Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T18:16:04.761Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The freestyle dressage competition as a test of the horse's performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

A Stachurska ,
M Pięta ,
J Niewczas  and
W Markowski
A Stachurska*
Affiliation:
Agricultural University, Akademicka 13, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
M Pięta
Affiliation:
Agricultural University, Akademicka 13, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
J Niewczas
Affiliation:
Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1H, 20-708, Lublin, Poland
W Markowski
Affiliation:
Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 6, 20-081, Lublin, Poland
*
*[email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The objective of the study has been to examine whether the freestyle dressage classes are judged reliably and to elaborate a method assessing the consistency of judging. The data contained 13 000 marks of the ten best-ranked horses at nine Grand Prix classes and four Intermediate I classes from ten international competitions. The marks concerned 119 horses in total and were given by 37 judges. A method for evaluating the consistency of judging has been proposed. The index of disagreement (ID) assesses the disagreement of ranking by an individual judge relative to the general ranking based on the sum of marks awarded by five judges. The results show that the mean ID of individual judges is highly differentiated. The ID is influenced by the judge's position in the arena. The consistency of judging was lower in Intermediate I Freestyle Tests than in Grand Prix Freestyle Tests and it varied in different competitions. The conclusion of the study is that the results of the freestyle dressage classes are often biased. The present system of judging should be permanently checked. The offered method of evaluating agreement between judges' rankings may help to improve the consistency of judging and the reliability of the horses' scores.

Keywords

dressagejudginghorse ranking
Type
Research Article
Information
Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology , Volume 3 , Issue 2 , May 2006 , pp. 93 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Whitaker, TC and Hill, J (2004). An investigation into patterns associated with dressage scores at selected novice events. Book of Abstracts of the 55th Annual Meeting of the EAAP 10 Bled, Slovenia 2004. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Academic Publishers.Google Scholar
2Whitaker, TC and Hill, J (2005). Dressage scoring patterns at selected British Eventing novice events. Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology 2(2): 97–104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3Stachurska, A (1991). Analiza i ocena konkursów ujeżdżenia jako hodowlanych prób użytkowości koni wierzchowych [Analysis and estimate of dressage classes as breeding performance tests of saddle horses]. Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Sklodowska Sectio EE, IX 21: 163–175.Google Scholar
4Huizinga, HA, Van der Werf, JHJ, Korver, S and van der Meij, GJW (1991). Stationary performance testing of stallions from the Dutch Warmblood riding horse population. 1. Estimated genetic parameters of scored traits and the genetic relation with dressage and jumping competition from off-spring of breeding stallions. Livestock Production Science 27: 231–244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5Whitaker, TC and Hill, J (2005). Dressage scoring patterns at a selected pre-Novice event. Proceedings of Conference Applying Equine Science: Research to Business'. Cirence-ster, UK: British Society of Animal Science.Google Scholar
6Niggli, WM (2003). Dressage. A Guideline for Riders and Judges London, UK: JA Allen.Google Scholar
7Rules for Dressage Events. 21st edition effective 1st January 2003, 22nd edition effective 1st January 2006. Switzerland: Fédération Equestre Internationale, Available at http://www.horsesport.org/.Google Scholar
8Whitaker, TC, Hill, J and Shearman, JP (2004). Scoring analysis of completing pre-novice event horse at six selected events. Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology 1 (3): 185–192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9Niewczas, J and Hulewicz-Stachurska, A (1991). Metoda oceny wyników sędziowania konkursów ujeżdżenia dla potrzeb hodowlanych [A method of estimation of judging dressage classes for breeding purposes]. Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Sklodowska Sectio EE, IX 22: 177–185.Google Scholar
10Koenen, EPC, van Veldhuizen, AE and Brascamp, EW (1995). Genetic parameters of linear scored conformation traits and their relation to dressage and show-jumping performance in the Dutch Warmblood Riding Horse population. Livestock Production Science 43 (1): 85–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11Hodson, EF, Clayton, HM and Lanovaz, JL (1999). Temporal analysis of walk movements in the Grand Prix dressage test at the 1996 Olympic Games. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 62: 89–97.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12Back, W and Clayton, HM (2001). Equine Locomotion. London, UK: WB Saunders, Harcourt Publishers Limited.Google Scholar
13Clayton, HM (1997). Classification of collected trot, passage and piaffe using stance phase temporal variables. Equine Veterinary Journal Supplement 2: 54–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14Stachurska, A, Niewczas, J and Markowski, W (2005). An estimation of reliability of judging the horse dressage competitions. Book of Abstracts of the 56th Annual Meeting of the EAAP, 11 Uppsala, Sweden 2005. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Academic Publishers.Google Scholar
15Stachurska, A, Markowski, W, Pie ta, M and Wesolowska-Janc-zarek, M (2005). Which movements of freestyle dressage programs are difficult for horses to execute and for judges to assess? Book of Abstracts of the 56th Annual Meeting of the EAAP 11 Uppsala, Sweden 2005. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Academic Publishers.Google Scholar
16Stachurska, A, Pie ta, M, Markowski, W and Czyrska, K (2005). Is the freestyle dressage competition a reliable test of the horse's performance? Book of Abstracts of the 56th Annual Meeting of the EAAP, 11 Uppsala. Sweden 2005. Wageningen, The Netherlands: Academic Publishers.Google Scholar
17Winer, BJ, Brown, DR and Michaels, KM (1991). Statistical Principles in Experimental Design. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar