In December of 2020 the USEA was pleased to share that thanks to the collaborative efforts of the USEA, USEF, USHJA, and Jacqueline Mars, the funds had been raised to meet the $450,000 goal for the critical research attributed to the STAR Helmet rating project for equestrian sport. Facilitated by Virginia Tech University, which has been striving to provide unbiased helmet ratings to allow consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing helmets for a multitude of sports since 2011, the STAR helmet ratings identify which helmets on the market best reduce concussion risk. You can view the research promotional video here.
Dr. Barry Miller, the Director of Outreach and Business Development for the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab shared an update on the project’s status as of February of 2022: “The Equestrian STAR Helmet research project is well underway with Phase 2 completed. We collected on-field data this past fall with head impacts to sand and dirt surfaces under several test conditions that were based on 100 recorded equestrian falls. We used five equestrian helmet samples, along with a bare head, and a control helmet for comparisons. This provided a very robust data set to inform and proceed to Phase 3, the final phase. We are on target to release the initial helmet ratings this coming Fall of 2022.”
The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has a dedicated space for the research and testing of equestrian helmets which utilizes state-of-the-art equipment such as the NOCSAE Testing Head Form and Hybrid III Neck to give realistic fit, feel, and observations for impact. They also created a portable pendulum that could be used during field studies on various surfaces that impact those involved in equestrian sports such as sand and dirt.
As Dr. Miller mentioned, the team has studied over 100 videos of equestrian falls to determine key risks for helmet safety measurements such as drop height and impact location. One interesting statistic found during this initial review of rider falls is that in 73% of cases, the rider is able to minimize the impact of their fall by grabbing onto their horse. The remaining 27% are considered high impact falls where the rider is unable to manipulate the impact energy associated with their fall.
When the Phase 2 field trials were initiated, researchers tested against a variety of equestrian helmets, in addition to a football helmet, and bare head example. The head form attached to the portable pendulum was tested on both sides of the head form for each helmet, as well as the back and front at both the medium and high velocity of impact determined from reviewing rider footage.
Phase 3 will be dedicated to finalizing lab testing to match field testing and taking the results from field testing to create the STAR Helmet rating for equestrian helmets.
Learn more about the current status of the project in the video below:
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) Foundation serves as the administrator for numerous grants and scholarships, including the Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grant. On the evening of Saturday, September 7, 2024, the USEA Foundation was made aware of allegations of equine abuse, which included links to videos which appear to show a recipient of a Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grant striking a horse.
When 15-year-old Sophia Lieberman first laid eyes on her dapple gray mustang Bear Necessities three years ago in Alabama, she had no idea what the future might hold for them. Lieberman and her mother, Dr. Alison LaCarrubba, DVM, were on the hunt for a new project pony, and the 14-hand gelding seemed like he might be a good fit.
Rebecca Farm and the Broussard Family have been made aware of allegations of horse abuse regarding one of the 2023 Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grant recipients.
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is pleased to announce the Equine Network’s Horse Week has returned as a “Media Partner of the USEA,” as well as a “Contributing Sponsor for the USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships.”