2026 WDAA Western Dressage Online International Challenge - Team Competition
Entry forms must be completed online by 11:59pm PT on June 16, 2026. (This is the last day for video submissions)
Online International Challenge Teams Program Introduction
The WDAA Online International Challenge (OIC) Teams Competition Is a great way to share the online show experience with friends and family, old and new. Participation in the Teams Competition is open to anyone entered in the OIC who has submitted a ride from a test or freestyle. No additional videos are required. Each member of a Team will designate one of their best tests as the score they will contribute to the Team, this happens BEFORE judging is complete. Each participant whose team wins First – Tenth place, or Honorable Mention, receives a personalized certificate to commemorate their participation. Each member of a first place Team will receive a special prize.
Please contact Thallia Blight with all questions; [email protected] or telephone (614) 407-6927
TEAM DIVISIONS**
** A rider’s division designation for the Teams Competition is the same as the division they specified on their OIC entry.
| Team Division | Division Definition | Specifics |
| Junior Riders |
Junior riders, age 17 and younger. |
Each team shall consist of a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of four (4) different riders. Cross entry within these three divisions is not permitted. |
| Amateur Riders |
Adult Amateur riders 18 years and older. |
Each team shall consist of a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of four (4) different riders. Cross entry within these three divisions is not permitted. |
| Open Riders |
Adult Open riders 18 years and older. |
Each team shall consist of a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of four (4) different riders. Cross entry within these three divisions is not permitted. |
| Mixed Rider Team |
A combination of Junior, Adult Amateur, and Open riders. |
Each team shall consist of 3–4 riders competing as Junior, Adult Amateur, or Open riders. At least one team member must be competing in a different division of the OIC than the other members. |
| Freestyle Teams |
Any combination of riders entered in freestyles, costume or non-costume. |
A combination of three or four Junior, Amateur, or Open riders, each of whom has entered a freestyle video. All freestyle levels are permitted. Team members may enter at the same or different levels. |
| Pairs Team |
Two different riders in any of these divisions: Junior, Amateur, or Open. |
Each Pairs Team shall consist of two (2) different riders. A Pairs Team entry cannot be one rider competing with two horses. The same horse may be ridden by both riders. |
| Exceptional Riders |
Those who compete in the Physically Challenged/Therapeutic Riding division. |
Each Exceptional Rider Team shall consist of two (2) to four (4) riders competing in the Physically Challenged/Therapeutic Riding division. Cross entries into other divisions and horsemanship entries are not permitted. |
WHAT MAKES A TEAM
Team Composition -- Riders and Horses
- Team members can organize at will, and do not have to be from the same barn, locale, state, or country.
- Entry in the WDAA Online International Challenge is required. However, entry in the Team Competition is not automatically included with entry in the Online International Challenge.
- Each team member must be a current WDAA member and entered in the 2026 WDAA Western Dressage Online International Challenge. No separate entries are required or permitted.
- A rider’s Division for team competition is the same division in which they entered the Online International Challenge (Junior, Amateur, Open).
- Each rider must designate one test which will be used to calculate the team score. The team members can designate the same test or different tests to be applied to the team score.
- Freestyle and Exceptional Rider tests are permitted. Rail classes, including horsemanship, are excluded from all teams.
- A rider can designate only one horse/test for each team for which they are a member, even if the rider is competing in the OIC on more than one horse. One rider, designating tests with two different horses for the same team, is NOT permitted.
- There is no limit as to the number of teams a rider can join, with the same or different horses. The rider can designate the same test for each team, or a different test for each team.
- Each horse can be ridden by no more than two riders and can compete on the same or different teams in the same or different team divisions with both riders.
Team Captains and Entries
Each team shall choose a team name and designate a Team Captain. The Team Captain will gather the team member information to complete the entry form online.
- The Team Captain is the primary contact for the teams competition organizer (Thallia Blight).
- The Team Captain will complete the entry form online and pay the entry fee online on the specified webpage by 11:59pm CT on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
- The entry fee for each team is $35.00 per Division entered, payable through PayScape.
- To enter, visit:
https://wdaa.memberclicks.net/online-international-challenge-team-competition
The team captain will provide the following for each team’s entry in each specific Division to be entered:
- The team’s name and team division entered.
- The captain’s name, email, phone number, and mailing address.
- Each rider’s entry number, name, and age; rider’s horse’s name, age, and breed.
- Specify the test (and class) each rider has designated for the team.
