Australia Adopts US National Dressage Tests
16 years ago StraightArrow Comments Off on Australia Adopts US National Dressage Tests
SYDNEY, Austraia, May 9–Equestrian Australia, the governing body of horse sports Down Under, had adopted the U.S. Equestrian Federation dressage tests for at least the next four years.
Tracey Lesslie, of Equestrian Australia’s national office, saod the tests will be used for Preliminary through to Advanced levels with modifications to allow for language differences.
“These tests are quite interesting and challenging and follow the principles of the Training Scale at each level,” she said. “They introduce new movements such as leg yielding at Novice, renvers at Elementary and half turn on the haunches at Elementary and Medium.”
The new tests take will effect July 1, 2009 and will remain in place until December 2013.
Jennifer Keeler, USEF National Director of Dressage, said: “USEF dressage tests are developed solely by our own USEF Test Writing Sub-Committee comprised entirely of volunteers, including Chairperson Kathy Connelly, Jayne Ayers, Janet Foy, Hilda Gurney, Marianne Ludwig, Debbie McDonald, Axel Steiner and George Williams. This sub-committee is overseen by the 19-member USEF Dressage Committee and this entire test development and distribution process is administered by USEF staff.
“Development of new tests involves a tremendous commitment from both volunteers and staff in terms of expertise, time and energy for the benefit of the sport. In 2006 alone, it is estimated that over 1,000 hours of committee and staff time was devoted to this endeavor and at significant cost to our Federation in the form of meetings, conference calls, printing, postage, etc.
“We believe that the 2007 USEF dressage tests are the best versions ever released, and we hope the new partnership with Australian competitions utilizing these tests will benefit all Australian dressage riders and the sport.”
