FEI Updates Dressage Shadow Judging/Sit-In Guidelines and Mentor Judge list

Dressage

FEI

The FEI Dressage and Education departments together with the FEI Dressage Education Working Group have updated the guidelines and forms for Shadow Judgings and Sit-Ins as part of the revision of the Education System.

The list of Mentor Judges has also been revised to include all FEI 5* Dressage Judges. Four-star level judges are no longer included in the list as Mentor Judges.

The FEI has a list of approved Mentor Judges (MJs) who supervise and assess judges during Sit-Ins and Shadow Judgings. The MJ must be of a different nationality from the candidate. Originally all 5* Judges as well as some 4* judges are MJs, but as of 1 May 2020 only 5* judges can be MJs.

The list of MJs shall be reviewed every 3 years and is published here.

Shadow Judging

Shadow-Judging (SJ) is a procedure required for (re-)qualification courses. A shadow judge judges a competition at a CDI separately from the officiating judges' panel without his results being counted for the ranking of the class.

One, preferably two, FEI approved MJs will assess the outcome and discuss the results.

Shadow Judging Requirements

2* judge
2* Judges Qualification Course Entry Requirements

1 SJ (PSG/ Int. 1, minimum 8 horses) with 1 positive recommendation of the MJ (out of a maximum of two attempts). One of the two MJs per SJ preferably to be a 5* judge. SJ and Sit-Ins may be done at the same event but the SJ must be done before the Sit-In

3* judge
Entry requirements for FEI 2* Judges

3 SJ (GP, minimum 8 horses) with 3 positive recommendations (out of a maximum of six attempts) of different FEI approved MJs. One of the MJs per SJ preferably to be a 5* judge. SJ and Sit-Ins must be conducted at a minimum of 3 CDIs. Two of them should be a CDI3* or above. SJ and Sit-Ins may be done at the same CDI but the SJ must be done before the SitIn.

3* judge
3* Dressage Judges Qualification Course Entry requirements for National Grand Prix Judges

2 SJ (GP, minimum 8 horses) with 2 positive recommendations (out of a maximum of four attempts) of different FEI approved MJs. One of the MJs per SJ preferably to be a 5* judge. SJ and Sit-Ins must be conducted at a minimum of 2 CDIs. One of them should be a CDI3* or above. SJ and Sit-Ins may be done at the same event but the SJ must be done before the Sit-Ins.

4* Judge
4* Dressage Judges Qualification Course Entry requirements

2 SJ (GP, minimum 8 horses) with 2 positive recommendations (out of a maximum of four attempts) of different FEI approved MJs at 2 different CDI 2* and/or above. One of the MJs per SJ preferably to be a 5* judge. SJ and Sit-Ins must be conducted at a minimum of 2 CDIs. One of them should be a CDI3* or above. SJ and Sit-In may be done at the same event but the SJ must be done before the Sit-In.