E-Newsletter, March 2012
2012 E-Newsletter August Issue!
Welcome to the March issue of the 2012 e-newsletter!
Rule Changes Available Through Online Search
Did you know you can search for recently approved rule changes online? The USEF Board of Directors recently met and approved rule changes at Annual Meeting, and the spring supplement to the rulebook will be published soon.
In the meantime, use the search to find rules that may affect your competition! The search is located here: http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/Searches/RuleChangeSearch.aspx
If you have any other questions regarding rule changes, please contact Sarah Gilbert at sgilbert@usef.org,.
CORRECTION
The November issue of Equestrian magazine listed three officials as having retired their licensed officials? status:
Janis Linnan
Jeanne McDonald
Debbie Rodriguez
We apologize for any inconvenience however this information was incorrect. All three individuals are currently licensed with USEF.
For a complete list of all USEF Licensed Officials, please visit www.usef.org and sign into your USEF Account. To order a Roster please click here:
http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/LicensedOfficials/Default.aspx.
New Report Forms for 2012
The C1 and C2 Stewards will now have separate report forms. Starting on December 1, 2011 reports submitted on any outdated version of
the report and not on the correct 2012 C1 or C2 Steward?s Report form will not be accepted. The new reports will be available
soon online and orders for the triplicate, printed version may be placed now. To place an order for the new versions of the 2012
Steward/TD Packet and the 2012 Competition Packet, please use the attached, new 2012 Packet Order Forms because there have been
several changes made to the forms available and the ordering process. Please note that orders placed for the paper versions of
the forms will be filled based upon the ?requested by? and ?competition dates? in order to accommodate those competitions that take place early in December.
Please contact Becky Francis with any questions about the new C1 and C2 Steward?s Report forms at bfrancis@usef.org or (859) 225-6980 and
Maxine Johnston with any questions regarding the Steward/TD or Competition Packet Order Forms at mjohnston@usef.org or (859) 225-2028.
USHJA Competition Standards Guide
There have been some questions regarding how to fill out Part VI of the new C1 Steward?s Report. This section is used to help us
determine whether the competition met the Standard for its licensed rating. You may find a copy of the USHJA Competition Standards
Guide on the USHJA website. It is located in the lower right hand corner of their home page. Just click on the green box, or you
may use this link to find it http://www.ushja.org/programs/resources/documents/showstandards.pdf. There is also a completely new
section of the USEF Rule Book entitled ?Chapter HJ Hunter/Jumper Competitions?, which details the new rules and requirements for
licensing Hunter and Jumper shows.
If you have further questions, please contact Leigh Anne Claywell at lclaywell@usef.org or
(859) 225-6959, or Rachael Zilboorg at rzilboorg@usef.org or (859) 225-2047.
Dressage Seat Equitation
• Beginning August 1, USDF started tracking all scores earned in dressage seat equitation classes. Scores must be submitted
for all riders in the class in accordance with DR132.1(i). For 2012, another method of qualifying for the Dressage Seat
Equitation Semi-Finals held at the nine regional championships, is by earning a score of 70% or higher from any equitation class
held at any Dressage competition. For more information, click here.
Competitions
EMS and HIPPA Guidelines
This article explains the basic information available regarding EMS coverage and seeks to assist Competition Management in obtaining the proper coverage for your venue.
Each recognized competition must comply with any Federal, State, County, Regional or Local laws which are applicable in connection with the competition. Some states, counties or municipalities have ordinances that require a certain amount of EMS coverage depending on the number of participants and spectators. It is the responsibility of each Competition Management to know and adhere to any such laws. Contact your local authorities for more information.
Prior to the start of your competition, make sure that you understand and are familiar with relevant federal, state, and local laws regarding emergency medical services (EMS) and health information. It is important that you discuss the role of the qualified medical personnel at your competition with them prior to their hiring to work at your competition so that issues such as relevant laws, including HIPAA, can be discussed ahead of time. It is important that everyone understands and is comfortable with their roles and responsibilities regarding the medical care at the competition prior to hiring and especially before the start of the competition. In particular, medical personnel need to be aware that providing the information requested on the Accident/Injury Report Form will be a part of their services to the competition.
