You have a startpas (the KNHS competition pass) and want to ride your first competition — but which class do you enter? At the KNHS, classes increase in difficulty, and where you start depends mainly on your discipline and what you and your horse can already do.
How the Class System Works
The KNHS (the Dutch equestrian federation) divides dressage into classes that increase in difficulty: B – L – M – Z – ZZ-Licht – ZZ-Zwaar, with the elite tier above that (Lichte Tour and Zware Tour, which includes the Grand Prix). B is the base; each following letter asks for more training. Since April 1, 2022, show jumping no longer has lettered classes: there, the class is named after the height of the course, from 0.30 m to 1.45 m.
You don't move up automatically. You move to a higher class once you have enough winstpunten (promotion points) — points you can earn at every competition. Points are recorded on the rider-horse combination, not on you alone — if you later start with a different horse, that new combination starts again from the bottom. See also the term "class" in the glossary.
Importantly, a dressage class and a show jumping height class say nothing about each other. A rider competing at L in dressage simply starts show jumping at whatever height suits their combination.
Show Jumping: Start at a Low Height Class
In show jumping, the entry point is unambiguous: you pick the height class you can already jump cleanly at home, and for most combinations that's one of the lowest divisions. Since 2022, the KNHS no longer uses the letters B, L, and M but names classes after the height; the entry level for both ponies and horses starts as low as 0.30 m.
| Class | Height (indicative) | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| 0.30–0.80 m | low entry heights | first competitions, recreational |
| 0.90–1.10 m | around a meter | first real competitive career |
| 1.15–1.25 m | well above a meter | serious training |
An entry-level course is straightforward: a calm route with obstacles around 60–80 cm. If you can jump a clean round of that height at home, with control over pace and line, you're ready. The step up to a meter follows once you have enough winstpunten at your current height; moving up isn't mandatory in show jumping.
For show jumping, the choice is rarely a dilemma: you start low and build up class by class. Exact heights and the regulations per class are on knhs.nl.
Dressage: B or L?
In dressage there is a real choice, and this is where the "B or L?" question comes from.
- Class B is a single basic test in walk, trot, and working canter (normal canter tempo), with simple turns, transitions, and a halt. This is the entry level for those who are just starting to compete.
- Class L (L1 and L2) asks for the first collected paces, extended trot, and more precision in the figures. Many combinations begin their real competitive career here.
Most riders who ride a dressage test for the first time choose class B. You get to know the structure of a test, riding the arena letters, and working under a judge's assessment, without the technique already being demanding.
You can start directly in L if your horse already masters the collected paces and extended trot and your instructor confirms that. But that's the exception, not the rule — better to start a class too low than too high.
What a Test or Course Actually Asks
A short comparison of the entry classes helps you choose realistically:
| Dressage B | Dressage L | Show Jumping B | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaits | walk, trot, working canter | + collected and extended | n/a |
| Core demand | clean transitions, straight lines | contact and collection | control over pace and line |
| Obstacle height | — | — | up to about 90 cm |
| Judging | marks per movement, final score as a percentage | same, stricter | penalty points + time |
In dressage, a final score above 60 percent is a solid first competition; above 65 percent you're doing well. In show jumping, it's simple: clear and within the time.
How to Choose
A few rules of thumb:
- Show jumping → start at a low height class. No choice needed.
- Dressage → start in B, unless your instructor says your horse rides the L exercises smoothly and calmly.
- In doubt → choose the lower class. A strong test in B gives you winstpunten and confidence; a difficult test in L mostly gives you a low score and frustration.
- Ask your instructor. They know your riding and your horse and know what the judge expects at a local competition.
Remember that the class you start in isn't a final destination. With winstpunten you move up automatically, and starting in B or L doesn't mean you're missing out — you build up points and move up naturally. Starting too high can get in the way of your enjoyment of the sport altogether.
In Short
- Show jumping: start at a low height class (roughly 0.60–0.80 m); lettered classes haven't existed in show jumping since 2022.
- Dressage: most start in class B; only go straight to L if your horse already masters the collected paces.
- Promotion runs on winstpunten, automatically — you don't have to "work your way up" yourself.
- When in doubt: a class lower. Ask your instructor and check the current class requirements on knhs.nl.
In Belgium the system is different — no B-to-ZZ ladder but levels with a handicap system: see the guide on classes and levels in Flanders.
Sources (verified September 7, 2026): KNHS — Show jumping forum report: new show jumping class structure (2021) · KNHS — Dressage Discipline Rules 2026 · KNHS — Promotion Points in Show Jumping
See also: Glossary for Competition Riders · Applying for a KNHS Startpas