Kaylawna Smith-Cook and MB MaiBlume. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
As the 2023 season gears up, we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the new Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MER) for national levels. All MER specifications can be found in Appendix 3 of the USEF Rulebook.
All Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MER), except Classic Three-day Events, must be obtained within a 4-year period. One MER must be obtained within 12 weeks of the event for which it is needed when moving from one level to the next. E.g., when moving from Intermediate to Advanced, one MER at Intermediate is required within 12 weeks of the event.
2.2.1 When achieved at a national horse trials, an MER is achieved by completing the entire horse trial and scoring:
- Not more than 45 penalty points in the dressage test, and
- No jumping penalties at obstacles on the cross country test unless specified otherwise, and not more than 75 seconds (30 penalty points) exceeding the optimum time, and
- Not more than 16 penalties at obstacles in the jumping test.
- 25 penalty points received for dangerous riding will not achieve a national qualifying result.
3.5 PRELIMINARY (P) – Open to competitors from the beginning of the calendar year of their 14th birthday, on horses five years of age or older. The competitor must have obtained an MER at six horse trials at the training level or higher. The horse must have obtained an MER at four horse trials at the Training Level or higher: One of the four MERs must be as a combination. Athletes with more than 10 MERs at the Preliminary Level or higher are exempt from one MER in combination.
3.9 INTERMEDIATE (I) – Open to competitors from the beginning of the calendar year of their 16th birthday, on horses six years of age or older. The athlete must have obtained an MER at six horse trials at the Preliminary Level or higher. The horse must have obtained an MER at four horse trials at the Preliminary Level or higher: One of the four MERs must be as a combination. Competitors with more than 10 MERs at the Intermediate Level or higher are exempt from one MER in combination.
3.10 ADVANCED (A) – Open to competitors from the beginning of the calendar year of their 18th birthday, on horses six years of age or older. The athlete must have obtained an MER at six horse trials at the Intermediate Level or higher. The horse must have obtained an MER at four horse trials at the Intermediate Level or higher: One of the four MERs must be as a combination. Athletes with more than 10 MERs at the Advanced Level or higher are exempt from one MER in combination.
Questions regarding qualifications can be sent to Alison Lloyd at [email protected]. Click here for more information regarding checking your qualifications.
