MM VIRTUAL COMPETITION March – May 15

NEWS FLASH – EXTENDED TO MAY 15! For video submittals, please upload your video to YOUTUBE and then send us the link to usmmarchador@gmail.com.


We are going VIRTUAL! (V stands for VIRTUAL) You may be thinking it’s about time, but this is new for us! Please bear with us as we get this perfected, but we wanted to get the word out now!

Because it is new, these first 3 competitions have NO ENTRY FEE! And the top 3 in each category will win USMMA or MARCHADOR logo’d items as prizes!

Below are the rules for each of the three competitions. You can start now to record your miles or start practicing and video-taping with your Marchador! The links to entry forms to sign up!

V Mileage
V Freestyle
V Riding Skills

We will be sharing more information and answering questions that come up as we go along.

Good luck and have fun!

Best regards,
Dana Johnsen, Regional Director, Canada and Project Chairperson
Jeff BosleyUSMMA President
MM V Competitions March 1 – May 1
3 chances to win! Choose your strength or enter all 3! Entry fees are waived for this first competition. Future competitions will be charged at $10 per entry. Entry Form Links are in this email and will be posted too!
Top 3 in each competition will win a ribbon and a Marchador or USMMA logo’d item.

Competition 1 – V Mileage!
The horse and rider team with the most mileage wins!

Horses must be USMMA registered Marchadors
Mileage must be tracked and saved on a GPS app GPS
Mileage must be dated within the dates of each competition. First competition is March 1, 2021 to May 1, 2021.
Riders may utilize any GPS mileage gained during the virtual competition time frame.
A rider may enter multiple horses.
Each horse can only have 1 rider.
Riders must also enter their own mileage into an Excel spreadsheet so other entrants can see. The link to the spreadsheet will be sent upon entry.
Riders must submit at least one photo of their horse and themselves.
At the end of competition, the judge will need copies of your GPS logs to verify mileage.

Judge – Dana Johnsen, Regional Director, Canada

Competition 2 – V Freestyle! 
Horses must be USMMA registered Marchadors
An entrant may enter multiple horses.
Each horse can have only one handler.
Videos must be submitted by the deadline to be included.
1 video submission which can be replaced with another video by the same entrant if they improve. 
Maximum video time is 3 minutes but it may be a combination of smaller videos edited together.  
Pick 4 of 6 choices for a total possible score of 100 (25 points each option)
1. Horse comes when asked from 40+ feet (directness, attention, speed)
2. Backing 4 steps without contact – only pressure (response quality, attitude)
3. Horse offers to pick up feet without contact – 6.25 points per hoof (response time, attitude, relaxation)
4. Horse stands in one spot while the handler walks all the way around. (relaxation, attention, squareness, shifting)
5. Horse follows handler minimum 10 strides forward, 10 strides right then 10 strides to the left. Stops on command (attitude, attention, consistency)
6. Go away and come in – horse moves away from the handler on a circle in a walk (1 revolution) then comes into handler and into standing position. (attitude, attention, halt quality)

Judges Tatiana & Kanat Tchalabaeva. Striving for calmness, bright attitude, response.

Competition 3 – V Riding Skills!
Horses must be USMMA registered Marchador.Entrants can enter multiple horses.
Each Marchador can have only 1 rider.
1 video submission. Maximum video time 5 minutes, but the video may be a combination of smaller videos. 
Entrant can replace a submitted video with a new video if they improve.
Videos must be received by the competition deadline to be judged.
Points below = 100 possible points.
1. Horse moves toward handler for block mounting & standing motionless after rider gets settled for 3 seconds- 20pts (quietness, quality of stance, attitude)
2. Immediate back up 4 steps with no forward motion first. Then pivot to the right on the hind into a walk for 15 strides -(quietness of cues, response quality, pivot balance) 20 points
3. Halt, stand for 3 seconds. Move into a pivot on the hind to the left 90 degrees. Then forward in a walk for 15 strides. (quietness, fluidity, response quality) 20 points
4. Halt, stand for 3 seconds. Transition into a gait and maintain gait for 5+ seconds. Bonus points for longer time of consistent, clear gaiting. (response, attitude, quietness of rider, consistency of gait) Can be in circle or straight lines with turn back 35 points. with 5 points added for turnback that maintains speed and frame.May end video on gaiting.

Judge Amy Star, WE judge. Looking for precision, fluidity, bright attitude, calmness.


NOTICE TO ENTRANTS: By submitting a photo or video to the USMMA, the USMMA member agrees to grant permission to the USMMA to use that photo or video in the public domain and social media, now or in the future, regardless of future membership status.