Riders4Helmets Announces $10,000 Helmet Giveaway And Chance To Win An iPad3
Lexington, KY (April 17th, 2012)– This month, the popular helmet awareness campaign Riders4Helmets.com is celebrating its two-year anniversary of educating equestrians on all aspects of helmet safety, by way of a monumental giveaway. Lucky equestrians could win one of 50 helmets, which have a combined value of approximately $10,000, or the highly sought after iPad3 (the new iPad) 4G + WiFi.
“In recognition of our two-year anniversary we wanted to do something really special to thank the many equestrians who have supported the riders4helmets campaign,” said Lyndsey White, Riders4Helmets founder. “The campaign has grown bigger than we ever could have imagined, and we are proud to know that it has made a difference in the lives of many people around the globe.”
Visitors to the Rolex KY 3DE (April 26-April 29) may visit the Riders4Helmets area in the “old” indoor arena to register for the giveaway, receive helmet safety literature, and, have the opportunity to participate in helmet fitting demonstrations. Equestrians who are unable to attend Rolex can still register for the giveaway by visiting www.riders4helmets.com/register-for-giveaway/. The registration closes midnight (eastern standard time USA) on Sunday May 6th, 2012. Riders4Helmets horse and rider logo wear will also be available for purchase at Rolex, the proceeds of which will be used to fund educational events such as helmet safety symposiums.
“We are sincerely grateful to the sponsors of both the helmet and iPad giveaway”, said Chad Mendell, Riders4Helmets. “Without the support of generous sponsors, Riders4Helmets would not be able to offer these amazing prizes and educational events.
“The iPad3 giveaway is kindly sponsored by: Riders4Helmets.com, Equestrian Professional, EquestrianCollections.com, Broadstone Equine Insurance, Fresh Helmet, Sellstedter Hof, Cartier Farms, Troxel and, Rise Systems. The helmet giveaway is kindly sponsored by: GPA, Samshield, Troxel, Charles Owen, International Riding Supply (IRH), Tipperary, Ovation, Pegasus and One K.
Giveaway winners will be selected at random and announced at www.riders4helmets.com on Monday May 7th, 2012. Official giveaway rules can be found at: www.riders4helmets.com/official-rules/
The Riders4Helmets campaign has rapidly gained the support of equestrians around the globe. After organizing National Helmet Awareness Day held in the USA in 2010, the campaign went on to organize International Helmet Awareness Day in 2011 in which over 500 equestrian retailers participated. Riders4Helmets has also hosted three Riders4Helmets Safety Symposia. Plans are already in the works for International Helmet Awareness Day 2012, and a 4th Riders4Helmets Safety Symposium, both to be held summer 2012.
For more information on the Riders4Helmets campaign, visit www.riders4helmets.com. You can also follow the campaign at www.facebook.com/riders4helmets and http://twitter.com/riders4helmets.
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 still undergoing rehabilitation.
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You Can Leave Your Hat On – Mandatory Helmet Rule
Effective April 1, 2012, ALL persons mounted on a horse on competition grounds are required to wear an ASTM approved helmet:
2. It is compulsory for all persons at Federation licensed hunter, jumper or hunter/jumper competitions when mounted anywhere on the competition grounds, to wear properly fastened protective headgear which meets or exceeds ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)/SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) standards for equestrian use and carries the SEI tag. It must be properly fitted with harness secured. BOD 1/14/12 Effective 4/1/12.
Helmets Required for all Levels of Equine Canada Dressage Competition in 2012
Content shared from Riders4Helmets
December 27, 2011—Equine Canada and Dressage Canada are taking an industry-wide leadership role by requiring all dressage riders to wear helmets in competition. Commencing in 2012, a national rule change will require all riders to wear helmets for all levels of Equine Canada sanctioned dressage competition.
The rule for January 1, 2012 is SAFETY HEADGEAR
All riders, regardless of age or level or competition, must wear ASTM/SEI or BSI/BS EN approved protective headgear at all times when mounted at any EC-sanctioned Dressage competition at the event location.
