A place on a youth team or regional squad is, for many talented riders, the first step toward focused elite-sport work. What you need for that differs by discipline and by age category, and the exact figures change every season. This guide explains the structure: which age classes exist, what type of criteria count, and where to find the current requirements.
Age Categories: Where Do You Fit In
Equestrian sport groups young riders into fixed age categories. That category determines which pony or horse you compete on and which team you can be selected for. The international classification (FEI, the international equestrian federation) is largely followed in the Netherlands:
| Category | Approximate Age | Rides |
|---|---|---|
| Ponies | up to about 16 years old | pony |
| Children | roughly 12–14 years old | horse |
| Juniors | roughly 14–18 years old | horse |
| Young Riders | roughly 16–21 years old | horse |
Age is counted by calendar year, not by your birthday — you belong to the same category for the whole year. Around the transition ages (for example from Juniors to Young Riders) there's overlap, so you don't have to switch categories mid-season. The precise limits and the reference date are set out in the regulations; always check the current table for your birth year on knhs.nl.
What Kind of Criteria Count
Team selection isn't open registration. You have to show that you consistently perform at a certain level. Broadly speaking, national coaches and selection committees look at three things:
- The level (the class) you compete at. A squad place usually requires a minimum class tied to your age category. You need not only to start at that level, but to perform convincingly there.
- Results achieved at designated moments. Not every competition counts equally. There are often selection trials or squad competitions where you specifically show your level.
- Consistency across multiple tests. A single standout result rarely convinces. Selectors want to see a pattern: repeatable scores or clean rounds over a series of starts.
Beyond that, factors come into play that don't fit in a table: your pony's or horse's natural talent, your trainability, your attitude, and whether the combination (you and your horse together) has future potential. A team is put together with an eye on the future, not just on where things stand today.
Dressage
In dressage, selection revolves around test levels and the percentage scores achieved. Each age category has its own series of tests: ponies, Children, Juniors, and Young Riders each ride their own tests, which increase in difficulty.
A squad place usually requires you to compete in the top class of your category and to score well above average there. In practice, that often means a percentage score in the high sixties to seventy percent or more, but the exact minimum differs by category and by season. What's sufficient in one year may have shifted the next.
Keep in mind that one good test isn't enough. Selectors want to see that score repeated — ideally at different competitions and under different judges. The KNHS publishes the official tests, the applicable minimum scores, and the designated competitions per discipline.
Show Jumping
In show jumping, what counts most is the course level (the height and difficulty of the obstacles) and your fault count: penalty points and time. Each age category has its own height class, which increases as you get older and move up.
For selection, what matters is whether you regularly go clear at the required level — not just once, but across a series of courses. A show jumper who consistently stays within the time and jumps clear at squad height shows that the level isn't a fluke. Occasional clear rounds at too low a level count for less than consistent performances at the required height.
The precise heights per category, the number of clear rounds required, and the selection moments are set out in the KNHS show jumping regulations. Ask your instructor which height class matches your age and level before you aim to compete at squad level.
Eventing
Eventing (the combined competition format of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping) has level designations with a minimum for each age category. Because cross-country has a safety component, there's a strong emphasis on demonstrable experience and reliability before you're allowed to start at a higher level.
A youth team usually requires that you've successfully completed the required eventing level — meaning you've ridden complete competitions at that level with acceptable results in all three phases. A weak cross-country round or a series of refusals weighs heavily here, even if your dressage and show jumping are in order.
The applicable levels, qualification requirements, and safety rules for youth in eventing are more strictly defined than in the other disciplines. For this, consult the current KNHS eventing regulations and, for international starts, the FEI.
How a Selection Pathway Works in Practice
A typical pathway toward a youth team looks roughly like this:
- You consistently ride at the level that matches your category and build up results.
- You compete at designated selection trials or squad competitions, where you specifically show your level to the selection committee.
- The national coach or selection committee assesses your results, your consistency, and your combination's potential.
- Selection follows for a squad, team, or delegation — sometimes first regionally, then possibly nationally.
Which competitions count and how best to show yourself there is covered in How Selection Trials Work. Which trainers and national coaches play a role in this pathway is covered in Key National Coaches and Stables.
In Short
For a youth team, you need to consistently perform at the class or level that matches your age category — a minimum test and score in dressage, a required height with consistent clear rounds in show jumping, a completed level in eventing. One good result is rarely enough; selectors want to see a pattern, plus potential in your combination. The exact classes, minimum scores, heights, and reference dates change per season and differ by discipline, so use knhs.nl (and for international criteria, fei.org) as your source, and discuss with your instructor which level matches your age. If you want to know how to show yourself at the right moments, read on in How Selection Trials Work.