Not every competition carries the same weight as you work toward a team or squad. Some starts are designated as selection moments, and that's exactly where you're being watched. This guide explains which competitions count, how a selection process runs, and how to show yourself at the moments that matter.
Which Competitions Count
A selection committee rarely looks at your entire competition calendar. Each season, the federation typically designates a limited number of competitions or a series where you need to specifically demonstrate your level. Roughly, these fall into three types:
- Designated selection or squad competitions. Competitions the federation designates in advance as a counting moment for a particular squad, team, or posting abroad. The selection committee or national coach is often right at the ringside for these.
- Championships and designated classes. Regional and national championships, or specific classes within them, often count as a benchmark. What you ride there weighs more heavily than a midweek start.
- Regular competitions as supporting evidence. Your ordinary starts don't count as a formal selection moment, but they do build the picture. A track record of solid results over a season shows your level isn't a fluke.
Which competitions are designated in a given season differs by discipline and by age category, and changes every year. The KNHS publishes the current list per discipline; check it at knhs.nl before planning your season, and discuss with your instructor which of those moments are achievable and relevant for you.
How a Selection Process Runs
The sequence is similar across most disciplines, even though the exact requirements differ:
- You consistently compete at the level that matches your age category and build up results over the season.
- You start at the designated selection or squad competitions and specifically show what you can do there.
- The selection committee or national coach weighs your results, your consistency, and the prospects of your combination (you and your horse together).
- Selection follows for a squad, team, or posting — often regionally first, then possibly nationally or internationally.
Which class, height, or score belongs to your category, and which age limits apply, is worked out in Youth Team Entry Criteria. Which trainers and national coaches play a role in this process, you can read in Key National Coaches and Stables.
By Discipline: What the Selection Committee Looks At
What makes a good selection competition depends on what's decisive in your discipline.
| Discipline | What's Mainly Looked At | What a Strong Selection Start Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Dressage | Test level and percentage score | A high, repeatable score on your category test, under different judges |
| Show jumping | Course height, penalty points, and time | Consistent clear rounds at the required height, within the time |
| Eventing | Three phases together, with emphasis on cross-country | A well-rounded level with a reliable cross-country round and solid dressage and jumping |
In dressage, what mainly counts is the percentage score you achieve on your category test. One good test rarely convinces; selectors want to see the score repeated, preferably across different competitions and under different judges. In show jumping, it's about consistent clear rounds at the required height: a couple of zero-fault rounds at too low a level weigh less than sustained performances at squad height. In eventing, the three phases are looked at together, with extra weight on a reliable cross-country round — a series of refusals there weighs heavily, even if dressage and jumping are in order.
How to Show Yourself in the Moment
At a selection competition, it's not just your score that counts, but also how you present yourself. A number of things are within your own control:
- Ride your own plan, not the competitor's. Don't push above your level because you think you need to impress. A neat, controlled round at your own level says more than a risky one that goes wrong.
- Show consistency, not a one-off outlier. Selectors look for a track record. A reliable combination that rides around seventy percent or clear at every start looks stronger than someone with one top score and otherwise mixed results.
- Take care of the whole picture. A well-groomed horse, properly fitted and compliant tack, and correct competition dress are part of it. It confirms the picture of a combination that's ready. What's compliant is set out in Competition Dress and Tack Rules.
- Keep a cool head under pressure. Selection moments feel heavier than an ordinary start. Riders who stay calm and run their normal routine typically perform closer to their true level. See Managing Competition Pressure.
What isn't within your control — your horse's talent, or whether the combination offers prospects for the future — also weighs into the judgment. A team is put together with an eye on the coming years, not only on where things stand today.
Plan Your Season Around the Right Moments
Because only a limited number of competitions really count, it's wise to build your season around them instead of starting as often as possible.
- Put the designated competitions in your calendar early, as soon as the schedule is known, so training and any qualifications line up with them.
- Use regular starts as build-up toward those moments: to sharpen your test or course and give your combination competition rhythm, not to run yourself into the ground.
- Keep margin for setbacks. An off day, lameness, or illness in the horse can disrupt a selection moment. One benchmark too few in your planning leaves you vulnerable.
In Short
For selection, what mainly counts are the competitions the federation designates each season — selection and squad competitions and certain championships — while your regular starts support the broader picture. At those moments, the selection committee looks at your level, your consistency, and the prospects of your combination: in dressage, a repeatable percentage score; in show jumping, consistent clear rounds at height; in eventing, three reliable phases. Show your best by riding your own plan, building a track record of solid results, and staying calm under pressure. Which competitions in your discipline and age category are designated, and which classes and scores go with them, changes every season — use knhs.nl (and for international postings, fei.org) as your source, and discuss your planning with your instructor.
See also: Youth Team Entry Criteria · Key National Coaches and Stables · Managing Competition Pressure · Glossary for Talent-Track Riders