Working Equitation Presentation Score Unmasked

We continue to get questions from riders about the ever-daunting presentation score. Our answer has always been the same “In Working Equitation, be more concerned with your horsemanship and less with how you’re dressed.” This is even more relevant today with the 2019 U.S. Rules for Working Equitation (Rev. 2.2) changes in the scoring of the Collective marks in the Dressage and Ease of Handling phases. In both phases the Rider Score and the Presentation scores have now been combined into a Rider/Presentation score. If you’re a numbers geek – hold on tight and continue reading. If numbers aren’t your thing – skip to the last sentence and don’t worry about all the junk in the middle.

Let’s look at the dressage scoring first.

Collectives used to be worth a total of 80 points or broken down as follows:
Gaits – 10 points (12.5%)
Impulsion – 20 points (25%)
Submission – 20 points (25%)
Rider – 20 points (25%)
Presentation – 10 points (12.5%)

New 2019 Dressage Scoring
Collectives are now worth a total of 70 points with the Rider/Presentation score being a double coefficient.
Gaits – 10 points (14.3%)
Impulsion – 20 points (28.5%)
Submission – 20 points (28.5%)
Rider/Presentation – 20 points (28.5%)

This makes the Rider/Presentation score worth 28.5% or 20 points of your total collectives. Within the Rider and Presentation Collective score there are 4 considerations from the judge. 1) Position and Seat of the rider (25% out of a total of 20 points or 5 points) 2) Correct use of aids (25% or 5 points) 3) Effectiveness of aids (25% or 5 points) 4) Completeness and appropriateness of tack and attire (25% or 5 points).

So in summary the new dressage scoring has put less emphasis on the rider mark (20 points or 25% of total collectives to 15 points or 21.4%) and less emphasis on Presentation 10 points of the total collectives or 12.5% to 5 points total or 7%.

Total Points by test (5 of which are dedicated to Presentation):
Intro Test – 240 total points (2% of total score)
Novice A – 220 (2.3% or total score)
Novice B – 280 (1.8% of total score)
Intermediate A – 350 (1.4% of total score)
Intermediate B – 380 (1.3% of total score)
Advanced – 430 (1.2% of total score)
Masters – 270 (1.9% of total score)

Ease of Handling Scoring
Total points were determined by the number of obstacles x 10 points + 60 points for collective marks (10 of which was presentation). So say you had the minimum obstacles of 10 x10 points = 100 points + 60 collective points = total of 160 points (a total of 10 points were awarded to presentation) or roughly 6% of your total score. If 12 obstacles you would be at 180 total points and 5.5%.

New 2019 scoring:
Again, the Presentation score is now combined with Rider score. So now of the 10 points total for this collective mark, the judge will take into account: Position and seat (25% or 2.5 points), correct use of aids (25% or 2.5 points), effectiveness of aids (25% or 2.5 points) and then finally Completeness and Appropriateness of tack and attire (25% or 2.5 points).

So now if you had a total of 180 points in EOH the Presentation portion of your collective marks would now be 1.4% of your total score versus the 5.5% it would have amounted to in 2018.

Transitions;Navigation is now worth a total of 20 points or roughly 33% of your collectives score or 11% of a total course worth 180 points. Put your focus here.

WAY TOO MANY NUMBERS FOR ME so my Take away is put more effort into better horsemanship – worry less about appearances.