On July 24, the USEF Board of Directors convened for a special meeting. During the meeting, the Board approved an amendment to the protective headgear certification rule change, which was originally approved during the Mid-Year Board meeting in June (click here). With this amendment, the rule change will have an effective date of Aug. 1, 2023.
This rule change expands the list of acceptable international testing standards for equestrian protective headgear, allowing more helmet and headgear options for competitors at USEF licensed competitions. By moving the effective date up to Aug. 1, 2023 (from its original effective date of Dec. 1, 2023), competitors can take advantage of the expanded options almost immediately rather than waiting until the start of the 2024 competition year.
“The additional testing standards are comparable to or exceed the ASTM F1163/SEI standard and will allow more helmet options to competitors at USEF national competitions,” stated Dr. Stephanie Bonin, Principal and Senior Biochemical Engineer at MEA Forensic Engineers & Scientists and Chair of ASTM Equestrian Helmet Task Force.
Additionally, the list of accepted international testing standards and corresponding certified quality control labels for equestrian protective headgear have been posted on the USEF website rather than within the USEF Rule Book to allow for making future updates to the list without having to undergo the timeline associated with the rule change process. Click here to reference the International Test Standards list.
If you have any questions about this rule change or the types of protective headgear approved for use at USEF licensed competitions, please contact Katlynn Wilbers at [email protected].
Until this past May, qualifying for the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds let alone actually making plans to compete, seemed like a far-off dream. Going into this show season the AEC was a goal I had set in the back of my mind but maybe only said out loud a few times.
The Millbrook Horse Trials kicked off on July 25 with lower level dressage at Riga Meadow Equestrian Center at Coole Park in Millbrook, New York. There are more than 400 total entries competing at Millbrook, from Beginner Novice to Advanced level. Today the upper level horses cantered down the centerline, while the lower levels headed out on cross-country.
The United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) is thrilled to announce Adams Horse Supply as the new title sponsor of the USEA Adult Team Championships (ATC) at the American Eventing Championships (AEC). The ATC will now be titled “The Adams Horse Supply USEA Adult Team Championships at the AEC.”
The world’s best eventing horses and riders will be first out of the starting blocks when the equestrian action gets underway at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Versailles, France, tomorrow morning with the opening dressage test.