How competitive have your Novice results been? What’s a good final score? What’s a good dressage score? What does it take to win? In our third installment of this series, EquiRatings showcases the Novice level. Use these graphs and statistics to help evaluate your Novice game.
These graphs show Novice performance across the board, from sub-28 to DNF (Did Not Finish). Take a look to see what scores the Novice population is getting. What scores do you usually get? We give you some of our takeaways to get you started.
Finishing Score Zones
Per-Phase Zones
Eventing is about putting all three phases together to finish strong, but what is a strong finish at the Novice level? What types of tests and rounds are the top finishers producing? The graphs and tables below show you what it takes to win.
Final Position |
Average |
Started as |
Started 10 Marks or Less From Dressage Leader |
Started More Than 10 Marks from Dressage Leader |
Winner |
28.0 |
50.0% |
49.0% |
1.0% |
Third Place |
31.8 |
4.8% |
85.2% |
10.0% |
Using 2017 – 2019 Novice data.
Final Position |
0 Show Jumping Penalties |
1 to 4 Show Jumping Penalties |
5 or More Show Jumping Penalties |
Winner |
86.7% |
11.7% |
1.7% |
Third Place |
70.4% |
24.0% |
5.6% |
Using 2017 – 2019 Novice data. This table includes show jumping time penalties and jumping penalties.
Final Position |
Clear Inside the Time |
Average Cross-Country Time Penalties |
Winner |
93% |
0.1 |
Third Place |
88% |
0.4 |
Using 2017 – 2019 Novice data. Clear Inside the Time includes all runs that were clear jumping with no time penalties (whether for going over the optimum time or for going too far under the time).
Lastly, we have pulled the 2019 record dressage scores and record finishing scores from the Novice level. These are some very impressive numbers!
Have these statistics given you some clarity? They’re here to help you set goals. Of course, long-term goal-setting is not about comparison; you have to stay in your lane or risk being robbed of joy. If your main goal is to have fun with your horse and put your game face on every once in a while, that is awesome! Use these numbers just for fun. If your goal is to be a bit more competitive, now you know what it takes and can set targets. Let each target serve as a stepping stone in your eventing journey.
Being spontaneous has paid off for Kevin Keane and Sportsfield Candy. “I bought him on a Wednesday and showed him on a Thursday,” Keane recalls about his first event with his Irish Sport Horse gelding, then 9 years old, at Plantation Field Horse Trials (Unionville, Pennsylvania) in September 2016. “I owned him for part of a day, and the next morning I showed up at a CCI and jogged him up for a two-star, and we went clean and clean and clean.”
THANK YOU to everyone who has already entered the USEF/USEA Recognized CDCTA Spring Horse Trials scheduled for Sunday, April 9 in Berryville, VA. We will continue to take late entries through Friday, March 24 using USEA’s Xentry system. If you still want to come compete, please enter! The late fee has been waived through Friday, March 24.
The U.S. Equestrian Federation announces the appointment of long-term US Equestrian employee Hallye Griffin as Director of FEI Sport. Griffin will assume the duties of former Director of FEI/High-Performance Sport, Graeme Thom, who has chosen to step away from his role to attend to personal matters.
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is thrilled to announce that Sidelines Magazine will not only be returning as a “Media Partner of U.S. Eventing,” but they will also be supporting the Association as a “Contributing Level Sponsor of the USEA Emerging Athletes U21 Program” and a “Prize Level Sponsor of the USEA American Eventing Championships.” Sidelines Magazine will give the USEA additional promotion and exposure through their printed and digital media products, while also providing prizes for participants at the AEC and EA21 clinics.