• Posted: 13 January 2020

RDA releases new dressage tests for 2020.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that from February our RDA Online Dressage Championship Qualifying classes include the new 2020 tests. We've updated our system to include summaries of the tests and links to where to find the test sheets. All are available for download from the RDA website. 

From February you can ride the tests that will be used at this year's RDA National Championships - a great opportunity to see how they ride and get some valuable feedback from our judges.

All qualifications for the 2020 RDA Online Dressage Championships still stand and the new tests will be used in the Online Championship Show in May. 

Please note carefully the changes to tests in particular the free walk movement, this has been updated as follows:

'Stretching on a long rein - in order to execute the exercise 'stretching on a longer rein' correctly, the Athlete must lengthen the reins as the horse stretches gradually forward and downward. As the neck stretches forwards and downwards, the mouth should reach more or less to the horizontal line corresponding with the point of the shoulder. An elastic and consistent contact with the Athlete's hands must be maintained to ensure the pace maintains its rhythm. During the retake of the reins the horse must accept the contact without resistance in the mouth or poll.'

Here's a list of our classes up to March 2020 and the tests we'll be using.

Walk Only (with or without a leader) - for the remainder of this Championship Series we will continue to use RDA Introduction to Dressage Test 2 (2016) walk only with or without leader

ID Walk & Trot - RDA Dressage Intellectual Disability Championship Test Walk & Trot (2020)

ID Walk, Trot & Canter - RDA Dressage Intellectual Disability Championship Test Walk, Trot & Canter (2020)

TVI/PVI Walk & Trot - RDA Dressage TVI/PVI Championship Test Walk & Trot (2020)

TVI/PVI Walk, Trot & Canter - RDA Dressage TVI/PVI Championship Test Walk, Trot & Canter (2020)

Grade 1 - RDA Dressage Grade 1 Championship Test (2020)

Grade 2 - RDA Dressage Grade 2 Championship Test (2020)

Grade 3 - RDA Dressage Grade 3 Championship Test (2020)

Grade 4 - RDA Dressage Grade 4 Championship Test (2020)

Grade 5 - RDA Dressage Grade 5 Championship Test (2020)

The RDA Online Dressage Championship qualifiers run until the end of March 2020, so there's only three more months of competition to achieve a 60% or above score to qualify. Remember you need to be a member of an RDA Group to complete your qualification.

Updated Rules

RDA rules apply: riders may only ride in two grades/levels and to bring our rules in line with the live National Championships, riders qualifying in two grades will only be eligible to ride their highest grade in the Online Championship Show.