I actually don’t know why I am asking because I have no inclination to become a judge myself, but I am a little curious about what the process entails. I always see (what seems to be) judge training at HITS Dressage and it just made me wonder how it all works
What are the time/cost requirements (outside of the obvious time and costs of training and competing successfully) Have any of you done it? Are you automatically considered a professional if you become a judge?
USDF runs the L Program as the first step for learning to be a judge.
There are requirements regarding earned scores.
You have to wait for some GMO to sponsor an offering and the price depends on what that group charges.
IIRC when I did part 1 it was around $1,000 dollars. That’s just the fee for the class. My group was held just far enough away that I stayed at a hotel for the 3 sessions so add on that and food for 3 weekends. I was close enough that I only needed 1 night at a hotel. Some flew in the day before so airfare and 2 nights at the hotel for them.
Part 2 was a year or so later, was more than $1000 IIRC. On the up side, it was closer to my house so I only did the hotel thing for 2 of the sessions.
There is also a reading list, so you can spend even more money on books. The single best one on the list, IMO, is the FEI Dressage Judge Handbook.
That all said, it is probably the single best thing I did for my riding and overall dressage education. I’m too old to make it through the r and R programs in a reasonable amount of time and I’m not inclined to leave So Cal for a program although I know people that have. It’s been around 5 years since I graduated, there hasn’t been an r program in California that I’m aware since then.
You can be a judge and retain your amateur status for showing.
ETA: Another cost is for a scribe for part 2. I was lucky and had friends that didn’t charge me, but I did pay their expenses for the weekend and buy them gifts.
Thank you for answering!
I don’t know if this is rude to ask, but how much are judges then typically paid to judge at shows? It seems like quite an investment 
It’s a big investment in time and money and IME, judges don’t get paid enough to make it worthwhile financially until they are at least an R judge and even then it’s tough. In So Cal, the going rate for L grads to judge a schooling show is around $200 a day.
After you graduate from the L program, you’re considered “qualified” to judge schooling shows, but even then, your actual education and testing only covers through 2nd level. Same for r judges which is why many of them end up judging for free because they need so many judging hours to be eligible for the R program.
People who are judges are really doing it because they love the sport, same for TDs and stewards.
USEF judges
- “r” (“recorded” or “small r”)—licensed to judge through Second Level
- “R” (“registered” or “large R”)—licensed to judge through Fourth Level
- “S” (“senior”)—licensed to judge through Grand Prix at national
- competitions
DSH (“dressage sport horse”)—licensed to judge in-hand classes. This certification is broken into two levels: “r” and “R,” which are comparable to the recorded and registered titles described above.FEI judges
- 2* (“new”)—licensed to judge a limited range of international competitions through Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I (including 3* small-tour competitions and CDI 1* and 2* competitions); this rating is for judges whose home countries have no Grand Prix classes.
- 3* (formerly known as “international candidate” or “C”)—licensed to judge international competitions through Grand Prix, except for Olympic Games, FEI Grand Prix Championships and CDIs above the 3* level
- 4* (formerly known as “international” or “I”)—licensed to judge most international competitions, excluding the Olympic Games and World
- Championships
- 5* (formerly known as “official international” or “O”)—qualified to judge all international competitions
I don’t have much to add since Atlatl covered it all really well, but I think the earning potential of even an L graduate (since technically they are not judges yet!) is likely to be highly area dependent and, in my experience, more than $200. Both in SoCal (~ 5 years ago) and here in the DC/MD/VA area (Region 1) it’s closer to $500 a day (at least, that’s what I remember hearing from friends running schooling shows in SoCal). But that’s for a full, 8-5 schedule, with modest breaks at best.
But I also agree that the L program, if you are lucky enough to get to attend, is a terrific experience that will improve anyone’s dressage schooling, competing, and rail-bird judging.
I imagine it depends on where in So Cal you are. I’ve had friends ask me to fill in for them at schooling shows in the last couple of years and it was $250 for a full day (8-4 ish). Admittedly, it wasn’t LA county where I live but out in the hinderlands further south.
Its been way too long since my L, r, R, but even with scholarships from TDF and NEDA, my S was in the neighborhood of $15,000 actual out of pocket. Not counting loss of income teaching/training on the apprenticing weekends, paying for added staff due to my absences, etc. I charge $475 a day plus expenses. Up from the $400 a day I used to charge as a R.
I will never recoup that. I do it because I love the sport. I certainly travel a heck of a lot more as an S. In the past few months, Ive been to CA, MI, VT, OH, MS, TN, IA, NJ, SC, MD, VA and of course many times to WEC and other FL venues.
Hey, how was your judging day at Xanadu in Missouri? Pretty laid-back venue huh…lol
They are nice people! Super place to get your feet wet.
i’ve been there two times. Went the day you were judging, and stopped by and said hi but it was not you judging in the morning. had to be home by 1…so left at around 11 i guess you came later on that day?
I will be hauling in to train there once a week after the weather breaks. My coach can meet me there. It will be a big step just to do that!
I’ll add, you can audit the L program for much less money and learn a ton. I highly recommend it. It’s usually three weekends - Saturday in a hotel conference room, and Sunday in a barn watching demo rides. Only participants get to attend part 2 (three additional weekends at horse shows, often scheduled in the next year).
I think they only wanted to set up one ring, so they staggered us.
Just want to add that you can learn a lot by attending Part 2 as a scribe or volunteer. You won’t get to ask questions, and you will miss some of the content because you will be busy, but you will still learn a lot. And some of your expenses may be paid, depending on the program.
dotneko,
Can you pm me your information. I am president of our local GMO and always on the hunt for dressage judges that we may not have used in the last couple years. 
Audit the first part is you can. It is well worth it! If you want to attend other sessions not open to auditors, SCRIBE for a candidate! You do have to be a good scribe and well organized, because some of the candidates are a hot mess due to the pressure of the program. BUT, you get to hear almost everything.
You can also volunteer as a demo rider. I just did it a few weeks ago, it was very informative!
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