Who judges dressage, and can a judge's marks be corrected?
A · Advanced · The competition · 2 of 3Between three and seven judges sit at fixed points round the arena, and each marks every movement independently. The judge at C is in charge of the bell and of decisions on errors and elimination. At the top events a separate supervisory panel of three watches the scores and can correct clear technical mistakes.
How it works
- The ground jury: "a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of seven (7) members", all international judges.
- At the top: seven judges at the Olympic Games and senior championships at Grand Prix level, and five at the World Cup Final.
- Nationalities: at Games, championships and World Cup Finals all the judges must be of different nationalities.
- The judge at C: rings the bell, keeps the time and decides errors of course, technical faults and eliminations. The other judges' sheets follow.
- Scribes: each judge has a secretary who writes down the marks and remarks.
- No discussion: no scoring should be visible to the judges during a test.
- The supervisory panel: three members, ideally two judges and one trainer or rider. Its purpose is "to ensure fair judging".
- Where it is compulsory: Olympic Games, world and continental championships at Grand Prix level and World Cup Finals.
- What it may do: "correct definite technical mistakes and counting errors", raising or lowering marks, but never outside the range of marks the judges gave.
- An outlying score: if one judge's final score is 5 per cent or more from the average of the others, the panel may, if unanimous, change it to the next closest score.
- Open about it: a signed form with each correction is added to the sheets and given to the rider and the judge.
- Stewards: check the horse's tack and look for blood straight after each test.
The glossary has the judges, the marks and percentage entry, the dressage arena letters entry and the error of course entry.
Tricky cases
Can the supervisory panel give a movement a higher mark than any judge did?
No. It may not set marks outside the range of the marks the judges gave.
One judge places a rider far lower than the other six. Does that score stand?
It depends. If it is 5 per cent or more from the average of the others, the panel may change it to the next closest score, by unanimous decision.
Who decides whether a rider made an error of course?
The judge at C alone. The other judges' scores are adapted to that decision.
Can two judges from the same country sit on an Olympic panel?
No. At the Games all judges must be of different nationalities.
Why the rule exists
Dressage is judged by opinion, and its credibility depends on the opinions being independent, spread round the arena and from different countries. The supervisory panel was added to catch the plain mistake, such as a missed change of leg that one judge could not see, without replacing the judges' view with its own.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games and senior championships | Seven judges and a supervisory panel | FEI Dressage 441.2; FEI Dressage 442.5 |
| World Cup Final | Five judges and a supervisory panel | FEI Dressage 441.2.1; FEI Dressage 442.5 |
| Youth championships | An outlying score is changed automatically to the next closest | FEI Dressage 425.5.10 |
| Other internationals | Three to seven judges. A panel is optional | FEI Dressage 441.1; FEI Dressage 442.5 |
From the rule book
Fédération Équestre Internationale, Dressage Rules 2026, articles 411.6, 420.1.2, 424.1.2, 424.4.2.1, 425.5.10, 426.4, 434.8, 441 and 442. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: FEI Dressage Rules 2026 (PDF).