Since our last meeting in November 2016 most Clubs will have held their AGM's and some Committees will have changed. So, a reminder once again - Please update any changes to your Club Officer records with BRC Office if you have not already done so, otherwise any information mailed to Clubs may not reach the correct person. Any email address changes to myself please for the email contact list.
At the end of last year Clubs will have received the membership invoices for the amount payable in 2016. The insurance part of the payment is due by 31st January 2017 to BRC Office. Please make sure this amount is paid to provide the members with their cover. The remaining amount is due by 31st May 2017, - unless the Club has paid the whole amount by end of January.
Once BRC Office has received the insurance fee, the Club will then receive 5 copies of the BRC 2017 Handbook. As I have previously mentioned, this year we have combined the blue rulebook, red organiser & steward's book, and the affiliation pack, all into one book – the BRC Handbook. The sections are renamed as follows:
Section 1 – BRC Competition Rules
Section 2 – BRC Event Rules and Regulations
Section 3 – BRC Club Affiliation Pack.
2017 downloadable documents including Flu Vacc checker, Hat standards guidelines, Body protector guidelines, Accident, Fall and Incident forms and Eligibility Table are available to download on the BRC website and BRC Area 16 website.
The BRC Official Steward training and refresher weekend is taking place on Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th February. Les and myself between us have attended all of the Qualifiers since this requirement for Official Stewards to oversee the Qualifiers became a requirement. However, for the continuation of Qualifiers to be part of Area 16 offer to the membership we need others to step forward and help. Otherwise, there will be a time in the future when Qualifiers may not take place in the Area! There are two places available for BRC Area 16 on this training weekend and this year, unlike previous years, I hope someone has a desire to take the training to help at some of the Qualifiers!
Following the discussion at the last Area 16 Liaison Meeting, I have arranged the BRC Organiser Training for Thursday 2nd February 2017. The venue will be The Great Northern Inn, Ossington Road, Carlton-on-Trent, Newark, Notts NG23 6NT - 6.45pm for a 7.00pm start and the meeting will last for no longer than two and a half hours. A "finger" buffet will be provided - it was gorgeous the last time we had one here!
The evening will include Insurance, Safeguarding, H&S and Organiser information. Since even the more recent Clubs have affiliated, there are a number of things which have changed within the last few years and this your opportunity to "catch-up" with the current times! Please make every effort to have some-one from your Club attend the evening - even those who do not usually come to the Area Liaison Meetings for whatever reason!!
There is no cost to attend this evening.
Please let me have numbers attending by Friday 27th January 2017 for catering purposes. Thank you to those Clubs who have already sent their numbers!
In 2017 the dates for BRC Advisory Group meetings are:
Tuesday 6 June
Tuesday 17 October
The 2017 BRC Development Forum dates are:
Monday 5 June
Saturday 28 October
There are a number of significant of changes to the Competition Rules for 2017 – some of which have already been circulated. Please make sure you Team Managers and Competition Organisers are aware of the changes!
I have included in bold lettering some of the changes. This is not a comprehensive list, though it includes most of the major rule changes. All changes are highlighted in bold and italics in the BRC handbook. Where necessary I have included the whole of the paragraph to make sense of the rule amendment / addition. I have also included an attached paper with some of the changes – again highlighted in bold.
There are also some amendments included in a separate Amendment document issued 3rd January 2017.
G1: OFFICIAL COMPETITIONS
G1.1: Definition
An Official Competition is a qualifier for one of the BRC National Championships. It does not include inter-club or inter-area competitions, except where these are also qualifiers for BRC National Championships. It is, however, recommended that all club competitions should be run under these rules, where applicable.
All health and safety, medical and vet cover, hats and body protector (where compulsory) rules are mandatory for all BRC activities.
