The Judge’s Box

Freestyle Continuing-Ed Program Offers Live and Virtual Options

Introduction to the USDF Continuing Education in Freestyle Judging Program and its remote offshoot

By Terry Ciotti Gallo Graphics by USDF

Judging dressage freestyles is complex. Technical execution must be assessed, even though the judge does not know the order of gaits and movements in advance. And the judge must simultaneously evaluate the freestyle’s degree of difficulty, choreography, music, and interpretation.

When freestyle first gained popularity, there were limited opportunities for judges to receive proper instruction on how to evaluate the artistic elements. Even some of the the most seasoned officials felt ill-prepared to handle the artisticimpression part of the score sheet.

There was a big gap in freestyle education at all ranks, and the USDF Judges, L Education Program, and Freestyle Committees jointly wanted that gap filled. Learning general concepts and theory alone was not enough. The program needed to be score-sheet-specific as well as to have a rubric to determine a score.

After nine months of development by the three committees, the USDF Continuing Education in Freestyle Judging (CE FJ) program debuted in 2013. This one-day, comprehensive seminar is sponsored by a USDF group-member organization (GMO) or other approved organization. It is designed for a wide range of judges, from L graduates through US Equestrian “S” judges. To date it has been taught through many GMOs, at USEF/USDF Judges’ Clinics, and as part of two International Dressage Officials Club seminars. Read on for an overview of the CE FJ program.

Can Art Be Judged?

When you watch a dressage freestyle, you may think, “That was a great routine,” but could you explain why? As a judge, it’s not enough to say that the music was fun or that the choreography was interesting. Can the differences from one freestyle to the next be assessed objectively? This is an important question, given that artistic marks carry large coefficients on the freestyle score sheet.

Whether the judge is evaluating the technical or the artistic aspects of a freestyle test, there is no place for “I didn’t like it.” The USDF L Education Program teaches the formula Basics + Criteria +/- Modifiers = Score as a method of assessing the movements in a dressage test. Freestyle judging follows the same formula. Criteria for the artistic-impression score are very specific, and they too are gauged in a particular way so as to make the judging of artistic impression as objective as possible.

On the USDF freestyle score sheets, several of the artistic-impression categories are followed by secondary elements. For instance, Music includes • Suitability (the music enhances the horse) (see Figure 1) • Cohesiveness (all the music selections belong together) • Seamlessness (the music editing is smooth).

The CE FJ program is more than lecture sessions. Audio and video examples are played to reinforce the concepts, and participants are asked to do their own analysis. In the case of Music, they listen to a sample and decide whether it is cohesive and seamless, as well as the type of horse for which that music might be suitable.

Then program participants are taught how to arrive at a score for that artistic element. Using the Music example, the judging formula Basics +/- Modifiers = Score would be expressed as Suitability +/- Cohesiveness and Seamlessness = Score.

The same process—defining terms, giving examples, analyzing the category, and formulating a score—is used for each artistic category during the three-hour morning slide show. Then in the afternoon session, CE FJ program participants and auditors view freestyles at sev-

eral levels and get the opportunity to practice what they have learned. Standardizing the Process Although the CE FJ program was developed for dressage judges, any freestyle enthusiast can benefit from attending. One aspect that stands out is terminology.

The verbiage of dressage freestyles and freestyle score sheets is very exact yet is often used imprecisely. For judges, trainers, and competitors to understand one another more accurately, they need to speak the same language. The CE FJ program trains judges to use scoresheet terminology in their comments, and it behooves the rider to interpret those comments correctly.

There is another, farther-reaching benefit to attending the program. All dressage judges should be trained to employ the same methodology, and that includes freestyle. The CE FJ program encompasses everything from rules and briefing the scribe to analysis and refined methodologies. The same curriculum is used nationwide to aid in promoting judging consistency.

FEI 5* dressage judge Gary Rockwell says that, of all the freestyle seminars that he has attended both nationally and internationally, the USDF CE FJ program is the finest. We encourage all who have not taken this course to do so and to discover the wealth of information available.

For hosting and application information, send e-mail to judgescommittee@usdf.org.

Remote, Abridged Freestyle Course Created The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of both dressage shows and educational opportunities, including CE FJ programs.

To help fill the void, the USDF developed a remote freestyle course adapted from the full CE FJ program. Geared toward USDF L graduates and approved for three hours of L graduate continuing-education credit, this four-part presentation of 45 minutes per session continues to this day. Any USDF group-member organization (GMO) or combination of GMOs may sponsor the program, and any USDF group member may attend. Filled with great information for any freestyle enthusiast, this program makes an excellent GMO activity. GMOs have the option to schedule the program in a way that works best for their group. Some may cover all four parts in one day while others choose a weekend or even a weekly time frame.

Here’s a look at the remote program. Part 1: How Freestyles Are Scored Whether you’re a judge, a trainer, or a competitor, it is important to know the rules of USDF-level freestyle competition and to understand how freestyles are evaluated. What better place to start than with the score sheet itself?

Yes, it is vital to know which movements must be performed at each level, but it is also essential to know the entry rules, time limits, the difference between deductions and errors, what happens if a movement is “above the level,” how omissions are handled, and what to do if the music fails. Each of these

Figure 1. Freestyle music suitability explained

Figure 2. Slide from the USDF Continuing Education in Freestyle Judging program explaining what “above the level” means in dressage freestyle

Figure 3. The components of the artistic-impression score

may seem like a stand-alone item, but were you aware that there is an interrelationship between these and the artistic marks—especially the mark for choreography?

Part 1 of the program examines the score sheet and the associated rules, wraps up with briefing the scribe, and then introduces the methodology for judging and scoring the artistic impression (Figure 2).

Parts 2 and 3: “The Judge Didn’t Like My Music” Parts 2 and 3 of the program define each artistic term used on the score sheet, accompanied by audio and video examples. Program participants are taught a specific process for determining a numeric score following the artistic formula (Figure 3). This kind of analysis is valuable for officials, trainers, and riders alike.

Part 4: Critical Thinking Sometimes things do not go according to plan. Incidents occur that challenge interpretation of the rules, or unpredictable events arise.

Part 4 of the program presents actual scenarios that judges have faced, whether they be speakers falling into the arena, unrecognizable movements, or riders stopping midway through their freestyle in confusion. During these discussion topics, what would you suggest as a course of action?

Any GMO wishing to host this remote course must be able to support Zoom or a similar online conferencing platform, as well as to provide a moderator. The GMO may hire any USEF-licensed “S” dressage judge to present the program, as long as the official has a freestyle designation.

At the completion of the course, L graduates wishing to earn continuing-education credit must pass an online quiz, so GMOs must submit the list of participants to the USDF office, after which the link for the quiz will be sent.

For hosting and application information, send e-mail to judgescommittee@usdf.org.

Terry Ciotti Gallo’s freestyles have been represented at seven Olympic Games and hold two FEI World Cup Dressage Final titles. She has served on the USDF Judges and Freestyle Committees, chairing the Freestyle Committee for six years. She is the primary architect of the USDF Continuing Education in Freestyle Judging program. In 2021, she was recognized with the USDF Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions.