Ask an Expert: Jenny Merity

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No matter what your discipline, if you are a competitor you need to be across the latest

rule changes. Ignorance of the law has For all National Sport Rules, there are two main updates annually: January when key updates are made; and July when updates are made for any emergency repair, or for clarification and/or refinement of existing rules. In addition, in January any Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) updates that affect our National Rules are incorporated into the National Sport Rules. And if they relate to the safety and welfare of the horse, updates can also be made to the rules at any time of the year.

There have been some key changes to National Sport Rules for 2022, so let’s take a look discipline by discipline:

ƒ The pathway to becoming an F-Level judge has been streamlined meaning more judges will be available to facilitate competition.

ƒ Dressage rules have been aligned with the Equestrian Australia (EA) Safe

Stallion Policy, ensuring the safety of horses and athletes in warm-up areas, and easy identification of stallions.

ƒ The two year restriction for downgrading horses and ponies has been removed to allow new combinations to compete at their appropriate level.

ƒ The application process for dressage exemptions for athletes with a disability has been clarified, whether or not they want to compete as a

Para-Equestrian, or simply receive an exemption to allow them to compete comfortably in dressage.

ƒ When riding without a jacket, your stock, tie or ratchatcher should be white, off-white, or a pale colour.

ƒ If you’re riding with a jacket, your stock or tie can be white, off-white, a pale colour, or the same colour as your coat or a shade of your coat colour. Addtionally, coloured trim is now permitted.

ƒ For boots, front lace closures are now permitted.

ƒ To ensure that combinations have sufficient experience to move up the grades, it has been recommended that athletes have three qualifying results at

EvA80 before moving up to EvA95. Rules. EvA50 and EvA65 are now incorporated into Annex C, allowing consistency across states with maximum heights, spreads, and distances documented.

ƒ Note: EvA50 and EvA65 are maximum heights but some states run classes at 45cm and 60cm and this is allowed.

There is no need for classes to be run at the maximum height unless the Course Designer or Technical

Delegate wishes to do so.

ƒ It has been recommended that EA

Nationally qualified Stewards are appointed to events to help educate our athletes on the rules as they progress through the grades, and hopefully through to FEI level. It will also ensure a fair and level playing field for all.

ƒ There is now clarification that athletes wishing to move up to CCN1*-S need three qualifying results as a combination before they can compete at this level.

ƒ Specific National Jumping Rules (which apply in addition to adopted

FEI Rules) are easier to review as they have now been shaded in grey.

ƒ In competition warm up, gymnastic/ training exercises and placing poles are not allowed. They may be used in training on competition grounds elsewhere (preferably supervised by a

Steward) but not in competition warm up.

ƒ The rule regarding penalties for exceeding the time allowed for Table

A competitions has changed. There is now one penalty for each and every second, rather than one penalty for every four seconds. ƒ Although helmet tagging was made mandatory from 1st January 2022, due to a number of factors, including the cancellation of many events in late 2021, leniency was shown during

January and February if athletes did not have their helmet tagged.

However, as of 1st March 2022 the helmet tagging rule now applies without exemption.

ƒ Athletes are reminded that they can only carry one whip at any time anywhere on competition grounds, and only have one pair of spurs (one spur on each boot) at any one time.

ƒ Pastern bands are now allowed, as is Vet Wrap or similar lightweight bandaging material. Remember,

Stewards can, at any time, ask for these materials to be removed and reapplied if they feel they may have been overtightened. Stewards can also ask for boots to be removed and reapplied. This is for the welfare of the horse, which is the keystone of our sport.

ƒ With COVID disrupting competition in 2020 and 2021, allowance has been made for EA Futurity, Stars of the Future, and Future Stars classes for 2022. Horses that are nine years from their date of birth at the time of

competition are eligible to compete in these classes.

While rules and regulations can at times seem onerous, they are implemented for very good reason. They are there to safeguard you, your horse, and your fellow competitors, as well as to ensure that all riders have the opportunity to compete on a fair and level playing field.