G6.3: Ponies or Horses Competing Twice:
No horse may compete in more than one class of the same discipline at an Area Qualifier or Championship. For the purpose of this rule Horse Trials and Challenge are considered the same discipline. Dressage, Riding Test, Style Jumping, Show Jumping and Combined Training are all considered different disciplines. The following exceptions apply:
• Dressage and Senior Riding Test competitions when they may be ridden in more than one test if being competed individually and/or as part of a team provided that each test is different and only one test is as part of the team
• Pick a Test competitions, where a horse may enter both Medium and Advanced Medium sections
G7.2 Checking of Passports and Equine Influenza Records:
Horses must be presented in a bridle to the flu vac checker at Championships and where applicable Area Qualifiers.
G9: STABLING AT CHAMPIONSHIPS
G9.1: Reservations
Where stabling is available at the Championship venue, it must be reserved and paid for at the time of entry. Stabling cannot be guaranteed after close of entries (i.e. within 21 clear days of the Championship date). After this time, a late stable booking page will be uploaded to the stabling website. A £10 late fee will be incurred per stable, per night. At this stage no special requests such as permanent stable will be accommodated.
G10: WITHDRAWALS
G10. Any team and/or individual who qualifies for a Championship and is subsequently compelled to withdraw or who intend to decline the invitation must inform the BRC Competitions Department in writing immediately when they know they will be unable to compete. Any team and/or individual who fail to decline/ withdraw may be referred to the BRC Discipline Committee for further action.
G15.3 Social Media:
Whilst BRC acknowledge that social media can be an ideal way to communicate with both members and the wider equestrian community any defamatory comments relating to members, official, volunteers and staff of BRC or the BHS will not be tolerated. An online post is libellous if it is damaging to a person's reputation. Re posting or re tweeting can be seen as an endorsement of the original comment. Therefore when using the internet and all social media members and clubs must not:
• Post any threatening, derogatory, obscene, indecent, seditious, offensive, pornographic, abusive, disparaging, racist, discriminatory, menacing, inflammatory, blasphemous, or defamatory statements or material, including, but not limited to, statements or material concerning BRC, its members or former members, its sponsors, affiliates and stakeholders;
• Make any statements that could directly or indirectly damage BRC's name;
• Use BRC logos, brand names, slogans or other trademarks, or post any of its confidential or proprietary information without BRC's prior written permission.
Failure to comply with the provisions of this rule may result in disciplinary action under these rules and/or civil proceedings. BRC may also require posts to be removed, where comments or any other submissions may constitute a breach of this rule.
BRC reserves the right to monitor, intercept and review social media postings and activities to ensure that its rules are being complied with, and for its legitimate business purposes.
BRC will comply with any law, or request by any governmental or other regulatory authority, or order by a court or other authority of competent jurisdiction, requiring BRC to disclose the identity or location of any member posting any material in breach of this Rule. BRC may share a member's personal information with the police or any other governmental authority if it is asked to do so in connection with the investigation of suspected illegal activities.
G15.4: Disciplinary Action
If, in the opinion of the Official Steward, any member of an affiliated club, any rider, competitor, trainer, or any other person taking part in the event or any person assisting any member, rider, competitor or trainer has been guilty of dangerous riding or a breach of these rules they may either take no action or impose all or any of the following penalties:
• a reprimand
• disqualification
• referred to the BRC Discipline Committee
• added to the BRC Watch List for a set period of time
Any Area, Club, Official or Member who does not uphold any sanctions imposed by BRC HQ or the Discipline Committee, will be referred to the Discipline Committee for further action, which may constitute suspension, disaffiliation, a ban, or any other sanction as listed in these rules.
G15.5: The BRC Discipline Committee
Any breach of rules may be referred to the BRC Discipline Committee.
• in the case of drug testing, when the rider elects to have a B sample tested and that returns a positive test, the committee may also ask for the cost of testing the B sample to be met by the rider or person responsible. (See CR Appendix 24 for full details of the Banned Substance and Controlled Medication Procedure).
