A recently minted USEF ‘R’ judge shares her journey and advice
By Amy Bradley
Reprinted from the January/February 2025 issue of USDF Connection magazine.
Why did I become a dressage judge? Many of my friends have asked me that question. Most times they also comment, “I don’t know how you can sit in that box all day and judge ride after ride!”
Being a judge is definitely not for everyone, but it is an excellent way to add to your lifelong dressage learning journey while also getting the opportunity to shape our sport for future generations. Judging the top of the sport can be glamorous, but judging can also be trying when your hands are frozen in 36-degree weather and you’re being pelted with sleet! Signing up for this journey requires being willing to experience both extremes and to uphold your standard in all situations.
Many people ask about the process of becoming a judge. In this article, I’ll share my own experience.
First Step: The USDF L Program
When I enrolled in the USDF L Education Program, my primary motivation was to see whether becoming a judge was something that I would be interested in pursuing. I also wanted to see what information I could take with me as an avid dressage competitor. I wanted to learn how to improve my “ring craft” and to gain insight as to how judges develop their marks while watching a test.
As I studied, I realized that the learning is endless. Never again will I watch in mindless admiration as a friend rides. Now my brain is constantly determining scores and comments! (This can be great for a friendship if the person wants your opinion, but not so much if the person isn’t looking for constructive criticism. But I have not lost a friend yet!)
I also found that the process of becoming a dressage judge is a bit of an addiction. Expect endless ride discussions amongst your peers, the constant desire to improve your skill set, and—the high point—the thrill of watching a horse and rider execute a great test. Judges love to give well-deserved high marks!
The L program was an eye-opening experience. Having a bachelor’s degree in education, I must express that the curriculum is very well thought out and logically taught. It breaks down the methodology behind how a judge determines a score, and it does a deep dive into every aspect of that equation. Candidates learn how to give appropriate scores and to develop effective comments to support them.
A candidate may find certain aspects of the L program especially challenging. For me, creating concise comments was a bit of a struggle in the beginning, especially when I had to articulate them in front of everyone. Those who know me well know that I love to talk, so this came as quite a shock. But the more I practiced, the easier the process became.
This type of steep learning curve, alongside a bit of vulnerability and humility, only fuels the opportunity to bond with your fellow candidate judges. I had always heard judges express fond memories of the time they spent going through their respective programs with their peers. I have to say, this is 100% true. Some of my closest friends are those I met in my ‘r’ and ‘R’ groups, and we still discuss judging and everything else dressage-related when we see one another. If you are fortunate enough to be invited into a program that is not in your general area, of course there will be more expense, but it is worth every cent to have the opportunity to meet dressage enthusiasts from other parts of the country. Generally, you can only experience this if you are an avid USDF convention attendee or if you compete in championship shows outside your region. But even then, you don’t get the opportunity to really get to know new people in such an intense environment.
Some of my favorite memories of the judging program thus far have been the stories told by the mentor judges. From elk entering dressage arenas to crazy horse behavior, just when you think you’ve heard it all, a story comes up about a situation that you would have never thought possible.
The Licensing Time Line
Expect it to take about a year to finish the entire L program, including the final examination, as long as Parts 1 and 2 are run consecutively. (I started the program in 2014 and finished in 2015.) Passing the final exam “with distinction” gives you the green light to apply to enter the US Equestrian (USEF) program, to earn the entry-level US national dressage judge’s credential, the ‘r’ (recorded) license.
If you decide to move forward with your judging journey, the wait then begins to receive an invitation to participate in an ‘r’ program, which in my case was a little under three years. Expect at least one year to complete the ‘r’ training sessions, observations, apprentice sessions, and final exam.
Once I earned my ‘r’ from the USEF Licensed Officials Committee in 2019, I was required to wait two years from my acceptance—as well as to fulfill specific judging requirements for the next promotion—before I could apply for the next USEF dressage judge’s license, known as ‘R’ (Registered). Keep in mind that, after you apply, you again may need to wait for a program to become available. I earned my ‘R’ license in 2023.
Generally, the time frame I’ve described applies through all the judging levels.
From L to ‘r’ to Level 4: Dressage Judging Credentials Explained
US Equestrian (USEF) licenses judges for national-level (USEF-licensed/USDF-recognized) dressage competitions. Qualified judges may later apply to judge dressage competitions recognized by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) by earning an FEI license.
The process of becoming a dressage judge starts by successfully completing the USDF L Education Program. An L graduate is not a licensed judge but may officiate at unrecognized dressage shows (schooling shows). An L graduate who passes the final exam “with distinction” may apply to enroll in the USEF judge-licensing program. The three tiers of USEF dressage-judge licenses are:
‘r’ (recorded): May officiate at Second Level and below, at equivalent eventing dressage tests, and at Intermediate Level or below at eventing competitions.
‘R’ (Registered): May officiate at Fourth Level and below, at all levels of eventing dressage, and at certain FEI dressage and para-dressage tests.
‘S’ (Senior): May officiate at all national and FEI-level dressage classes at USEF-licensed competitions, and at any level of eventing
Special designations are also available for those licensed judges who wish to judge dressage-seat equitation, freestyle, Young Horse, and dressage sport-horse breeding classes.
The FEI maintains its own system of dressage-judging credentials, the names of which have changed several times over the years. Through 2021 the FEI used a “star” rating system—1* through the highest level, 5. In 2022 the FEI changed the names again, and FEI dressage judges are currently referred to as Levels 1 through 4, with Level 4 being equivalent to 5. The level of competition dictates the judge level required to officiate. To judge the highest levels of CDIs (FEI-recognized dressage competitions), such as Olympic Games and FEI World Cup Dressage Finals, the person must be an FEI Level 4 dressage judge.
The FEI also licenses Levels 1 through 4 para-dressage judges. Start your judge-information quest at usdf.org/education/judge-training/lprogram/index.asp. For a deeper dive into the world of USEF and FEI judge licensing, visit usef.org/compete/resources-forms/licensed-officials.
—Jennifer O. Bryant
If I Had It to Do Over…
…I would start the process of becoming a licensed dressage judge earlier in life! These programs are very detailed and take an immense amount of time and financial resources to complete, not to mention the mandatory waiting time after you receive a promotion to fulfill the requirements for the next credential.
If you want to become a licensed dressage judge, be prepared for it to be a labor of love that requires a lot of time, finances, and sacrifices to complete. But ultimately, it is an honor to be a dressage judge, and I look forward to giving back to the sport that has provided me with so much joy throughout my life. Judges are proud to have the opportunity to reward good training and to encourage riders to better their skills. We strive always to be advocates for the horse.
About the Author
Amy Bradley, of Wellington, Florida, is a USEF ‘R’ dressage judge and a Grand Prix-level competitor who rode her Oldenburg gelding Quileute CCW to the Neue Schule/USEF Grand Prix championship title at the 2024 US Dressage Festival of Champions. She recently dropped her USEF amateur status and launched her own dressage training business. She volunteers as the chair of the USDF Awards Committee and sits on the USDF Judges Committee and the USDF Rules Advisory Working Group.
