Attempt to Reintroduce Collective Marks Rejected by FEI

The attempt of the European Equestrian Federation (EEF) to reintroduce the collective marks on dressage score sheets has received a hard no from the FEI. The rule change will not be put up for a vote at the upcoming FEI General Assembly in Antwerp on 14 - 17 November 2021.

Removal of Three Collective Marks in 2018

In 2018, the FEI removed the collective marks for paces, impulsion and submission on the grounds that Judges could misuse these marks to manipulate the result. Only the mark for the “Athlete’s position and seat; correctness and effect of the aids” was left with the coefficient 2.

At the time the Dressage Judging Working Group provided statistical analyses of the collective marks in tests from 2017 and in particular from the 2017 World Cup Finals in Omaha. It generated hard evidence that top scoring, big name riders get an extra score boost from the judges in their collective marks. In some high level events the ranking of the technical marks was overruled by that of the collective marks.

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