Current BD membership automatically includes music membership (covering performing rights liabilies), no additional fees are payable.

Music-Only membership is available to non-members who wish to compete in Freestyle to Music classes "on a ticket" or who need to be covered by the BD PPL Sub-License arrangements when using public-performance protected music in unaffiliated freestyle to music competition classes.

Non-members riding "on a ticket" may compete in affiliated Novice Freestyle to Music competition classes ONLY, but they must apply for Music Membership before competing.

The public performance of music (other that to which you own the copyright) requires a performing rights license from the copyright holder.

BD has an arrangement with PPL that enable "full" and "music" members to use music produced by PPL members without additional cost. If members wish to use music not covered by the PPL agreement, it is the responsibility of the member to ensure that an appropriate license exists for the public performance of the particular piece of music.

Once members have compiled their test, they should contact BD for a sublicense agreement form, which they must sign and return with a list of their selected music. Upon receipt, BD will check that the music listed is covered by appropriate licenses and then issue confirmation to the member.

If members haven't completed the necessary registration upon competing, BD will ask for retrospective agreements to be completed.

You must provide the organiser with copies of your performance at least 30 minutes before your given start-time. Your media will be available within 20 minutes of the end of the class.

You can supply your performance on either CD or cassette tape (other formats can be supported such as mini-disc or MP3, but must be confirmed with the organiser atleast 7 days before the competition).

It is recommended that two copies are supplied to allow for problems arising with one copy. Whilst the organisers will make all reasonable efforts, they cannot be held responsible for problems with competitors media. If in any doubt, please send the organiser a copy of your music atleast 7 days before the competition.

We recommend that you provide two copies of your performance on two differing types of media, ideally one of which should be a Compact Disk.

If you are recording to writeable or re-writable CD, it is advised that you use the slowest (lowest) recording speed possible on your recording equipment (ideally 1x or 2x) to ensure that it can be played on the majority of PA systems; recording at higher speeds doesn't increase the quality of the recording or the clarity of the playback.

Ensure that tapes are aligned ready to be played and that appropriate notes accompany the media to ensure the steward correctly starts your music at the correct time.

All freestyle to music tests run by Blue Barn Dressage will occur in the indoor arena and will run as a 20x60 test, regardless of whether or not it is a qualifier.

A professional, multi-speaker PA system is used to broadcast the music within the arena ensuring an event distribution of sound without "hot-spots" near to just one or two speakers. Speakers are located approximately 12'-15' above the ground to ensure spookiness and deafness is minimised.

Competitors may wish to have their music commence after the initial salute or from some other position "outside" of the arena prior to entry at "A".

Once the judge rings the bell, you should either
- Proceed to and halt at your designated start position outside of the arena and then signal to the judge , by raising you arm clearly above your head, that you are ready to start; or enter at A and halt at your chosen point, saluting in the normal manner.

Once you have retaken your reins the musical director will then commence your music.

If you have started your music from outside the arena, you must proceed at enter the arena at A.

The final salute must occur on the centre line facing the judge at C.

Technical difficulties in the playback of your musical performance are generally of five types, in order of probability:-

(a) Unable to commence playback, or playback suddenly stops (media problems)
(b) Volume too loud or too quiet
(c) Playback lacking clarity (crackly, tinny or too much bass)
(d) Equipment failure
(e) Power-cut

In the event of technical problems the music director will attempt to resolve the problems as quickly as possible, however once the test has started the competitor MUST continue until instructed to do otherwise by the judge. If the judge decides not to stop the test, technical problems will be taken into account within the final artistic marks.

Media problems are the single biggest problem encountered at FSM events. New fangled technology can suffer compatibility problems whilst old-fashioned cassette tapes can break, snag and play at slightly different speeds from the original recording device. Supplying the organiser with backup copies of your performance is essential, ideally in alternative formats.

One or more show stewards monitor the volume of the performance and are in constant radio contact with the music director who can immediately control 1000W of power (110db at the X marker can be achieved using just 700W of power). In addition, the music director is situated within the judges box and is able to watch the entire performance responding to apparent tension in the horse due to the volume being too high.

Crackly, tinny or bassy playback can be the result of various problem including faulty media, equipment or cabling problems. The music director will attempt to resolve the problem during the performance, liaising with judge if necessary to halt the test.

All of our quality equipment is used solely for FSM classes, stored carefully in between use and tested each time once set-up, but failures can still happen - which is why we have standby playback equipment ready for immediate use.

Unfortunately, there is little anyone can do in the event of a main power failure. Although a battery-powered tape and CD player could be used, and whilst volume would be insufficient the bigger problem would be that without lights in the indoor arena the performance would be awkward to judge.

In addition to the movements required by the test, competitors are free to choose any additional movements they wish to complete their test pattern.

Movements of a higher standard than of the test being performed will be penalised by the deduction of two points each time they are performed.

Pas de Deux - a "dance for two". At BlueBarn we currently run Pas de Deux classes from Novice to Prix St George. Pas de Deux is run as an unaffiliated competition section, and is therefore open to any horse irrespective of affiliation or points - although limitations to affilaited riders do apply (see below)

Exactly the same as for a solo-test; decide which level you are producing a test for, acquire the freestyle to music test to find out which are the required movements, choreograph your test and then set it to music. The only difference is that the choreography utlises two horses in the same arena performing at the same time.

The test is marked separately for each horse, and the scores combined to give the final score.

For further information, contact the affilaited dressage organiser.

Unaffiliated sections are run in all classes both to allow unaffiliated riders to compete in DtM classes, and also to allow affiliated riders to "warm-up" prior to their competitive section.

In order to keep the playing-field level; competitive entries for unaffiliated DtM classes are restricted to

Non-competitive entries (ie H/C) are permitted.