In the Netherlands, moving up to a higher class runs on winstpunten (promotion points), and you earn those only by competing. A season you plan out in advance typically pays off more than entering shows on a whim. This guide shows how to plan a year around the goal of moving up, without asking too much of yourself or your horse.
How Promotion Works
The KNHS (the Dutch equestrian federation) attaches a points table to every discipline and class. A test (a fixed exercise you ride for the judge) or course (the jumping course you ride) above a certain score earns you a winstpunt; collect enough of them and you're required to move up to the next class. Relegation essentially doesn't exist — you don't drop back down if things go badly. Points are also recorded on the combination (you and your horse together) of rider and horse, not on you as a rider alone. If you ride two horses, each builds up its own point tally.
Two things follow from that for your planning:
- You need starts. No competition, no points. The number of times you appear before the judge is the engine of your season.
- The threshold is fixed, the pace isn't. How many points you need per class and how fast you move up differs by discipline and can change from year to year. The exact, current tables are on knhs.nl — use that as your source, not a rough rule of thumb from the yard.
Start With a Realistic Year Goal
Before you look at the calendar, work out what's realistic. Moving up one class in a season is a solid goal for most recreational competition combinations; two is ambitious and requires that the horse can genuinely handle the harder tests too. Moving up because the point total allows it, while the work at home isn't solid yet, leads to frustration in the higher class.
Ask yourself three questions:
- Where are you reliably right now? Not your best test ever, but the level you reach on an average day.
- What needs to grow for the next class? A new movement, more collection, a higher jumping level. Count on weeks to months of training, not weekends.
- How many weekends can you free up? Time, money, and what your horse can handle set the upper limit. Be realistic about that.
Build the Calendar Around Peaks
A season roughly breaks down into three types of shows. The ratio between them determines whether you pick up points without running your horse into the ground.
| Type of start | Goal | What you choose |
|---|---|---|
| Practice start | Routine, testing a young horse or a new movement | Familiar venue nearby, low pressure |
| Points start | Picking up winstpunten at your reliable level | A test or course that suits you, good footing |
| Peak | Peak performance, possibly a championship | Best form, a rested horse, planned well in advance |
In practice, a rhythm works where you alternate a block of points starts with a calmer practice start or a free weekend. Don't fill every weekend: a horse that travels too often and too far performs less well over time. Two to three starts a month in high season is a sustainable pace for many combinations; in winter (the indoor season) there are fewer competitions and the travel burden is bigger.
Choose Competitions That Earn Points
Not every start is equally worthwhile. A few things increase your odds of coming home with points:
- Ride at your reliable level, not at your ceiling. For collecting points, a clean score in a test you've mastered counts for more than a gamble in a test that's too difficult.
- Pay attention to the footing and the type of competition. Ground that suits your horse and a calm setting give a fairer picture of what you can do.
- Travel time costs form. A competition two hours away asks more of horse and rider than one around the corner. Save the long drives for the starts that actually matter.
- Spread out your starts. Two tests in one day can be worthwhile, but three weekends in a row far from home rarely is.
What you don't need to do is stack up points far beyond the promotion threshold. Once you have enough, you move up regardless; endlessly staying at the same level with too many points isn't what the system is meant for, either, and eventually isn't allowed anymore.
Track Your Progress
Your startpas (your horse's competition record) and your results can be found in your KNHS account, but keeping your own overview helps you see whether you're on track. Note down, per start: date, class, score, points earned, and how the horse felt that day. After a few months you'll see a pattern — which tests suit you, at what distance you're still sharp, and whether you're closing in on the promotion threshold.
If your pace is falling behind your year goal, that's rarely a reason to cram in more competitions. More often, the gain lies in choosing better: a test that suits you more, a calmer weekend schedule, or a block of training at home before you compete again. The timing of that last step — moving up or consolidating a bit longer — is covered in more detail in When to move up a class?
In Short
- Promotion runs on winstpunten and is mandatory above the threshold; relegation doesn't exist.
- You earn points only by competing, so your number of starts drives your season.
- Set one realistic year goal — usually one class — and build the calendar around a few peaks.
- Ride for points at your reliable level, not at your ceiling, and save the long drives for the competitions that count.
- Track your results and adjust toward better choices, not more volume.
For the exact points tables, class requirements, and the current competition calendar, knhs.nl remains the source. If you're just starting out as a competition rider, first read Applying for a KNHS Start Permit and Dutch Competition Classes Explained.
See also: When to move up a class? · Dutch Competition Classes Explained · Glossary for Competition Riders