It is a good idea to contact your Emergency Medical Services personnel and Veterinarian a few days before the start of your competition to verify everything. Make sure they know the date, location and time they are to be on grounds. This will help prevent late arrivals and/or no shows - remember the competition may not proceed without them.
You must hire qualified medical personnel that meet the minimum requirements as detailed in USEF?s General Rule 1211.5 and the medical personnel must also be working legally within their certified level in the state and/or local region that the competition will take place. For example an EMT (or, Paramedic, doctor or nurse) that is certified in one state is not always automatically certified to be employed at the same level in another state or location. Be aware that not every state requires that EMS personnel complete the National Registry (NREMT) certification and NREMT certification alone is not sufficient for certification in every state. Most states have laws that cover reciprocity of EMS certifications. You are not in compliance if you hire an EMT who can legally only provide First Aid where the show is located and the EMT is not legally or ethically in compliance if he or she is hired as an EMT but provides only First Aid services.
EMS personnel should be prepared to show their credentials and level of training when they arrive at your competition. Ask to see their driver?s license and their state and/or NREMT certifications to verify both their identity and their qualifications. EMS personnel are required to keep a copy of their certifications with them at all times. It is a good idea to make a copy of the certifications or at the least to record their license numbers for your records. It is also a good idea to verify the employment status of the qualified medical personnel that you have hired and to make sure that they will be working under a Medical Director (which will help to assure that you have hired qualified medical personnel who are legally able to perform the full scope of their skills).
HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. According to HIPAA neither horse shows nor the USEF are defined as a covered entity (healthcare provider, health plan, or health care clearinghouses are defined as covered entities) that must follow the HIPAA laws. Additionally, according to HIPAA, protected health information may be released when it is authorized in writing by the individual. The USEF entry form includes a release of the information needed in order to complete an Accident/Injury Report form in the statement: ?I AGREE that if I am injured at this competition, the medical personnel treating my injuries may provide information on my injury and treatment to the Federation on the official USEF accident/injury report form.? You may need to provide this information to the medical personnel at your competition.
The information requested on the Accident/Injury Form documents the narrative of the injury, the type of possible or suspected injury sustained, and the level of treatment given. This information is important for insurance and legal purposes as well as for statistics and determining preventative actions for USEF and your competition. When completing the form, the following should be kept in mind:
? Describe what happened to cause the injury, without assigning blame:
o ?The horse refused the jump twice, on the third attempt the rider fell off when the horse ran-out to the left. The rider landed on her right arm.?
? Give a general idea of the type and severity of injury sustained:
o ?The rider sustained a minor laceration on the right arm.?
o Or ?The rider sustained a compound fracture of the right arm.?
? Keep in mind this is not a definitive diagnosis, or a detailed description of the condition of the injured person/horse. Use the words ?possible? or ?suspected? describe the type of injury if further diagnostic information is needed.
? Briefly document the treatment given:
o ?The qualified medical personnel examined the rider from head to toe and cleaned the wound, placed a bandage over it, and recommended follow-up care with the family physician, if needed.?
o Or ?The qualified medical personnel examined the rider from head to toe and stabilized the right arm with a sling and swath; then transferred care to the fire department for transport by ambulance to the hospital for x-rays.?
Resources:
? HIPAA - http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/index.html
? National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT): https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/nremt_news.asp
? Check Emergency Medical Personnel National Registry Status: https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/checkEmtStatus.asp
? State EMS Agency Information Directory: https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/emt_cand_state_offices.asp
IMPORTANT REMINDER ? Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Class:
EQ113 Requirements for Specific Classes.
