Effective October 1, 2002
IMPORTANT CHANGES TO USDF COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS

Bone up now on the new show-season requirements!

October 1, 2002, is the beginning of the USDF 2002-2003 competition year. This date also marks the beginning of a new competition requirement for USDF/USA Equestrian-recognized shows.

Every owner, rider, and horse must have a number recorded with USDF. Exceptions are allowed for persons and horses competing in USDF Introductory Level tests, pas de deux, and quadrille classes; and assistant handlers in dressage sport-horse-breeding classes. Also exempt are persons and horses in leadline, walk-trot, and academy classes.

Membership Requirements 

• Current USDF participating, group, and intercollegiate/interscholastic members participating as owners and riders in USDF/USA Equestrian-recognized competitions must include a copy of their respective membership cards with their entry forms.
  
• Current Business-membership numbers may be used for horse ownership only.
  
• If the owner or the rider is not a USDF member (in any one of these categories), he or she must obtain a USDF nonmember identification number (NID) card in order to compete in a USDF/USA Equestrian-recognized competition.
  
• There is no charge for an NID, and the USDF office will issue and mail an NID card.
  
• If the card is lost or stolen, a replacement card will be issued for a fee of $10.
  
• Please note that the NID is used for the purpose of compiling competition data for horses. It does not fulfill any requirements with respect to USDF awards eligibility.
  
• Similarly, holding a group or intercollegiate/interscholastic membership alone does not render you eligible to compete for USDF year-end awards or the ABIC/USDF

Regional Dressage Championships or qualifying classes.

Horse Requirements 
In order to compete at a USDF/USA Equestrian-recognized competition, a horse must have either USDF lifetime registration or a USDF horse identification number (HID).

• If a competitor arrives at the competition without either of these, they must submit an application and payment for an HID or a lifetime registration for your horse before their will be permitted to compete.
  
• Effective immediately, applying for a USDF lifetime horse registration at the competition will render a competitor eligible to compete in ABIC/USDF qualifying classes.
  
• Those planning to qualify for the ABIC/USDF Regional Championships must have applied for USDF lifetime horse registration before the competition or they must submit an application to the show secretary at the competition prior to riding in a qualifying class.
  
• If a competitor applies directly to USDF and does not receive the lifetime horse registration number from USDF before the competi-tion, they must complete a USDF affidavit of lifetime horse registration or present a letter of verification from USDF of their horse's lifetime registration.
  
• In order to compete for USDF year-end awards, in ABIC/USDF Regional Dressage Championship qualifying classes, or Cosequin/USDF Breeders' Championship Series Finals, a horse must be lifetime-registered with USDF. Holding only an HID merely allows entry to classes that are not restricted to USDF lifetime-registered horses. If a horse is already USDF lifetime-registered, it does not also need an HID.
  

horse registration or an HID number have spaces for competition name and number, date, and signatures. These forms should not be submitted by individual competitors; only competition show secretaries are to submit those forms to USDF.

Membership and Horse-Recording Affidavits
If proper documentation for horse, owner, and rider cannot be presented to show management at the competition, a USDF affidavit form must be completed.

• The affidavit carries a fee of $5 per form; a horse may be included with a rider or owner on one form for one $5 fee. If the registration or membership cards are lost or stolen, a replacement card must be requested from USDF. The fee for replacement cards is $10.
  
• After the show, the competition secretary must submit all membership, lifetime horse registration, HID, and affidavit forms to the USDF office with the appropriate fees, along with show results, within ten days of the show's conclusion. Competitors will be able to view complete show results on the USDF Web site after the results have been entered into the USDF database.