I think it’s personal. Some people like having all three and will go back, others won’t. You can actually get both scores at one show, many times you can contact the secretary and ask for your rides to be under 2 different judges. My local show grounds often runs 4 rings at once. But there’s nobody out there “making” riders go back several levels. It’s a personal choice to spend the time and money.
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But see that’s the point of such things. They are created to make you jump through hoops and pay cash. If they just handed out Bronze medals to everyone competing at 4th and FEI, that wouldn’t accomplish the larger goal of increasing show attendance in the Bronze levels.
If you want your participation badge you have to participate, and if you think it’s a silly cash grab and reminiscent of swimming levels for elementary school children, you can decline to participate. But the rules are the rules for these kinds of point accrual rewards.
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Sure, the rules are the rules but they don’t make functional sense. I felt that it was a cash grab.
I agree with what you posted now that I better understand it. Thanks for explaining your opinion more.
Hmmm… I think actually having to ride 2nd level to get your bronze isn’t such a bad thing. There are some technical skills at 2nd that you might be able to skate over and get your third level scores, but will come back to bite you in the butt at a later date. (Countercanter, anyone?)
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No, it’s just been a long time since I earned mine that I didn’t remember. However, I do think that six scores and three levels is a lot for people who live in remote areas with access to only one or two shows a year. What if they changed it for these areas to two scores at 60+ or one score at 66+ for each level (I actually like that better than creating a separate medal of distinction)?
I think that was a big part of it. Plus you had to pay a fee to register yourself for rider awards and your horse for horse awards - this on top of your own sport licence and your horse recording.
If anything I think a score-based recognition program that doesn’t revolve around placing would be attractive to grass roots riders, yet EC never offered any recognition for Bronze scores and then took Silver scores out of the running as well. Gold shows are significantly more expensive for often the same experience and even the same judge. Cadora is now running the lower level national awards program and I think they are more in touch with the grass roots and will have a better shot at doing it right than EC ever did.
That’s what I was going to say! I know a handful of folks that couldn’t ride their horses correctly on the bit in a snaffle, so would do training, first (while struggling), skip second, then wait until they could do third in the double. There’s a point to making people demonstrate some basic competency at the challenges of each level. (Like your point about countercanter!)
I think the idea is it’s over several years for most folks with one horse, in case that helps. But let’s face it, any rewards program is going to be challenging for anyone who lives in a remote area with access to only one or two shows a year. You better hope your horse isn’t abcessing that one weekend!
Sure, but again, there’s nobody forcing anyone to drop from PSG or whatever all the way back to 2nd level unless someone is wanting a Bronze. There are plenty of riders who only have silvers or golds. If you want a medal then you get the appropriate scores at the appropriate levels. It’s simple.
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Wow isn’t that weird?? I complained about all the fees involved if you split one weekend show into two and you are unhappy that your shows in area don’t get split…. I guess no system makes everybody happy. but I assume it would not have reduced your cost anyhow because of all the doubled up fees….
But at least you have your Bronze 
and nobody can take it away from you!!! at least that’s how I feel about my Bronze medal!!!
This part of the American system I would like to have in Germany….
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Actually the rules only specify that each score must be under a different judge. They do not need to be at different shows.
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In Florida they don’t care . Every show I went to was split in two…. Just imagine, 2 office fees, two drug test fees…….
But we are specifically talking about earning a medal. If you ride in the show on Saturday and ride under 2 different judges and get 2 scores above 60, that is your qualification.
Assuming you think you ride that well and don’t need to enter the Sunday show.
The rules specify different judge. They don’t require it to also be a different show. This is why people are are interested in medals seek shows with multiple rings and request different judges.
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I agree with you very much! I was too stupid when I competed in Florida to use that option😔
That’s not true. The scores must come from two different judges, from two different RIDES, not shows. You could most certainly get both scores at the same show. I did it at 3rd when I got my bronze. One show, two different rides, two different judges. Unless something has changed in the 22 years since then.
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Yes. I think the confusion comes from the fact that qualifying for Regionals requires two scores from two different competitions, not two rides at the same show. Similar requirement, but different.
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Knowing the rules is always important.
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Hahahaha!!! Yes, I forgot about all of the extra fees for 2 separate shows!! Definitely a hassle!! But the shows were not amazingly close and the costs mounted with hauling, hotels, etc. to get to a separate show. I don’t have a truck and trailer - never did. I remember I planned to go to a show at second with a friend who is on this board to a location 2+ hours away. Her horse went lame and she graciously traded her trailering set-up with my new car so I could go to the weekend show to get one score. I paid gas, hotel, stabling, etc. for one score. Kind of a PITA! I mean, I had a fun weekend but it was $$$$$!!
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I can’t remember the rules exactly, and this was maybe…18 years ago? I’m pretty sure I needed two rides from 2 judges at 2 shows to get qualifying scores. I don’t think I would have spent the money to show a level below if I didn’t have to. But maybe I was wrong. But I didn’t think I was because I complained about it mightily with hard-core dressage peeps! 
I also have a memory of two different shows being the requirement (15-18 years ago). Q’s for regionals have never been on my radar/path/reality, but i was trying to collect medal scores, so i believe this was the rule at some point. Now, I am again working on medal scores, and keep checking the rules for this exact thing to confirm it is not required anymore.
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I think you are both suffering from the Mandela effect. 
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