FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Cindy Vimont (859) 971-7317

USDF Announces Changes to the NAYRC and NAJRC Qualifying Criteria


United States Dressage Federation is pleased to announce changes to the 2007 North American Young Riders Championship (NAYRC) Criteria and the 2007 North American Junior Riders Championship (NAJRC) Criteria. These changes will simplify and streamline the qualifying process and  include changes to the qualifying period, test requirements, score calculations and declaration forms.  The final official criteria for the 2007 NAJRC and NAYRC are currently under review.  USDF works with USEF to develop qualifying criteria and selection procedures for riders wishing to qualify for the NAJYRC.  Once approved, the official criteria will be available on the USDF Web site, www.usdf.org. 

In addition, the list of the 2007 Qualifying Competitions for the NAYRC and NAJRC has been approved and is now available on the USDF Web site, at [link].

Listed below are the basic changes to the 2007 NAYRC and NAJRC criteria.  Please note that these changes have been approved by the USDF FEI Junior/Young Rider Council, the USDF Executive Board, and the USEF Dressage Committee.  They are pending final review by the USEF Legal Department and approval of the USEF Executive Committee.  The following qualification criteria are based on the latest information available to USDF and are always subject to change, additions, or revisions. 

1. The qualifying season will include all approved Official USDF Qualifying Competitions from July 2, 2006 through July 1, 2007.
2. Juniors and Young Riders will have to ride in Official USDF Qualifying Competitions and/or CDI/Y/Js
3. Junior riders must compete in at least 3 Junior Team combined with 3 Junior Individual tests for their overall average. Young Riders must compete in at least 3 Young Rider Team combined with 3 Young Rider PSG tests for their overall average. Scores will be weighted 50/50.
4. All riders must ride one Freestyle and receive a minimum average of 60% in the Freestyle at an Official USDF Qualifying Competition or CDI/Y/J. This score will not be computed into the overall average. 
5. All qualifying tests ridden in Official USDF Qualifying competitions will count towards the overall average.  Exceptions: If a horse/rider combination competes in more than three Official USDF Qualifying Competitions, the scores from the one competition that has the lowest average will be dropped.  Freestyles will not be computed into the overall average.
6. No more class declaration forms!  The only classes that must have declaration forms submitted by the rider are classes ridden in CDI/Y/Js and only if the rider wants the score to count. All CDI/Y/Js are non-designated.
7. For this year, it is no longer required that the horse/rider combination compete in at least one qualifying competition in their region. 

For more information about the North American Junior Riders or North American Young Riders program, please contact the Junior/Young Rider Coordinator at (859) 971-2277, or [email protected]. 

Founded in 1973, the United States Dressage Federation is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to education, recognition of achievement, and promotion of dressage. For more information about USDF membership or programs, visit www.usdf.org, email [email protected], or call (859) 971-2277.