Meet the developers of TestPro US – the official test app of USDF – James and Tracy-Anne Ormrod. The app is available in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
First, introduce us to the masterminds behind the TestPro brand!
We are James and Tracy-Anne Ormrod, and we are based in Wales in the UK, just outside a village that has the longest name in the UK (and probably the world!) – Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
Tell us a little about each of you and how you came to be an app development company.
We are a husband and wife team and have worked in software development since the late 1980s. We have seen an amazing transformation through software and hardware changes over the years. The birth of software development on personal computers was an incredible time to be involved, but each new year brings new developments, and we are really excited about what is around the corner!
We started TestPro because Tracy is a visual learner, and we tried to find support for her to learn her dressage tests, but there just wasn’t anything suitable. She had used the diagrams on paper and laminated sheets, but had a tricky horse who was very sensitive to rustling noises behind him, so she could never look at a test sheet in the warm-up!
After researching the market and building a prototype, we set about getting licensing agreements, as all the dressage tests are owned by the various dressage federations. Business is never a smooth path, but we both like a challenge!
What did both of you do prior to becoming full-time app developers?
Immediately before the start of TestPro, James was managing software development for British Telecom. Tracy divided her time between consultancy work for a government organization, and coaching and training riders.
Are you involved with horses outside of being an app developer for equestrians? Tell us about your horse, if you are!
James is fabulous at mucking out and being a calming influence at competitions, but that is the nearest he gets to riding, and prior to meeting Tracy, he hadn’t gone near a horse at all! In his spare time, he really enjoys mountain climbing and walking in our area and abroad.
Tracy started riding at age nine and got her first pony at ten due to her dad receiving a bonus at work. Initially, she wanted to become a jockey, but somehow, that ambition turned to eventing, and then dressage due to the horses she was riding.
Now she competes at Prix St. Georges and Intermediate 1 on two horses she has trained herself, and has some young horses to back and ride when she gets the time! Dressage is a bit of a drug – she says that training and understanding each individual horse and their temperament is what keeps her going when it is cold and the weather is miserable.
Your app is the official Test App of the United States Dressage Federation. How long has this partnership been in place?
We started our partnership with USDF in 2018 and then renewed our agreement in 2022 for the current cycle of tests.
What made you pursue the US dressage market?
For us, it was a logical decision; we had already negotiated an agreement with British Dressage and Dressage Ireland, and had launched TestPro in those two markets. We felt that riders in the USA have always been good at embracing new technology (after all, some of the best technology innovation comes from the US), so it was the next step for us to take.
Give us a brief overview of the TestPro app, how it has grown/changed since its introduction, and where you see it going.
TestPro is based on the way we learn and enables the rider to choose between listening, reading, and drawing on the screen. There are various options to configure the app for the colors that you like and arena guidance, like one-meter grid squares, to help you improve accuracy.
We have added or changed various features over the years, such as improving the drawing, adding the HiScore feature to check your test scores and identify improvements, PDF sharing and printing, and other behind-the-scenes improvements to keep the app up to date with changes to programming languages.
Apart from having knowledge of dressage, we also respond to riders and what they want. So, if someone suggests an improvement or a new feature, we take that on board and look at how we can incorporate the change to better serve our users.
How does the TestPro app differ from other test apps out there? What features set TestPro apart from competitors?
The ability to draw and trace the test on the screen is unique to TestPro. Previously, the only other test learning app had static diagrams and no interaction. This is really important, as we learn best from interaction while learning; no other app has this ability.
Can you give our readers a sneak peek of any new features you may be working on or about to roll out in the TestPro app?
We are working on major improvements to the speaking feature to be more configurable and tailored to your horse. There is still more work to do and lots of testing, both on and off horse!
There will also be a gradual expansion of the reporting and analytics around your test scores, so watch out for that next year as well. It is important to be able to look at where your strengths and weaknesses are in the marks and how to make improvements. At the end of the day, we all want to have fun when we compete, but also to improve, and sometimes, it is easier to spot trends if you have some help.
What else do you want readers to know about yourselves, the app, or the company?
If we were sitting together at a show having a cup of coffee, then our passion for both the app and horses would surely come across to you, and I am not sure that will happen in this article.
As a company, we are passionate about two things: technology and horses! What we have achieved with TestPro, and what we have planned for the future, is about making riders’ lives easier, more fun, and allowing them to be better connected.
We want the time you spend riding and competing to be the escape from all that is happening, not to add to your stress. If we can support riders with learning their tests, analyzing their scores, and being in a supportive community, then we feel we have helped to achieve something worthwhile.
Where can users contact you to suggest features, ask questions, etc?
We always welcome any suggestions and questions. Anyone can contact us via email, through our Facebook or Instagram pages, or via our website.
