BD Rule Changes 2009

The following significant rule changes come into force on 1 December 2008.

Qualification requirements:

Competitors competing at Novice to Medium will be able to qualify with:

either 2 wins in 2 Qualifiers

or 1 win in a Qualifier & 2 wins in 2 non-Qualifiers

Advanced Medium remains the same – 1 win in 1 qualifier.

Preliminary Qualifiers – 2 wins in 2 Qualifiers.

There will be no change to the percentages required.

Freestyle Qualifiers

The percentages required for qualification to the Winter Music Regionals have increased as below.

Novice Restricted – Top 2 non qualified combinations with 65% or above

Novice Open - Top 2 non qualified combinations with 66% or above

Elementary Restricted – Top 2 non qualified combinations with 64% or above.

Elementary Open – Top 2 non qualified combinations with 66% or above.

Medium – Top 3 non-qualified combinations with 63% or above.

Advanced Medium – Top 3 non-qualified combinations with 63% or above.

Prix St Georges – Top 3 non-qualified combinations with 63% or above.

Fall of Horse of Rider.

A fall of horse or rider in a test will result in compulsory retirement from that class. Riders may compete in any following classes, or another horse later in the same class, should the rider declare that they are fit to continue.

Waistcoats.

If the decision is taken to allow riders to compete without jackets, riders are permitted to wear a plain, conservative coloured waistcoat.

Changes coming into force on 1 July 2009:

Specific qualifying tests.

The following tests will be used for qualifiers from 1 July 2009.

Prelim: 13, 14, 15, and 17, 19

Novice: 30, 34, 36, 37, 38

Elementary: 49, 50, 53, 57, 58

Medium: 71, 73, 75

Advanced Medium: 85, 98, 93

Only the tests listed above may be used as qualifiers. However, they may also be run as non-qualifiers.