BRITISH DRESSAGE MEMBERS’ HANDBOOK INCORPORATING THE 2020 RULES EFFECTIVE FROM 1 DECEMBER 2019 NS 2019 A5 BD NatChampsAd v1 Approved_Layout 1 12/07/2019 13:17 Page 1 Take a closer look at the Turtle Family BD & FEI Approved? Turtle TopTM Turtle TactioTM üYes üYes Turtle TopTM & Turtle TopTM & Turtle TactioTM Turtle TactioTM Baucher üYes Eggbutt üYes Learn More Scan or visit website Turtle Top & Turtle Tactio Patent Granted (WO2015121142 & WO2016030221) 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 the 2020 Members’ Handbook. We’ve worked hard again to try and simplify the content and language used to improve the usability of this vital tool in your competition kit. In our membership survey this year, you told us you want the rules to be less complex and easier to understand, so we are striving to streamline the championship structure to provide greater consistency and continuity across the sport. I can’t stress how important it is to take time to read and understand the rules. It’s not just our officials, stewards and office staff who have to be conversant with this handbook, it is the responsibility of all members to ensure that they are fully aware of the rules too – ignorance is not a defence in the event of rule breaches! When you join or renew, you also agree to abide by the Members’ Code of Conduct and social media policy, so please take some time to familiarise yourself with the content. As always, new rules and significant changes are marked in bold for emphasis, plus they’re summarised online in the Competitions section of the website and in Issue 7 of the BD magazine. There are revisions to the rules around vaccinations, hyperflexion, blood and qualification periods that will need your close attention – as these are all very important considerations when competing. We’ve also made major changes to the Petplan Equine Area Festival series and the Ideal Saddles Combined Training series which we’re very excited about. These will provide additional competition opportunities for all across our event calendar. With the Area Festivals you can now compete and qualify all year round, with a separate winter and summer series, incorporating music, so please read the new detail to ensure you don’t miss out. It’s an exciting year for the team at BDHQ; 2020 not only marks an Olympic and Paralympic year, but it’s also the first of a new five year strategic cycle. Of course there will be a degree of consolidation, but there will be investment in developing key areas such as judge education, coaching, BD Youth, Para and IT systems, for the benefit of all members. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support. Through you and our network of organisers, officials, volunteers and staff we’ve built British Dressage into a vibrant community that I’m extremely proud of. Remember you can provide comment or ask questions at any time by emailing [email protected] on any subject in the sport, whether competitions, rules or qualification. Our membership experience team are always on hand and happy to help. For now, I wish you the best of luck over the next 12 months – we hope that you will continue to enjoy participating in dressage, whatever your personal targets, goals and aspirations may be. 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 West Midlands 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 4 Members information 5 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 BD Contacts 48 BD Regional Structure 49 Section 1 - Rules Membership 51-55 Horse Registration 56-59 Para Eligibility and Championships 60 - 64 Eligibility for competitions 67-95 Competitions & Entries 96-104 Competitor Dress & Equipment 105-109 Saddlery and Tack 110-114 Riding the Test & Penalties 116-126 BD Tests in use 128-129 Section 2 - Competition Opportunities Combined Training 132-133 Quest 134-147 Team Regional Competitions 148-150 Sheepgate British Dressage Under 25 Championships 150 6 Contents CONTENTS PAGE Section 3 - Championships Area Festivals & Area Festival Summer Music 154-156 Associated Championships 158-159 Music Championships (Regionals & Winters) 160 Regionals & Nationals/Winter Qualification incorporating Premier League 162-169 Young Horse Championships 170-174 Section 4 - Judges Judges 177-180 Judges Code of Conduct 181 Judges Guidelines 182 Section 5 - Annexes Disciplinary Procedure 184-188 Feedback Policy 189 Member conduct & complaints procedure 190-194 British Dressage members legal assist line 196 British Dressage members Insurance 197-200 Coaches 201-207 Index 208-210 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.