BRITISH DRESSAGE MEMBERS’ HANDBOOK INCORPORATING THE 2019 RULES EFFECTIVE FROM 1 DECEMBER 2018 NS 2019 A5 BD Rulebook Ad v1 Approved_Layout 1 10/08/2018 13:28 Page 1 Take a closer look at the Turtle Family BD & FEI Approved? Turtle TopTM Turtle TactioTM üYes üYes Turtle TiltTM Turtle TopTM & Available üYes Turtle TactioTM mid-2019 Eggbutt üYes Available as Snaffle & Bridoon Learn More Scan or visit website Turtle Top & Turtle Tactio Patent Granted (WO2015121142 & WO2016030221) / Turtle Tilt Patent Applied For (WO2017001288) Need advice? Visit www.nsbits.com to complete our online consultation or call 0844 66 44 600 to speak to one of our team of bitting experts Statement Mission British Dressage aims to be the most respected and successful organisation for people passionate about dressage. The object of dressage is the development of a happy, healthy athlete through harmonious education. As a result horses become calm, supple, loose and flexible, but also confident, attentive and keen, thus achieving perfect understanding between athletes. 3 welcome CEO’s CEO’s Dear Member, Welcome to your new look members’ handbook. The Sport Operations Committee, a specially formed working party and the office team have been working hard to improve the layout, language and flow as well as ironing out a few anomalies which, over years of development, have crept in. We’ve also introduced new flowcharts to help with eligibility based on a simple yes or no series of questions. If you can answer yes at any stage, you’ll need to look at the next section. Hopefully this will simplify the process for you. Please take time to read through and familiarise yourself with the new layout. We’ve tried to make it more logical based on your journey as a competitor. As always, new rules are marked in bold so, again, do read them carefully. A summary of changes is also on the Rules & Qualification section of our website. We’re hoping 2019 is going to be a year of consolidation. Various new initiatives, including structure changes, championships and rule amends have all been introduced over the last few years, so now it’s time to let things settle and bed in. Thank you all for your continued support. Our members make our sport together with our organisers, volunteers and staff, so it’s a huge team effort, of which I’m extremely proud. We’ve achieved a great deal together and grown into a successful, modern and inclusive organisation. Please remember you can provide your input or comments at any time by emailing [email protected] on any aspect of competition, rules or qualification. In the meantime, best wishes for your competition endeavours over the next 12 months, no matter what level you participate at, and good luck! Kind regards, Jason Brautigam Chief Executive 4 Infomation Members’ Horse Welfare In all respects the welfare of the horse is paramount. Please read our Code of Conduct for Horse Welfare on page 10. Board of Directors and Management British Dressage is headed by a nine-strong Board of Directors under the leadership of our Chairman. Each director has a portfolio which they are responsible for with the support of a technical committee. They look at strategy, planning, vision and direction. In turn, the senior management team at Meriden, supported by their teams, put the strategy into motion via an operational plan. Offices British Dressage Building 2020 Meriden Business Park Copse Drive Meriden Coventry CV5 9RG Website – www.britishdressage.co.uk BD Rules These rules are intended principally for use in connection with national British Dressage competitions relating to all competitions affiliated to BD. However, the rules do not only relate to national competitions. Some rules, particularly with regard to conduct and discipline, are effective at all times and in any circumstance with regard to all BD matters. Every eventuality cannot be provided for in these rules. In any unforeseen or exceptional circumstances, the relevant officials have a duty to make a decision in a sporting spirit, approaching as near to possible the intention of the rules and to protect the reputation of the sport of dressage in the UK and the welfare of the horse. Matters that cannot be resolved by interpreting the rules to the letter should be resolved by following the spirit of the text to obtain a solution that is fairest to all members. Amendments/changes to the rules in this book may be published in the British Dressage magazine (which is published eight times per year) in the member’s e-newsletter and on the BD website. Failure to comply with any published rules changes will be considered a breach of these rules. Only queries relating to this rule book that are submitted and answered in writing by an authorised member of staff will be binding on BD. 5 Contetns CONTENTS PAGE Mission Statement 3 CEO’s Welcome 5 Members information 5-6 Contents 6-7 Members Code of Conduct 8-9 Horse Welfare 10-13 