Eventing safety group met in London

A group set up to scrutinise the safety of eventing met in London recently.

German team trainer Chris Bartle, British eventing team trainer Yogi Breisner, Olympic event rider Andrew Nicholson, French safety expert Laurent Bousquet and course-designer Mike Tucker (pictured) met on 18 June. The group is chaired by US rider and course-designer David O’Connor and forms the International Equestrian Federation’s safety sub-committee.

The committee will look at the prevention of accidents from researching safer rider helmets and devices for fence construction to reviewing rules on refusals, training of officials and qualification for riders to compete. It will also analyse statistics and trends and communicate its findings and execute an educational safety programme.

Mike Tucker told H&H the group is expected to meet twice a year. “We have highlighted key areas which need monitoring and these may potentially result in rule changes,” he said.

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