“I am very proud of our Dressage Committee for taking this step,” said Equine Canada president Michael Gallagher. “I believe we are the first national federation in the world to introduce this rule across all levels, and I can guarantee we will not be the last.”
This change for 2012 is a modification to the rule that was put in place in May 2011 where all riders competing in Fourth Level and below, FEI Young Horse Tests, Material and equitation classes at Bronze, Silver and Gold shows had to wear helmets. This rule also included non-competing riders as well.
“Helmet use is an important step and component in the safety for all our members,” said John Harris, chair of Equine Canada Board’s Task Force on Safety. “In 2012 Equine Canada will launch a safety audit across the entire organization to examine and identify best practices for safety. The well-being of our members needs to always be the primary concern of the organization.”
“I am thrilled that Canada is promoting the use of helmets,” said Canadian Olympian Ashley Holzer, who routinely wears helmets during competition. “Helmets prevent head injuries, and I feel a rule that promotes the safety of its riders is a great rule.”
“Riders4Helmets is delighted that Equine Canada is demonstrating that rider safety comes before tradition by implementing helmet rule changes in dressage shows at all level,” said Lyndsey White, co-founder www.riders4helmets.com. “Courtney King-Dye’s accident showed that safety has nothing to do with level of skill. Any rider can suffer a traumatic brain injury—even an Olympian. Equine Canada should be congratulated on taking this monumental step.”
Most of the feedback received by the Dressage Canada Rules Committee on the subject of helmet safety was in favour of riders wearing approved helmets in competition. This rule change came after an open, democratic process, in which all Canadian dressage riders had a chance to express their views to the proposal.
For the complete Equine Canada Dressage rules for 2012, please visit the rules section of the Equine Canada website at http://bit.ly/sr00gv.
FEI Approves New Safety Helmet Rule But Delayed for Year
Shared via http://www.dressage-news.com/
JANEIRO, Nov. 14–The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) approved on Monday a new rule making protective head gear mandatory on show grounds, but the United States Equestrian Federation succeeded in delaying its implementation for a year to provide time for vaulting and reining to prepare for the change.
New helmet regulations for young Alberta 4-H riders
By Tamara Gignac, Calgary Herald
British Dressage to introduce mandatory safety hat rules
Reposted from Horse&Hound
Amy Mathieson, H&H news writer
5 September, 2011
Safety helmets are to be mandatory for all British Dressage (BD) riders except for advanced and above.
Earlier this year riders were asked to give their opinion on possible BD rule changes — which included safety helmets, allowing horses to be downgraded when they have reached the upper points limits for each level and a cap on the number of tests ridden in one day (news 28, April).
The move follows publicity surrounding a US dressage rider Courtney King-Dye's serious head injury in March 2010 and the launch of a top hat with harness.
The new rules will come into force on 1 December and follow similar ones enforced by the United States Equestrian Federation and draft rules for 2012 for international competition which will be discussed at the FEI general assembly in November.
Member feedback
Paul Graham from BD said the association has had feedback from around 200 members.
"This change is to protect our members against sustaining a possible head injury. BD must be proactive rather than reactive, there are no 'if only' when it comes to members safety," he added.
According to BD around 40% of those who responded wanted to leave the decision to wear a safety hat to the rider; the remainder supported mandatory safety hats.
"The FEI is still allowing top hats to be worn in the pre-test warm up and during the test. To keep as much in line with the FEI as possible we are still permitting top hats to be worn at the equivalent levels," said Mr Graham, adding at present there are no plans to bring in crash helmets at the top levels.
"While it is true that there are very few incidents where a dressage competitor has received a serious head injury in competition, we should be looking at mitigating potential risk, not reacting to past incidents, or lack of them."
Other rule changes
The number of tests that can be ridden in one day will not be limited as BD felt that "the incidents of riders over-stretching unfit horses was minimal".
BD also asked whether horses should be forced to compete at a specific level once they had attained a certain number of points — as riders were finding their horses had reached the upper points limit of which they feel comfortable competing.