Equine & Human Anti-Doping 14 Scales of Training 15-16 Dressage movements and the paces 17-30 Members Privacy Notice 31-40 Safeguarding & Equal Opportunities 41-45 Social Media Policy 46-47 Section 1 - Rules Membership 51-54 Horse Registration 56-60 Para 61-63 Eligibility for competitions 65-93 Competitions & Entries 94-102 Competitor Dress 103-107 Saddlery and Tack 108-112 Riding the Test & Penalties 114-126 BD Tests in use 127-128 Section 2 - Competition Opportunities Combined Training 130-131 Quest 132-145 Team Regional Competitions 146-148 Section 3 - Championships Area Festival 152-154 Associated Championships 156-157 Bronze Championships 158 FEI Silver Championships incorporating Small Tour Championships 160 6 Contents CONTENTS PAGE Music Championships 161-162 Para Championships 164 Regionals & Nationals/Winter Qualification incorporating Premier League 165-172 Sheepgate British Dressage Under 25 Championships 173 Young Horse Championships 174-176 Section 4 - Judges Judges 178-181 Judges Code of Conduct 182-183 Judges Guidelines 184 Section 5 - Annexes Disciplinary Procedure 185-190 Feedback Policy 191 Member conduct & complaints procedure 192-197 British Dressage members legal assist line 198 British Dressage members Insurance 199 Coaches 203-209 Index 210-212 7 Conduct Code of Members’ Code of Conduct The Disciplinary Panel and Judges Complaints Panel of British Dressage are appointed by the Board to consider complaints of misconduct or breaches of these rules or Codes of Conduct by Members and Judges and if necessary to impose appropriate penalties. In this context, misconduct is defined as failure in the observance of provision of the Memorandum or Articles of British Dressage, Code of Conduct, regulation or bye-law made by the Board or any other competent authority. Members remain subject to such provisions when participating in any event affiliated to a foreign national federation or to the FEI. The Chief Executive or Judges Complaints Panel will hear any complaint pursuant to these Rules. In this Code of Conduct BD People and BD Person means officers, staff, BD affiliated show organisers, selectors, judges, stewards, sponsors and all other volunteers acting on behalf of British Dressage - who are all required to be Members of British Dressage; and Members means members of British Dressage in all membership categories. Please note that where a member has a registered parent, guardian or carer they are also bound by this Code of Conduct. Any breaches of these rules or Codes of Conduct by a parent, guardian or carer associated with a member of British Dressage will result in that BD member being subject to the same disciplinary procedures, including imposing penalties or sanctions, if deemed appropriate. No member of British Dressage shall: a) Conduct themselves in a manner which is offensive to the public. b) Argue, threaten, behave with incivility/contempt or use abusive language towards any BD People under any circumstance. c) Ill-treat in any way a horse or pony under any circumstance. d) Misuse or use excessively a whip, spur or the bit. e) Deliberately use the action of the bit as a means of punishment and/or misuse any item of saddlery in a manner likely to cause pain or discomfort to the horse or pony. f) Knowingly allow, or otherwise, a horse or pony for which he is responsible as owner, lessee, authorised agent, or rider to compete in any dressage competition under the influence of a prohibited substance. Such member shall be in breach of this rule if the analysis of a sample taken from the said horse or pony shows the presence in its body fluids of any quantity of any substance, which is either a prohibited substance or one of its metabolites or a substance which cannot be traced to normal and ordinary feeding and which by its nature is likely to affect the performance of the horse or pony in competition. g) Unreasonably refuse to allow a horse or pony which has competed or is about to compete in a dressage competition to undergo any properly authorised test or examination if requested to do so by an officer of British Dressage or the show organising committee. Refusal to allow a test for a forbidden substance constitutes a violation of the prohibition on forbidden substances and as such is of equal gravity to the finding of a forbidden substance. h) Conduct themselves in a manner which is or may be in breach of the Memorandum and Articles of Association or any rule, regulation, bylaw or Code of Conduct of British Dressage. A member shall be in breach of this rule in the event that any person who assists, represents, or acts on behalf of or in the employment of such member during the course of a show affiliated to British Dressage, to the FEI or to any foreign national federation, conducts himself in such a manner that were they a member of British Dressage they would them self be in breach of any of the provision of any rules.