last updated on June 08, 2010 12:26

As part of the Rule Book implementation strategy it is important to have a thorough consultation with BD members regarding the major rule changes.

We would very much welcome feedback and suggestions from everyone in the sport so that your thoughts can be reviewed before any decisions are made at the Rules and Fixtures Committee meeting in July 2010.

The 2011 Rule Book will be sent out to members at the end of September 2010 to ensure there is plenty of time for the new rules to be read before their implementation on 1st December 2010.

The most significant areas of possible change are outlined below:

Qualification system
Currently combinations at Prelim – Advanced Medium qualify on a placing basis i.e. 2 wins at x%. In the 2010 rules consultation the possibility of qualification by accumulating a minimum number of points at a particular level in order to go to the Regional Championships (similar to the current system used for PSG and Inter I) seemed to be popular. It is proposed that should we move to a points-based system, a set number of points would need to be gained from both qualifiers and non qualifiers at a minimum percentage. This would be introduced gradually with Advanced Medium and Medium being implemented from December 2010. Prelim to Elementary will follow at a later date. The two phase implementation is partly due to the need to rewrite the computer systems and partly to ensure that the system will work as expected.

Riders competing at both Winter Championships and Area Festival Finals
This has been raised by members in previous years and a decision made to keep a watching brief and reconsider for 2011. There are increasing numbers of horse/rider combinations who qualify for the Area Festival Finals and then go on to qualify for the Regionals and Winter Championships at the same level. The proposition is to allow such combinations to contest the Winter Regionals without penalty but if they qualify through to the Winter Championships at the same level or higher than the Area Festival class they must withdraw from the Area Festival Final. Combinations who qualify for a Winter Championship class at a lower level than the Area Festival Final class would be unaffected.

Winter Regionals
The 2010 Winter Regionals, and riders’ preparation for these competitions, were adversely affected by the weather in some parts of the country. However, spells of severe weather have continued up to the start of April. Suggestions of moving the Regionals to a later date could well backfire by removing any flexibility for possible rescheduling.

An alternative option of discarding the Winter Regionals and moving to “second round” competitions has been suggested. These could be run at a larger number of selected show centres and over a greater time span, possibly starting before the end of the qualification period for those who qualify early. Whilst this would give greater flexibility, there would be no “big show” occasion, and it is recognised that many people have an aim to compete at the Regional as an end point.

It is therefore not proposed to amend the Winter Regionals unless there is significant feedback to the contrary.

Please send your feedback to:
British Dressage, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth CV8 2RJ or to ruthtyler@britishdressage.co.uk by the 24 June 2010.

Rule Change Approved by the Board of Directors

Equine Influenza Vaccinations
From 1 December 2010 it will be compulsory for all horses registered with BD to have an up to date vaccination certificate for Equine Influenza. However, booster injections may be administered annually, rather than every six months as required by the FEI. If a booster is missed the course must be started again. This decision has been carefully considered in conjunction with our veterinary advisor and is a measure already implemented by British Eventing. This decision making process has taken into account the fact that a very small proportion of horses have adverse reactions to the vaccinations. A brief outline of the rationale follows.

The disease is ever present in small outbreaks in the UK and, as seen in continuing outbreaks of Equine Influenza globally, such as recently in Australia, Japan, Croatia and India, there are serious economic impacts and welfare implications. We need to have a vaccination policy that will produce Herd Immunity.

Herd Immunity can only be achieved if the majority of the herd – our horses – are vaccinated. Complex epidemiology models have been developed to track the dynamics of infectious diseases. A simple summary is, if vaccination rate does not achieve a herd immunity level, disease will always propagate. Should a particularly virulent EI strain be imported into the UK, it would spread very rapidly through the non-vaccinated population.

A key focus of equine vets is preventative health measures with an emphasis on infectious disease prevention. A vaccination policy will protect our sport as well as the individual horse vaccinated. It is an essential bio-security method when horses are mixing from all parts of the country at competitions. This is not just important in the lead up to 2012 but also as a long term protection measure.