• added to the BRC Watch List for a set period of time
• publicise the results of this action as appropriate The BRC Discipline Committee's decision will be final and no appeal will be allowed.
G15.6: BRC Watch List
Any members reported to the BRC Discipline Committee for any reason, may be placed on the BRC Watch List for a defined period of time. The Watch List is held by BRC HQ and is shared with Officials as necessary. Any member on the BRC Watch List, who breaches any subsequent rule during that period of time, will be referred to the BRC Discipline Committee and may result in a Disciplinary Hearing. Contents of the BRC Watch List may be publicised by BRC as appropriate at any time. Any member who is placed on the BRC Watch List will be advised in writing of the terms of this action.
G15.7: Recovery of Costs
In the event of the British Riding Clubs Discipline Committee upholding a complaint/ 20 breach of BRC Rules* the member or person(s) subject to such action shall in addition to any costs awarded under BRC Rules* pay:
• Expenses incurred by the membership body and members of the disciplinary panel.
• The expenses relating to any hearing, including room hire.
• Administrative expenses of British Riding Clubs limited to £350
• In respect of doping violations costs/fees of any testing of samples incurred by British Riding Clubs except in respect of negative results limited to £1500.
The limit unless specified to be at the sole discretion of the BRC Discipline Committee.
* Includes Doping Violations as detailed in the current BRC Rules and at the discretion of the Discipline Committee, breaches of BEF member Body Rules that are judged to bring BRC into disrepute. The Discipline Committee reserve the right to inform BEF member bodies of disciplinary findings and member(s) and/or associated person(s) personal details. BRC reserve the right to inform the Police and/or other Investigatory bodies if appropriate to discharge legal responsibilities.
G22.3: Body Protectors:
Important Information: From the 1st January 2018 BRC will no longer permit the use of BETA Level 3 body protectors with the 2000 label. Competitors will have until the 1st January 2018 to replace any 2000 label items with a BETA Level 3 body protector made to the 2009 standard or any later revision to the standard.
D1: DRESSAGE:
Pick at Test Dressage, for individuals, open to seniors and juniors competing at either Medium or Advanced Medium. Competitors may compete in both Medium and Advanced Medium sections.
Walk and Trot Dressage, for individuals, open to senior and junior competitors
D4: Riding Test:
D4.6: JUDGING:
Judges at Area Qualifiers and Championships should be from the relevant Panel of BRC Riding Test Judges. A BHSAI (or above) or BD Judge may be used, but will need to be provided with a judging data sheet obtained from BRC.
SJ1: Show Jumping:
70 Summer Show Jumping for senior and junior teams of four riders and individuals.
100 Summer Show Jumping, this is a mixed class open to senior and junior teams and individuals, teams may be any combination of senior and/or junior.
From 1 October 2017
• 100 Winter Show Jumping, this is a mixed class open to senior and junior teams and individuals, teams may be any combination of senior and/or junior.
• 110 Winter Show Jumping, this is a mixed class open to senior and junior teams and individuals, teams may be any combination of senior and/or junior.
SJ1.11.1: Jumping and Timing Penalties
First fall of rider on the whole course...........................................................8 faults Second fall of rider on the whole course................................................Elimination
SJ1.11.3: Mandatory Elimination:
• Second fall of rider after entering the arena and before completing the course
SJ1.11.8: Falls A horse/pony is considered to have fallen when the shoulder and quarters on the same side touch the ground or touch a fence and ground simultaneously.
A rider is considered to have fallen when there is separation between them and their horse/ pony, which necessitates remounting or vaulting into the saddle.
The Official Steward and/or Judge retain the right to eliminate a rider if they feel the rider and/or horse is unfit to continue following the first fall.
A fall of horse/pony and/or second fall of rider after entering the arena and before completing the course incurs elimination
GR: Grassroots League:
A completely new competition and has a page regarding rules
*Please note other changes have been previously sent out separately.
Roy Turner
BRC Area 16 Rep.