United States Eventing Association

Timing Of Riders4Helmets Helmet Safety Symposium Presented By SUCCEED Could Not Be Better

United States Equestrian Federation to vote on proposed helmet rule changes the week following helmet safety symposium.

Aurora, OH (January 4rd, 2010)-The timing of the riders4helmets Helmet Safety Symposium presented by SUCCEED® Digestive Conditioning Program® to be held Jan. 8th in Wellington, FL could not be better, with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) due to vote on proposed helmet rule changes at the USEF Annual Convention Jan. 13-17th in Louisville, Kentucky. The proposed United States Equestrian Federation rules, would require everyone under the age of 18 and everyone showing fourth level or lower in dressage to wear a helmet whenever mounted at a showgrounds. This will be the first time that a proposed rule for helmet use in dressage will have gone to vote and there has been a mixed responses to its proposal. Some riders do not feel the ruling goes far enough and they say that it ignores the upper level riders who many consider should be the ultimate role models to the youth in the sport, while others feel that it should be a riders choice or not, as to whether they wear a helmet.

David O’Connor, President USEF and John Long, Chief Executive Officer USEF will both be attending the helmet safety symposium. O’Connor aired his views regarding helmets at the December USDF Annual Convention in Jacksonville, FL. “I applaud all you guys for taking a step,” he said. “Eventers don’t think about it anymore, it’s just the way it is. This is going to happen, by the way, whether you do it now or later. It’s going to happen in the FEI world, too. To take this step is very important and a huge direction of change.”

Chair of the symposium Craig Ferrell M.D notes “Head injuries in sports are getting increasing attention. As FEI medical chairman and US team physician, my goal is to make equestrian sports safer. I believe this can be accomplished without changing the character of competition” he said. “This symposium is being held to Increase awareness of the risks and promote rules that increase helmet use in equestrian sport. There will be several presentations designed to review current helmet designs and testing standards. With this gathering of influential leaders in equestrian sports, I am hopeful we can guide improvements in helmet rules, helmet design, and helmet testing standards.”

Other individuals due to attend the symposium include: Jamshid Ghajar MD PhD, President of the Brain Trauma Foundation and Clinical Professor of Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College; Allen Sills MD, Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery at Vanderbilt Medical Center, Courtney King-Dye; Steffen Peters; Jane Savoie; PJ Cooksey; Kathy Connelly and Anne Kursinski among others.

The symposium is being sponsored by SUCCEED® Digestive Conditioning Program®, Troxel Helmets, Charles Owen, GPA, Tipperary Helmets and Samshield Helmets. For more information on the Riders4Helmets campaign or the Helmet Safety Symposium, visit www.riders4helmets.com or contact Lyndsey White at [email protected].

Riders4Helmets was founded in early 2010 after Olympic dressage rider Courtney King Dye was seriously injured in a riding accident. King Dye, who remained in a coma for a month following her accident, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and is currently undergoing rehabilitation. Jeri Bryant donated her helmet campaign t-shirts (featuring the slogan “Strap One On –Everyone’s Doing it”) to SUCCEED’s eBay store to raise funds for King Dye, and a partnership was formed, resulting in the Riders4Helmets campaign.

SUCCEED Digestive Conditioning Program is an official product sponsor of USEF, USDF and USEA. It is produced and distributed exclusively by Freedom Health, LLC, of Aurora, Ohio. The company is focused on finding, perfecting and delivering superior, innovative products that address real and significant health-related issues for animals and the people who care for them. Visit www.succeed-equine.com.