If a horse has too many points to be eligible for novice, for example, but the rider has never competed at elementary, they can apply to BD, pay £60, and have the horse "downgraded". The horse will be allocated few enough points to allow the rider to continue at novice for some time.
For more information visit: www.britishdressage.co.uk
Laws Involving Equestrian Safety Helmets
New York Law
New York’s helmet law took effect in 2000. It requires riders under age 14 to wear approved helmets when riding a horse on highways and/or private roads. New York’s law requires those who hire, rent out horses for riding, or provide training in the riding of horses for consideration to provide helmets at no extra charge to “beginning riders” of any age and riders less than 14 years of age. The law also requires “horse providers” to offer ASTM/SEI standard equestrian helmets to all riders along with “appropriate helmet safety information.”
California Ordinance
Norco, California passed a helmet ordinance in 2008. It states that those under age 18 who ride horses in public areas must wear properly fitted and secured helmets that are ASTM-standard (or any other nationally recognized helmet standard). The helmet must be worn regardless of whether the rider is controlling the horse.
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The Top 10 Helmet Facts & Myths of Horseback Riding
Facts
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Horseback riders have the same number of injury accidents* as motorcycle riders
Because the hospital admission rate for injured riders (0.49/1000 hours) is greater than motorcycle riding (0.14/1000 hours), football and skiing, it is definitely considered a high-risk activity. Read more about this study in the The Equestrian Medical Safety Association (EMSA) Spring, 2010 Newsletter.
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Your horse doing something unpredictable, like spooking, bucking, or bolting – is how most head injuries occur, but 20% happen when you’re simply around horses.
The majority of head injuries are caused by unpredictable events, such as your horse spooking. And even more surprising, 1 in 5 people who are seriously injured weren’t even riding – they were just hanging out around horses or watching someone else.
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The most common reason among riders for admission to hospital and death are head injuries.
About 70,000 people go to the emergency room each year for equestrian-related injuries. About 12,000 of those people have suffered head injuries.
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Helmets work. Most deaths from head injury can be prevented by wearing ASTM/SEI approved helmets that fit correctly and have the harness firmly applied.
To get the most protection out of your helmet, it needs to fit you well, and be properly adjusted every single time you ride, including a snug chin strap.
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Most riding injuries occur during pleasure riding.
Myths
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Bike or skateboard helmets are fine for riding horses.
Cycling and Equestrian standards are very different. Bicycle helmets are similar to Horseback Riding safety helmets in appearance, but are not subject to the design specifications and standards that a riding helmet must pass in order to provide adequate protection.
An equestrian helmet offers additional protection to the back of the head and the sweatband area of the helmet. Equestrian helmets are tested by the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) for Chinstrap retention, penetration by a sharp object, and for impact absorption. These tests are specifically for horseback riding related accidents.
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Horseback riding isn’t dangerous as long as you aren’t riding fast.
Actually, the risk of injury is more closely tied to your distance above the ground, not speed. Falls from only over 2 feet high can cause serious injury, no matter how slow your horse is! The risk of injury is tied to how much you ride, not how good you are.
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The more expensive your helmet is, the more it will protect you.
You can spend $500 on a helmet, but it won’t make it any safer. As long as it’s SEI /ASTM certified, you’re buying a certified protective helmet. Spending more might get you different padding, fancier decorations or materials, but it doesn’t translate into more protection.
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If you don’t have a helmet, just borrow a friend’s.
Avoid loaning your helmet to others. As a savvy rider, you want to know exactly what kind of treatment your helmet has experienced during its lifespan so you can knowledgeably assess its integrity over time.
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After a fall if your helmet took the impact of the fall, it’s fine unless you see a crack in it.
You need to replace your helmet if you’re ever in a fall. It could have a defect that’s invisible, and if you fall on that same part of the helmet again, you won’t have the protection that you should. And even if your helmet never takes a hit, it’s a good idea to replace it at least every five years (or sooner if you ride often), just because the helmet material can take a beating from all the sweat, heat, dust, and rain.
