USA EQUESTRIAN EXPLAINS ENFORCEMENT OF PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR REQUIREMENTS

The following guidelines address issues relating to the enforcement of the
new hunter/jumper protective headgear requirements for junior riders which
will become effective December 1, 2001. These guidelines were distributed to
all USA Equestrian recognized competitions and to all relevant licensed
officials. Information regarding the new rule can be found on our website
under Rules in a brochure titled New USA Equestrian Helmet Rule Explained.

GUIDELINES FOR LICENSED OFFICIALS AND COMPETITION MANAGEMENTS
REGARDING NEW HUNTER/JUMPER PROTECTIVE HEADGEAR
REQUIREMENTS FOR JUNIOR RIDERS EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1, 2001

These guidelines address issues relating to enforcement of the rules
regarding protective headgear for juniors which will become effective
December 1, 2001. The following are the provisions of Article 318.3, .4 and
.5 as they are in effect as of that date, with the new material shown in
bold italics, and with the old material with particular application for
enforcement matters shown underlined:

Article 318.3, .4 and .5
3. Except as may otherwise be mandated by local law, all
juniors riding in Hunter, Jumper and Hunter Seat Equitation sections must
wear properly fitting protective headgear passing or surpassing current
applicable ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) / SEI (Safety
Equipment Institute) standards with harness secured while riding anywhere on
the competition grounds. Harness must be secured and properly fitted. Any
rider violating this rule at any time must immediately be prohibited from
further riding until such headgear is properly in place. EC 2/16/00
Effective 12/1/01
4.Any exhibitor may wear protective headgear (ASTM/SEI) in
any division or class without penalty from the judge.
5. Except as may otherwise be mandated by local law, the
Federation strongly encourages all riders to wear protective headgear
passing or surpassing current applicable ASTM (American Safety Society for
Testing and Materials)/SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) standards with
harness secured while riding anywhere on the competition grounds. It is the
responsibility of the rider, or the parent or guardian or trainer of the
junior exhibitor to see to it that the headgear worn complies with
appropriate safety standards for protective headgear intended for equestrian
use, and is properly fitted and in good condition, and the Federation, Show
Committee, and Licensed Officials are not responsible for checking headgear
worn for such compliance.

Pursuant to the underlined portions of the rule, which are not new and
currently apply now as well as in the future, it is the responsibility of
the parent, guardian or trainer of junior exhibitors to see to it that the
headgear worn complies with the rule, and USA Equestrian, Competition
Managements and Licensed Officials are not responsible for checking headgear
worn for compliance. Accordingly, Licensed Officials and Competition
Management are not required to have all Hunter/Jumper juniors who are
participating at recognized shows remove their helmets so that their insides
can be checked to ascertain whether they are ASTM/SEI approved. The
responsibility for doing that rests under the rule with each junior's
parents, guardian or trainer.

Nothing in the rule, however, prevents Licensed Officials and Competition
Management from checking for helmet compliance if either chooses to do so.
Thus, it would not be out of order for spot-checking to take place, or if
deemed appropriate, for all junior Hunter/Jumper riders to be checked for
compliance before they enter the ring, either in particular classes or all
classes. Any of these things may be done but are not required to be done.

The rule does state "Any rider violating this rule at any time must
immediately be prohibited from further riding until such headgear is in
place." Thus, for example, if it comes to the attention of Licensed
Officials or Competition Management that a junior is riding without the chin
strap affixed, the rule places an obligation on them to immediately cause
the rider to stop participating until compliance is achieved. Another
example would be where another person such as an exhibitor or the parent of
an exhibitor approaches a Licensed Official or Competition Management and
points out that a particular junior rider is using a helmet which is not
ASTM/SEI approved. Pursuant to Article 1122.2.2 (renumbered Article
1123.2.2 in the 2002 Rule Book) it is the responsibility of a Steward or
Technical Delegate "To investigate and act upon any alleged rule violations
without waiting for a protest." Pursuant to Article 1212.2 of the rules it
is the obligation of Competition Management to "Enforce all rules of USA
Equestrian from the time entries are admitted to the competition grounds
until their departure." Therefore, in the above circumstance described of a
report of possible non-compliance made by another person, the Licensed
Officials and Competition Management must investigate, and upon
determination of the accuracy of the report, must immediately stop the
junior from further riding until ASTM/SEI approved headgear is properly in
place.

Summarizing the above, while there is no obligation on management and
officials to check every junior rider for compliance with the new headgear
rules every time he or she competes, nothing in the rules prohibits such
checking on either a random or across-the-board basis, and any possible
instances of non-compliance which come to the attention of the officials or
management from any source must be investigated, and if confirmed,
immediately acted upon.

If officials or management have any questions about any of the foregoing,
please immediately contact Katriona McElligott, Assistant Executive
Director, Regulation, at 859-225-6959.

USA Equestrian Inc., as the National Equestrian Federation of the U.S., is the regulatory body for the Olympic and World Championship sports of dressage, driving, endurance, eventing, reining, show jumping, and vaulting, as well as 19 other breeds and disciplines of equestrian competition. As the country's largest multi-breed organization, the Federation has over 77,000 members and recognizes more than 2,800 competitions nationwide each year. It governs all aspects of competition, including educating and licensing all judges, stewards, and technical delegates who officiate at these shows.