US Equestrian (USEF) is pleased to announce that an anonymous donor generously stepped up with a $25,000 commitment to the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, ensuring this mission-critical safety initiative hit the $450,000 goal set to complete the STAR Helmet rating project for equestrian sport.
“Tom O’ Mara, US Equestrian President-Elect, called to let me know the good news! He actually was contacted by a donor following our announcement of reaching the $425,000 milestone in early December thanks to the collaborative efforts of USEF, USEA, USHJA, and Jacqueline Mars,” said Dr. Barry Miller, Director of Outreach and Business Development for the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab. “The donor was impressed with the goals of the initiative and wanted to ensure all equestrians could benefit from a more sophisticated rating system for equestrian helmets. We are off and running and are guaranteed the funds to complete the project on the 18-24 month timeline.”
Since 2011, Virginia Tech researchers have been providing unbiased helmet ratings that allow consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing helmets. The helmet ratings are the culmination of over 10 years of research on head impacts in sports and identify which helmets best reduce concussion risk. So far, the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has developed STAR helmet ratings for sports including football, youth football, soccer, flag football, cycling, and hockey (www.vt.edu/helmet). An important study published by the Journal of Neurosurgery in 2016 brought to light how the number of equestrian-related traumatic brain injury compares to other sports-related traumatic brain injury (TBI), reinforcing the importance of equestrian helmet safety.
Work has already begun on the rating system, but the fund will remain open for donations. Any additional money raised will go towards accelerating the development timeline. A tax-deductible donation can be made directly to the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, with 100 percent of all funds going directly to this research. This work is done as part of Virginia Tech’s service mission and is 100 percent independent of any funding or influence from helmet manufacturers.
The USEA is saddened to share the passing of Dr. J. Allen Leslie DVM, a distinguished veterinarian, who died peacefully on April 3 surrounded by family and loved ones at his farm in Christiana, Pennsylvania. He was 84.
Effective communication between riders and horse show organizers is crucial for a smooth and successful competition experience. Clear, polite, and well-organized communication not only ensures that your requests are properly handled; but also helps maintain a positive relationship with organizers and helps the longevity of the sport.
The final day of competition at the the Yanmar America Tryon International Spring Three-Day Event presented by Tow & Collect crowned five new champions, featuring show jumping competition in Tryon Stadium and the final rounds of cross-country competition on the White Oak cross-country course at Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort (Tryon International). Read more below.
At last fall's Full Moon Farm Horse Trials, 16-year-old Miriam Keefer guided her horse, Micky, over the final cross-country jump with quiet determination and a flash of joy. It was her first recognized event at the Novice level, and she placed second out of 16 competitors—qualifying her for both the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds and a long-format three-day event.