No more of this: WEG 2010 (photo by me)
The FEI has made some minor changes to the helmet rule for each discipline, with the most significant change involving the usage of helmets during non-warmup periods on the show grounds. Vaulters and reiners will not be required to use safety helmets, but Dressage and Show Jumpers will now have mandatory helmet rules during all riding except for competition. The rules for helmets and Eventers will mostly stay the same, and top hats will still be optional for both Eventing dressage and pure Dressage. Let’s have a look at the rule changes.
The new FEI Rule is as follows:
From 1 January 2013 at FEI Events, all riders will be required to wear Protective Headgear while mounted on a horse on the show grounds,
EXCEPT:
1. The discipline rules will apply in the competition arena/field of play. So, for example, while Eventing riders are always required to wear a helmet during the Cross Country, Dressage riders can still wear a top hat while competing and vaulters do not have to wear a helmet while they are in the arena actually vaulting the horse. This also means that the exception in the Jumping Rules for ceremonial protocol still applies to the Jumping riders, but this will be discussed further during the rules revision for the discipline next year.
2. The exception above extends to riding from the stables to the warm-up area or competition arena just prior to competing. This is primarily for the Dressage riders and Reiners so they do not have to stop to change their headgear after warming up just prior to entering the arena. However, if they are riding to a training area when they are not about to compete or on a non-competition day, a helmet will be required.
GENERAL RULE: General Regulations Art. 140
The rule: starting 1 January 2013, wearing properly fastened Protective Headgear will be mandatory for all disciplines while riding on the show grounds. (“Protective Headgear” is defined in the GRs as “appropriate helmet or Headgear that is in compliance with the applicable international testing standards.”)
In the Competition arena and adjacent warm-up areas,
– a Yellow card for athletes refusing to comply with a request made by an Official that they wear protective headgear
– some disciplines apply additional sanctions.
DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC SANCTIONS
DRESSAGE
Athletes 18 years and older, riding Horses seven (7) years and older may wear a top hat/bowler instead of protective headgear at the actual Competition and the warming-up directly prior to the Competition (with no break before the Competition), which includes riding between the stable and the warm-up area, riding of the competing Horse in the warm-up area, and riding back to the stable.
Non-Compliance: Prohibition from further riding until the protective headgear is properly in place.
JUMPING
Senior Athletes may be allowed to remove their headgear for ceremonial protocol.
Non-Compliance: Fine; Ground Jury may deny permission to take part in the competition.
PARA DRESSAGE
Protective headgear is mandatory at all times.
Non-Compliance: Prohibition from further riding until headgear is properly in place.
EVENTING
– a hard hat is compulsory for anyone riding a Horse at the Event.
– Wearing properly fastened protective headgear complying with the European (EN), British (PAS), North American (ASTM), Australian/New Zealand tested standards is compulsory for anyone jumping an obstacle. Protective headgear is compulsory at the Jumping and Cross Country tests
– At the Dressage test, hard hat or top hat are compulsory
Non-Compliance: Elimination, at the discretion of the Ground Jury
ENDURANCE
Protective headgear is mandatory at all times.
Non-Compliance: Elimination
DRIVING
– For Adults, protective headgear is mandatory for Competitors and Grooms in Section E competitions.
– For Children, protective headgear is mandatory at all times
Non-Compliance: Elimination
REINING
– Athletes may wear either a western hat or a safety helmet whilst competing.
VAULTING
No requirement.
Clear as mud? Good. Mostly, the Eventing rules have stayed the same. However, if you compete in other disciplines, they have cranked down on security a bit more, and made it mandatory for helmets to be used during times when you would usually see lots of luscious locks floating around the arena in warmup. This, I think, is a positive move on the part of the FEI. I also believe that they are positioning themselves to make further changes within the disciplines that are less eager to have mandatory protective headgear, such as reining. I remember watching Show Jumpers at the WEG warm up without helmets and being a bit horrified that they would conduct themselves like that at such an internationally important competition. I am very glad to see that there is a bit more of an egalitarian view towards helmets in all equestrian sports, and that those individuals now have to wear their helmets in warm-up. What are your thoughts on the new changes, Eventing Nation?
