# Help with french dressage competing



## paddi22 (17 June 2016)

I have a friend who is moving to home to France (she is from their originally). She does prelim dressage here in Ireland and wants to start competing in dressage when she gets back to France. She is not sure how the system works and is getting confused about the Gallop 1, Gallop2 etc. Can she start competing in dressage prelim shows straight away or is there stuff she particularly needs to learn/do. How is it different from the english system? Any help appreciated!


----------



## SpringArising (17 June 2016)

She won't be able to compete right away no. This is France we're talking about! The horse'll need to be chipped, have a sketch done by a vet once in France and have an export license. She'll then need to get him registered with Haras (Nationaux). If she's wanting to compete in anything that isn't club level (basically fun PC/RC type stuff) the horse will need full papers and she'll need to get her Galop 7, OR have a body like the BHS prove that she's previously competed in affiliated comps. From what I remember you also need to register the horse to a specific club or register as well.


----------



## paddi22 (17 June 2016)

ah right!! She is getting the paper work ready and seems to be ok with all thats needed on that end. So she can do riding club stuff with no hassle? 

As regards the gallop 7, what is involved in that do you know? can she got straight in to apply for it? or does she has to do 1-6 as well? What is involved in testing you for it? Is there a bhs style equivalent level? thanks for the help!


----------



## Fidgety (17 June 2016)

paddi22 said:



			a
As regards the gallop 7, what is involved in that do you know? can she got straight in to apply for it? or does she has to do 1-6 as well? What is involved in testing you for it? Is there a bhs style equivalent level? thanks for the help!
		
Click to expand...

http://www.ffe.com/books/galops/Galops_1a7/index.html

As already said, she may be able to skip a few levels or even go straight in to G7 depending on either competition record or what her level of riding is assessed at by her club.  Note that for each of the galops, she will also be tested on husbandry and anatomy applicable to each level.

If your friend knows where she is heading to in France she would probably be best to talk to her local or chosen riding club that she will affiliate to as it is they who will put her through the exams.


----------



## SpringArising (17 June 2016)

Generally you can compete at in-house comps without your Galops, but nothing affiliated. 

The Galop 7 is probably the equivalent to the BHS Stage 4. You're asked about general stable care, ailments, feed types, genetics, and assessed on your riding ability. The Galop 7 is the highest you can get (think there was an 8 & 9 but they've stopped that for now), so to pass you need to be fairly competent. You can take the Galops at most riding centres and you can do it on your own horse or a borrowed one - sometimes your own horse isn't advanced enough for the Galop you'll be taking. 

I think that's just about everything. You can bypass some of them if you want as well, I think - usually if you can prove that you're capable enough.


----------



## sunnyone (17 June 2016)

Your friend may find this link useful http://www.ffe.com/cavalier  (very similar to the one above but rider focussed).
In particular the person has to be medically fit to ride, and then obtain a licence de competition.
Also the property where the horse is kept has to have been declared as a "lieu de detention", mainly in case of infectious diseases.


----------



## Booboos (17 June 2016)

OK here goes:

There are three levels Club, Amateur and Pro.

Horse registration: I assume her horse has a passport and is microchipped, when it arrives in France she needs a vet to examine it, confirm its ID and fill in a form which is then sent for the horse to be registered with SIRE. If the horse has a recognised breed pedigree it can compete at all levels, if not just at Club.
http://www.ifce.fr/ifce/sire-demarches/au-cours-de-la-vie-du-cheval/importation/


Rider registration: in all cases your friend needs a medical certificate and a license from her local club. Anyone can compete Club, your local riding club handles entries, you need Galop 7 for Amateur and Galop 9 for Pro. Technically you need to pass all the Galop up to the level you need, Amazon has booklets for each level. In practice if your friend makes nice with her club they will certify her to Galop 7 if they agree she is already riding at that level.
Info on club competitions here:

https://www.telemat.org/FFE/sif/

Info on Amateur and Pro competitions here:
https://ffecompet.ffe.com/

If she wants to keep her horses at home she needs to register one more time 

http://www.ifce.fr/ifce/sire-demarches/sanitaire-detention/lieu-de-detention/


----------