ISSUES WITH VIDEO SUBMISSIONS
- In the event the video of the designated test is rejected by show management, the rider will have the option of choosing another test for which their video has been accepted, if identified by the closing date for video submissions.
- If a particular team only has three members, and one of them is eliminated because their video has been rejected and has no other video for scoring, then the two remaining riders may form a Pairs Team.
SCORING, PLACINGS, AND AWARDS
Upon completion of the judging period, the Show Secretary will provide the scores to the Team Competition organizer.
1. Team Score Calculations
- Each team’s score will be calculated as the average of the individual scores of each member of the team.
- A minimum team score of 63% is required for a Team to be awarded First or Second Place.
- A minimum team score of 60% is required for a Team to place Third – Fifth Place.
- A minimum team score of 58% is required for a Team to be awarded Sixth – Tenth Place.
- Honorable Mentions may be awarded to Teams with scores higher than 55%.
2. Tie Breakers
- For placings First and Second: the team competition organizer will request the Collective Marks information from the show secretary and calculate the average of those values to determine the team average collective marks score.
- For placings Third - Tenth, no tie breaker will be used.
AWARDS
Awards for the Team Competition are separate from those for the online show.
We reserve the option to split Divisions, and present separate/different awards, if entries allow.
Participants may have their Team placings printed on their OIC award at their own expense.
Awards in each Division will be:
- Neck sash ribbons to each member of the First place teams. Awards will be shipped to the Team Captain for distribution to team members.
- Certificates to First – Tenth Place, and Honorable Mention. Certificates will be provided as PDF documents to the Team Captain.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
1. Who should I contact if I have questions?
- Contact Thallia Blight at [email protected] or leave a voicemail message at (614) 407-6927
- Please do not contact show secretary Susan Peacock or the show manager Francine Newsome.
2. What information does the Team Captain need to complete the online entry form?
The team captain will provide the following for each team’s entry in each specific Division to be entered:
- The team’s name and team division entered
- Entry number, name, and age of each rider; rider’s Horse’s name, age, and breed.
- Specify the test (and class) each rider has designated for the team.
- The captain’s name/email/phone number/mailing address.
3. Can a rider be on more than one team?
- YES, a rider can compete on multiple teams, designating the same test/same horse or different tests/horses in each. However, only one score for a rider/horse entry will be used to calculate the score for a particular team. (A rider cannot be counted for more than once on a particular team in a specified Division.)
Example: Adult Amateur Thallia will participate in two Teams.
- Team Caffeine in the Adult Amateur Division - designating her Basic Level Test 4 with horse Cappuccino for the team score.
- Merrylegs Team for the Mixed Rider Division - designating her Level One Test 1 with horse Cappuccino for the team score.
4. I am entered in the OIC as an Adult Amateur. One of my tests is an Open test. Can I designate that test for the team?
- No, if you have entered the show as an Adult Amateur, that classification is used for the Team Competition, and you must designate an Amateur division class/test for your team.
5. Can a competitor who is entered in the Online Challenge with multiple horses be on multiple teams?
- Yes, so long as the rider chooses only one horse/test for each different team.
6. Can the horse be ridden by more than one rider?
- Each horse can be ridden by no more than two riders, and can compete on the same or different teams in the same or different team divisions.
7. Which test(s) count towards the team score?
- Each rider will specify the test they are riding for the team. The captain will enter this information via the online entry form. Freestyle and Exceptional Rider tests are acceptable. Horsemanship entries are only accepted in the Horsemanship Team Division.
8. Why must each team member specify which test they are riding for the team?
- Team sports are about working together and having a strategy which allows each team member to be at their best.
9. I do not have a team to join. How can I participate?
- Check the WDAA Social Corral Facebook page for postings or post a request there yourself.
- If you do not use Facebook, email Thallia at [email protected]
10. Can I mail in the entry form?
- Entries will only be accepted online. Contact Thallia Blight if this is a concern.
11. The video of my designated test has been rejected. Can I still be on a team?
- If the rider submits a re-ride of that specific test, then that score will count towards the team score.
- If the rider does not provide a replacement video, then a different test must be designated (for which the video has been accepted). These substitutions must be requested by the submission deadline for videos.
Example: Thallia’s video for Cappuccino’s Basic 4 Amateur test has been rejected for technical issues. Her options are:
- Submit a new video of a re-ride of Basic 4 Amateur, and the score from that attempt will count towards the team score OR
- Choose her Level One Test 1 Amateur test, for which the video has been accepted.
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