Tails From Provence

Naomi (My former sidekick. Or was I her sidekick?) asked about French dressage tests on my Facebook page, so I said I would translate one.  This is a Club 3 test.  The categories are Pony, Club, Amateur and Pro and there are 15 – 20 tests for each category, of varying levels of difficulty.  There is a lower level test than this (Club 4 Imposée) but I’ve yet to see it included at a competition. ‘Club 4 Imposée’ allows for up to four riders in the arena at a time, so I think it must be like one of those Intervarsity tests that Naomi remembers well.

Anyhow, Club 3 is the lowest level I’ve seen in real life.  The next level up is Club 2, then Club 1, then Club Elite.  For each level there is a Preliminaire test, a Grand Prix test and a Freestyle.  The lowest Amateur level seems to be at a similar standard to Club Elite and I’ve yet to look at a Pro test, apart from the young horse tests that Alexandrine has done.

It’s worth noting that they don’t have different tests for 20x40M arenas and 20x60M arenas. You’re expected to just squish everything into a 20x40M arena if necessary. So no messing around shortening or lengthening arenas when you’re running a competition!

REPRISE CLUB 3 GRAND PRIX

Test to be ridden in a 20x40M or 20x60M arena.  Snaffle – Gogue allowed – Spurs optional

(all marks out of 10, single coefficient)

1.

A    Enter at working trot

X    Transition to medium walk and then halt. Salute.

XC  Working trot, progressive transition

(judge’s directives : Straightness.  Immobility.  Fluidity of transitions)

2.

C    Track right

CMR Working trot

R    15M circle

(judge’s directives : regularity of trot, correctness of track. Bend, outline, activity)

3.

RB  Working trot

BE  Change the rein from B to E

EV  Working trot

(judge’s directives : regularity of trot, correctness of track. Change of bend. Outline, activity)

4.

V    15M circle

VKA Working trot

(judge’s directives : regularity of trot, correctness of track. Bend, Outline, activity)

5.

AXC Four loop serpentine 

(judge’s directives : regularity of trot, correctness of track. Changes of bend. Outline, activity)

6.

Near I Transition to medium walk then continue in working trot (between the 3rd and 4th loop)

(judge’s directives : Fluidity of transitions.  Rhythm of walk. Outline)

7.

CM  Medium walk

(judge’s directives : Fluidity of the transition.  Rhythm. Outline. Length of med. walk)

8.

MRV Lengthened walk

VK  Medium walk

(judge’s directives : Rhythm, attitude, overtrack(?), changes of outline (French word was ‘attitude’, I think ‘frame’ might work better in this case, see note below))

9.

KA  Working trot

(judge’s directives : Quality and fluidity of transition)

10.

Between A & F Transition to working canter left

(judge’s directives : Quality and fluidity of transition)

11.

FB  Working canter (straight)

(judge’s directives : Correctness and straightness of canter. Activity, outline)

12.

BEB   20M circle
Near I transition to working trot

(judge’s directives : Correctness of canter, fluidity of transition, quality of trot)

13.

Near L  Transition to working canter left

BR  Working canter

(judge’s directives : Quality and fluidity of transition. Correctness and straightness of canter)

14.

RS  Half circle, 20M

Near G Transition to working trot

SE  Working trot

(judge’s directives : Correctness of canter, fluidity of transition, quality of trot)

15.

EFA  Change the rein in working trot

(judge’s directives : Trot rhythm, use of arena, outline, activity)

16.

Between A and K  Transition to working canter right

(judge’s directives : Quality and fluidity of transition)

17.

KE  Working canter 

(judge’s directives : Correctness and straightness of canter. Activity, outline)

18.

EBE  20M circle

Near I Transition to working trot

(judge’s directives : Correctness of canter, fluidity of transition, trot rhythm)

19.

Near L Transition to working canter right

ES   Working canter

(judge’s directives : Quality and fluidity of transition. Correctness and straightness of canter)

20.

SR  Half circle, 20M

Near G Transition to working trot

(judge’s directives : Correctness of canter, fluidity of transition, trot rhythm)

21.

RB Working trot

BKA Change the rein in working trot

(judge’s directives : Trot rhythm, use of arena, outline, activity)

22.

A  Down the centre line

AI Working trot
I  Transition to medium walk, then halt, immobility, salute.

(judge’s directives : Use of arena, straightness. Clarity and fluidity of 2 transitions. Correctness of halt, immobility)

Collective Marks (all out of 10, double coefficients noted)
Horse
Paces (Freedom, correctness of paces and stability of each pace)

Impulsion (Willingness to move forward and freedom of upward transitions)  (coeff 2)

Submission (Contact(?), correctness of outline, obedience to the aids)  (coeff 2)

French version here, not sure about this one :(cheval sur la main, correction de l’attitude, obéissance aux aides).

Rider

Position and seat of the rider  (general attitude, effectiveness, fluidity)

Use of aids by the rider (independence and appropriateness of aids)

Correct use of corners

Translation note – I wasn’t sure about the use of the word ‘attitude’ but I came to the conclusion that the most likely translation is ‘outline’ or ‘frame’ so I went with ‘outline.’

I hope someone out there finds this interesting!

I still have to write up my weekend clinic with Aero. I’ve been putting it off in the hopes that I receive some photos from one of the other stagieres but there’s no sign of them.  It’ll just have to be a post with very few pictures 😦