This year’s U.S Hunter Jumper Association Annual Meeting kicks off Dec. 6 in Orlando, Fla., and there will be plenty of conversation about issues big and small in the sport.

Perhaps even more contentious than the many rule change proposals on the table will be the U.S. Equestrian Federation Town Hall meeting on Tues. Dec. 8 addressing changes to GR404, the so-called “person responsible” rule. In July the USEF passed an extraordinary rule change expanding who may be held accountable for a drug violation, and the rule went into effect Dec. 1 for the 2016 show season.  

The new rule expands the reach of who may be held accountable for a drug violation, stating: “Trainers and persons responsible, in the absence of substantial evidence to the contrary, are responsible and accountable under the penalty provision of thse rules. The trainer and other persons responsible are not relieved from such responsibility as a result of the lack or insufficiency of stable security.”

The rule also says that persons responsible “may include the rider who rides, vaults, or drives the horse and/or pony during a competition, and/or the owner, trainer, and other support personnel.”

The USEF will be seeking feedback to tweak that rule from that Town Hall.

Up For Discussion

There are plenty of rule change proposals on the table as well.  

Proposed changes to EQ 103, HU101.2, JP 100.2, described as eligibility to compete, would require that all animals must provide identity verification, i.e. DNA, photos and either iris scan or microchip, to compete in a class restricted by age, experience or other classification like breed. Identity verification is also required for an initial horse recording, name change, or sale.

Check out this story about the microchipping rule written by one of those who helped craft the rule. 

There’s also proposed changes to GR 312.2, GR 384-15 and GR 379-15 would restructure the open hunter divisions and rename the divisions. This proposal would add a young hunter division at 3’, 3’3” and 3’6” based on age, and change the name of first and second year green divisions to green hunter 3’, 3’3”, 3’6” and 3’9”.  It would also change the name of regular conformation hunter to high performance conformation hunter. USHJA National Vice President Geoff Teall discussed this concept at last year’s meeting, but this is the first we’ve seen of it as a rule change proposal.

There’s also a new eligibility rule on the table that fits in with this, defining hunter eligibility and heights a green horse may jump.   

The Mileage Rule Revision Task Force has taken it on themselves to re-write the cumbersome chapter 3 of the Rule Book  over the course of the last few years, the chapter dealing with competition licensing. That chapter addresses exemptions to the mileage rule, and at the mid-year USEF board meeting the board already passed several changes to make the process by which one obtains an exemption more transparent.

Other Highlights

 •There’s a proposal to restrict riders competing at Fédération Equestre Internationale championship events from competing at junior or amateur-owner jumper competitions with the same horse for one year. It also offers that junior and amateur-owner riders may not compete in a CSI or CSIO and also compete in a junior and/or amateur-owner class at the same competition.

•Changes to HU 187.6 would allow for the creation of a pony breeding championship, and HU 191 would allow for a USHJA Pony Hunter Derby. These rules don’t mean that the championships are scheduled or even imminent, but they do lay the groundwork should the organization choose to create them.

•There’s a series of proposed changes that would allow riders to wear a safety vest either in lieu of or in addition to a show jacket. You can see them here, here and here.

•The safety committee is suggesting a change to the so-called “return to play” rule, which would eliminate mandatory minimum suspensions. The intent of the rule states that this keeps up with modern concussion research, and that the return to play be based on medical professional’s opinion.

•There’s a proposal to split USHJA National Hunter Derbies with 40 or more entries, with one class restricted to professional riders and one to non-professionals.

•There’s a rule that clarifies the soundness requirement in equitation classes.

•A change to EQ 110.5 requires six to test in Pessoa/USEF Medal classes with 31 or more entries. 

•Changes to EQ 110.4 and EQ 110.8 cap the number of Pessoa/UESF Medal and ASPCA Maclay classes a rider may enter, namely prohibiting a rider from showing in the Medal after 12 classes unless they haven’t qualified at that point. A rider may continue to try to qualify after 12 classes, but as soon as he or she qualifies the rider may not continue in that class.

USHJA committees have struggled with how to help riders qualify and practice for championships without overworking horses. According to the stated intent, the rule seeks to create a qualifying system that stresses horse welfare by limiting the number of points a rider may earn.

•There’s a proposal to change the permissible number of refusals at US Pony Hunter National Championships from three to two. The USHJA Pony Finals Subcommittee requested the change to improve the safety and efficiency of Pony Finals, noting that this year only three ponies with two refusals went on to complete the course.

•A proposed change to HU 133.0 would allow people of any age to jog a junior hunter. The rule’s intent states that this will be especially helpful in classes run California split. 

•A proposed change to HU 185.4 clarifies that each entry in a hunter breeding class will have only one handler who will present the horse in all phases of the class. 

•A change to JP 134.0 clarifies that jumper judges’ field of play decisions are final. 

•There’s a proposed change to GR 803.0 that clarifies that no “noise making materials” may be used with whips. 

•There’s a change to GR 837.4 mandating that a hunter steward or schooling supervisor be appointed to the schooling area of the ring offering the highest amount of prize money at premier rated shows. 

•The safety committee is suggesting a change to the so-called “return to play” rule, which would eliminate mandatory minimum suspensions. The intent of the rule states that this keeps up with modern concussion research, and that the return to play be based on medical professional’s opinion.

•The safety committee suggests banning safety stirrups with the rubber band and hook design due to significant threat of safety of riders as they dismount.

•A suggested change to GR1211.5 would require competition management to have an isolation protocol in place in case of disease outbreak.

•The veterinary committee suggests in a change to GR414.5 which would prohibit kinesiotape from being used on a horse while it’s being ridden.

• There are several rule changes which address competition standards, specifically how many horses must be at a competition for a rating and the size of warm up and lunge areas at shows. There’s also a rule that clarifies the number of rated sections which must be held at shows.