WDAA has changed all their tests (Intro thru Level 3). Intro has four new tests and Basic and Levels 1-3 have five new tests including the freestyle tests. All tests will be simpler and shorter than the old tests. The number of collective marks is being reduced from seven to five. The ride times and total scores are also lower than the old tests. Most important to the judges, the number of micro movements (less than 12 meters in length) is have bee significantly reduced. These new tests were accompanied by rule changes in the Western Dressage section of the USE Rulebook in January 2017. The tests became effective February 1, 2017.
In addition, Dressage Illustrated has changed the WDAA tests books to our new print on demand process. The new style books have color covers that look like a leather book cover, different color book titles and different western dressage rider's pictures on the books. See the image below
