Talk to me about regionals!
Do you only ride one test?
Do folks tend to stay for the entire weekend or basically come in and do their test and leave the next day?
Are there award ceremonies? Is that at the end of the weekend or at the end of each day?
I’m a newbie to all of this so would love any and all insight!
Most people ride both their championship class and the same test in the open show (hopefullly it will be scheduled before the championship class…). Some also enter other tests. Some have qualified for two levels or maybe freestyle.
Award ceremonies are MANDATORY for ribbon winners are are held at various times during the day.
Many folks stay the weekend but some only stay through their classes. Just like a regular show. Once you enter the showgrounds your horse must stay until
After your test.
Some people roll out as soon as their division is done but at least in Region 1, there’s a big community element.
Note that if you qualified for GAIGs at a level, you are also qualified for the equitation finals but it takes for.ev.er. to get through that class, I did it once and never again. We have one junior who always does well so she sticks through it but the rest of us find a seat.
If you plan to try to go to nationals you need to nominate yourself ahead of time.
How most in my barn structure their GAIGs competition plan:
Congrats on qualifying!!!
I’ve only done Regionals twice but here’s what I’ve done if it helps. I arrive the day before my first Championship class, show my Championship classes (3 classes), and then go home. I don’t do warm-up classes b/c I think it’s too much for my horse. I do spend a lot of time hand walking the rings in the early morning - you meet a lot of nice people this way!
The awards ceremonies are fun if a bit scary if you’re not sure what your horse will do. Bring white polos for it. They are mandatory but you don’t need to ride anymore - just be there dressed. They are each day.
Usually, they have a party for exhibitors on one of the days.
Get a tack stall b/c you probably can’t have your trailer/vehicle nearby.
Enjoy the moment. Regionals are special.
Good luck!
Last year I went to Regionals and my championship class was first class on day 1. I was on the show grounds for about 30 hours. Probably the shortest show I’ve ever attended, at least it was very local for me.
For the awards ceremony, yes they are mandatory, but you can opt out of the victory lap, you just have to tell them your plan. There is an awards ceremony schedule posted before the show starts. Awards are generally within a couple hours of the end of the class. The victory lap only occurs through 8th place.
I believe the show bills are already up for this years regionals, so you can check out the schedule and costing for the region you are qualified in. When entering, you want to make absolutely sure you’re entering the correct class. Because they have warm up classes, the entry can get confusing. I know one lady that entered the wrong class and they were kind enough to give her a spot in the championship class.
Fair warning, first level and training level championship classes are huge and very competitive. But I encourage everyone to go at least once! It’s a different atmosphere than a regular show, so it’s good to know for in the future if it’s something you want to do again. It had been about 7 years between last year and the previous championship I attended. After last year, I decided I didn’t want to go this year. It kinda scratched that itch I’d been having for the past 3 years or so. Maybe next year…
Just for clarification - award ceremonies are mandatory (unless specifically excused by management), but polos, bell boots, etc… are NOT mandatory.
My one horse never needed any prep or time to get use to shows. I usually just did my regional class(es) and left either that day or the next morning depending when they held the awards.
My boy actually lost his spark and got really lazy the longer he was in a stall at a show. I know, very unusual.
Now my current horse will benefit from arriving early and getting him in the ring as many times as I can before a regional final class.
Have fun and…
Brush up on the rules for championships! I have seen people eliminated because they carried a whip or had someone read the test for them!
For perspective, the Training AA championship at Region 1 the other year took a day and a half to get through. Last year, I think they got everyone done in a day.
Also, GMOs/Organizers really need volunteers and jumping in for a half day is a great way to give back to the region and to see more of the show.
Much of the information you need, including some special rules that are in effect only at Regional Championships, are in the USDF Member Ĝuide.
Reading through the section on Regionals can save you from elimination for breaking a rule you weren’t aware of. It’s heartbreaking if it happens, and it’s our responsibility as competitors to know the rules for competition.
Congratulations on qualifying and have a great time at Regionals! There are parties and vendors and it’s a lot of fun!
I echo everything everybody has said. I will reiterate you definitely should go and have fun! You know your horse better than anybody. It may not be necessary to actually enter warm up classes, but just make sure you ride in the rings during the appropriate times for schooling so they are used to the banners etc.
I had a class where I absolutely felt like I did not do well and I had already changed out of my breeches and was just ready to head out to get dinner and then I got a text that I had placed sixth!
So I had to dive into the porta potty when it was a hundred degrees and try to pull on my breeches and my riding clothes again and I almost fell in. I was so genuinely happy and excited to actually be able to do the awards ceremony!
You guys are amazing- I knew I came to the right place!! 🫶🏻
So I’m an eventer who has recently fallen in love with dressage (gasp) with my OTTB and am elated to have qualified for regionals at Training level. Our top two T-3 test scores were a 70% and a 70.2% (2 different shows/judges) so I’m hoping we won’t be totally humiliated by the competition. 
I like the idea of riding the test the day before; really because if I’m going to make the trip, I might as well add another score to our record.
But I’ve read the guide and still have a couple questions:
Looks like the Training champ test is that Saturday. Maybe I go Thursday, ride the practice test Friday, champ test Saturday, home Saturday or Sunday, depending on time of test (and potential victory gallop! 
).
Sound like a decent plan?
What does nominating myself mean? 
To answer your questions:
Regarding nominating, that’s to go to Kentucky. You must “Declare” before Regionals for the level/class you’re showing. Then after Regionals, if you get the score, you must “Nominate” to be able to go to USDF Finals. With your scores, you have a good chance!
Of course that’s my division.
I mean, if we score well enough, I would LOVE to go to finals. 
Congrats! Champs is like a normal show, just bigger and more fun, and with a few extra rules. Make sure you look at the Member Guide to understand what those are. A few big ones: no whips during championship tests, no readers during championship tests, only one rider per horse at championships, only the competing rider can ride the horse during the show (no trainer warm-ups, etc.), once the horse arrives it has to stay on the grounds (no shipping back and forth from home every day).
Some people will qualify in four classes - two consecutive levels and two consecutive freestyle levels. Those people will be busy. Anyone who qualifies in a regular level is eligible to enter the equitation finals as well.
Others will focus on one test - riding it the day before in a warm-up class, and then riding it in the championship class on the second day.
Others will try to get qualifying scores for the next year in addition to showing in their championship class.
This year I’ll bring one horse, and show in two consecutive level championship classes. I won’t do a warm-up test because he’s doing the upper levels and needs to conserve his energy for when it matters.
While most people score lower at regionals (double judges, if you make a mistake, at least one will be able to see it), that score could well qualify you for nationals even if you are in a strong region and don’t place high enough to qualify. Last year I qualified on placing at 1st level, but my score (I want to say 68%-ish, but don’t actually remember) also would have qualified me.
I’ll echo what everyone else said, too. Know your horse and what works. I worked hard to get my horse very fit before regionals because she’d been more and more tired as shows went on… then at regionals she was tense and hot because she lives out and had so much energy from being so fit.
Most importantly - have fun! Dressage is such a long and challenging journey, it ultimately is just one show.
Thank you, I’m excited!
I had no idea they were going to be two judges. That will definitely be a new experience.
My guy does not need a lot of time to settle in. I think as long as I could get him into a schooling arena just to see all the banners before the test, he would be fine.
Have fun and best of luck!
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