven-Year-Olds)
September 8-11, 2022
Ermelo, NED:

• Qualifying period: January 1, 2022 – July 25, 2022
• In order to be considered for the Nominated Entry for the FEI WBD Championships, an application of intent must be completed and submitted to USEF. If this application of intent is received by March 30, 2022, it will be free of charge. If received after March 30 but received by USEF on or before June 1, 2022, the application will be charged a late fee of $300. No applications of intent will be accepted after June 1, 2022.
• Selection procedures and more information

Nations Cup Events:

• FEI Nations Cup Competitions applications for the following events are available under the USEF Athlete Dashboard.

Please note that there have also been changes to the available CDIO-U25 Nations Cup Events. Please review the updated calendar here.

February 2022 Rule Changes

US Equestrian has approved the following rule changes, effective February 1, 2022, to be in compliance with FEI rule changes that took effect in 2022:

• DR114.1: Updating language in DR114 – The Piaffe - to be in compliance with current FEI Dressage Rules and Regulations. The definition and description of the piaffe has been improved.
• DR120.1: The FEI will again permit either a tailcoat or short jacket for FEI Juniors. DR120.1.2 has been updated to also allow either a tailcoat or short jacket for FEI Juniors in national competitions.

• DR121.8: The language on Blinkers or Goggles and Fly Masks in DR121.8b. has been clarified to read: Blinkers or goggles (with clear or tinted full eye cups) that cover the horse’s eyes but do not obstruct the horse’s vision are permitted in the warmup but are prohibited in the competition arena. Fly masks are forbidden in warmup, training areas and competition. DR121.16. will now prohibit any type of white substance applied around the horses' mouth to imitate foaming, under penalty of elimination.
• DR122.5: These changes to DR122.5.j (Execution and Judging of Tests) impact only designated USEF High Performance classes. Currently the ONLY USEF HP classes in USEF national competitions are the Intermediate and Grand Prix championship classes held at the USEF Festival of Champions. In addition to several minor changes, this rule now clarifies that technical faults will be penalized 0.5 percentage points on each judge’s sheet. Also, athletes entering the arena with a whip, boots, etc. will be eliminated.

A complete list of the approved rule changes can be found here. Complete USEF Dressage Rules can be found on the USEF website here. Questions should be directed to Lauren Moore, Director of Sport Management Administration, or [email protected].