Western Dressage Judges Education
The WDAA Judges Education Program is open to auditors and all that are interested in earning a USEF Western Dressage judging license. This program offers training to judge applicants and provides them with the tools necessary to accurately evaluate horse and rider combinations, score the tests, and provide comments with confidence. Extra-curricular activities such as reviewing the online seminar, scribing, reading the USEF rule book, commentary development, and sideline practice judging are highly encouraged. Trends show that the more work you put into the program prior to attending, the higher the candidate success rate. You must be an active USEF and WDAA member to begin the process.
Judge Applicants:
Although WDAA provides the training, judging licenses are issued from USEF. PRIOR TO any seminar attendance, apprenticing, testing, and officiating, you MUST start a USEF Western Dressage checklist and complete all requirements in the order provided. Failure to create a checklist with USEF will result in those activities not being counted towards the license.
Full instructions can be found on the USEF website: https://www.usef.org/compete/resources-forms/licensed-officials/become-licensed
Any questions should be directed to the Licensed Officials Department through the following email address: [email protected]
WDAA OFFERS THREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS:
1) 2027 WDAA/USEF Judge Education Seminar (Denver, CO) - Open to auditors
The annual seminar will be held February 5 - 7, 2027
Small r Judges and Small r Applicants must attend Friday- Saturday (2/5 - 2/6)
Large R Judges and Large R Applicants must attend Saturday - Sunday (2/6 - 2/7)
If desired, an option exists where you may attend all 3 days.
Clinic Check-In and Packet Pick-up is Friday and Saturday 8 AM - 8:30 AM. The Seminar will conclude on Sunday, 3 PM.
Location: Embassy Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport.
Address: 7001 Yampa Street, Denver, Colorado.
Hotel Booking Link: https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=DENIAES&groupCode=CESWDA&arrivaldate=2027-02-04&departuredate=2027-02-08&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT
or call 303.574.3000 and ask for the Western Dressage room block.
Requirements & Fees:
- 2027 WDAA membership required for registration (judges and auditors).
- New Judge Applicants: You MUST start and have your USEF judge applicant dashboard approved PRIOR to the seminar or the seminar WILL NOT count towards your USEF judging requirements. You must sign the USEF attendance form at the start & end of each day, or USEF will not recognize your attendance.
- Current USEF Western Dressage Judges: This seminar will count for your USEF maintenance requirements. You must sign the USEF attendance form at the start & end of each day, or USEF will not recognize your attendance.
- $550 Seminar Registration (2 day attendance)
- $825 Seminar Registration (3 day attendance)
- All registrations must be received no later than Jan. 20, 2027.
- Fee includes all instruction, lunch for each day of your session, and a Western Dressage Judges Manual.
- Silent Auditors - For those that are interested in an intense learning experience covering Western Dressage rules, tests and USEF WD judge expectations, we are pleased to offer an opportunity to be a silent spectator and audit the seminar, all meals and judge’s manual included.
ATTENDEES WILL BE REQUIRED TO SIGN IN AND OUT EVERY DAY, NO LATE ARRIVALS OR EARLY DEPARTURES ALLOWED.
CANCELLATION FEES:
If you are unable to attend, there is a $100 cancellation fee.
However, no refunds will be made within 14 days of the start of the seminar.
2) 2027 ONLINE JUDGES SEMINAR (open to auditors)
Anticipated Date: May, 2027
This online seminar will be available for current USEF licensed Western Dressage judges to meet their 2027 seminar attendance requirement. This can be utilized every other time a judge seminar is due. If your last seminar was online, you are not eligible to take this course for USEF seminar credit. This seminar is also open to auditors who are interested in learning more about what judges are looking for in the Western Dressage partnership of horse and rider. Stay tuned for additional information as it becomes available.
2026
ONLINE JUDGES SEMINAR (open to auditors)
The previous online seminar will remain available to those who would like to do additional study prior to the Denver Live Seminar.
3)
2027 Group Apprentice and Judge Education Training (limited to 20 participants, open to auditors if space allows)
This program is offered at the WDAA World Show and is geared towards additional education for judge applicants, but also provides a venue for apprentice judging & applicant evaluations.
Sign up information will become available a few months prior to the event date.
Date: September 7 – 11, 2027
Location: Lazy E Arena, 9600 Lazy E Dr, Guthrie, OK 73044
Check your USEF checklist to determine if this meets an optional Group Apprentice Judging -or- the Judge Educational Training, This event does not count as a sideline apprenticeship.
All prerequisites must be fullfilled prior to the start of the seminar in order for it to count towards your licensing requirements. Contact USEF licensed officials department if you have any questions.
TESTING:
WDAA will administer the Judge's Video Evaluations for all applicants who are testing for their “r” or going for their “R” promotion.
- Please email Gail Matheus at [email protected] once you are qualified to complete the final requirement for your USEF Western Dressage judge licensing application.
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