14. USEF SHOW JUMPING TALENT SEARCH CLASS
g. The jumping phase of the class shall be held first over a course of at least ten fences from 3?7? to 3?9? (1.10 - 1.15m.) in
height with spreads to 4?11? (1.50m.). Each course must contain at least three fences set at 3?9? in height and none lower than
3?6?. The course must include a double and a triple combination, or 3 doubles. Additional spread fences are required elsewhere on
the course. At ?AA? rated outdoor competitions, a water-filled obstacle with a 10? (3.05m) to 12? (3.30m) spread (with or without
a pole) must be included. At all other rated competitions a liverpool is required. At both East and West Coast Finals, a water
obstacle of at least 10? (3.05m) is required. The course should be of the type used in a Junior Jumper class. Time allowed will be
figured at 350 meters per minute; may be timed either electronically or manually. To be judged on style and execution. Time and
jumping faults should be taken into consideration in the judge?s evaluation of the rider. Two refusals will incur elimination.
A Presidential Modification has been granted to EQ113.14.g. This Presidential Modification will be effective retroactively
from September 1, 2011 until April 1, 2012 and will waive the requirement of a Liverpool for the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search
class at all rated competitions, other than ?AA? rated outdoor events.
Attention all Jumper Judges: 2012 NAJYRC Certificates of Capability for US Show Jumping
Please note that a 3 meter open water jump, i.e. without a rail over the water, is required to be part of the course for this
year?s NAJYRC Certificates of Capability. Riders and trainers may be requesting that 1.40m and 1.45m courses at your show include
an open water obstacle to fulfill this requirement. Riders must verify their Certificate of Capability in writing from the horse
show office with a signed judge?s card that indicates which jump is the open water or utilize the Certificate of Capability form.
Click here for information about the 2012 NAJYRC and the Certificates of Capability. For more information, contact Jennifer Haydon,
Director of Show Jumping National Programs at jhaydon@usef.org
Veterinary Education Update - 1 December 2011
FEI Veterinary Regulations (Article 1003) currently require that Veterinarians accessing the stable area at FEI events must be
listed with the FEI by January 2012. To facilitate the implementation of this new system, the Bureau at the 2011 General Assembly
approved postponing the enforcement of Article 1003 until 1 June 2012.
The intention of identifying FEI listed Veterinarians is in line with the Clean Sport initiative and the requirement to ensure
there is a clear understanding of the FEI Veterinary and Equine Anti-Doping Regulations adopted in 2010. All veterinarians who
must be listed will be invited to take a short multiple choice examination online. Free access to FEI Veterinary Regulations and
all other resources will be permitted.
Further updates on the approach required for Veterinarians accessing the stable area at FEI events (including existing FEI Official
Veterinarians) and the basic online examination will be issued by the FEI in 2012. In the meantime, all relevant categories of
Veterinarians should start familiarising themselves with the 2012 FEI Veterinary Regulations.
If you have further queries at this time regarding the new education system and online examination, please contact
Victoria Unt or Graeme Cooke .
Officials
Learner Judges
Learner judging represents both an exciting opportunity and a responsibility to represent the Federation if you hope to become a
licensed official in the future. Please keep these handy guidelines in mind as you work towards obtaining your license.
When you arrive at a competition, you should always introduce yourself to both the steward and the competition management.
Learner judging is a professional opportunity ? treat it as such!
Do not Learner Judge at a competition where you are already working in another capacity (announcer, gateperson, manager, member of competition management),
unless you are serving as a judge in another division.
Do not plan on competing in the same competition at which you are a learner judge or where clients or family members are competing.
Do not bring pets, friends or relatives with you when you are learner judging.
Dress appropriately and professionally, keeping in mind ring and possible weather conditions (sunscreen, raincoat, etc.).
By dressing appropriately, you show respect for the officials, exhibitors and management who have afforded you an opportunity to
be at their competition.
Judging Young Horse Dressage Competitions
Just to remind all Dressage Judges that beginning with the 2014 Competition year all ?R? judges who judge Young Horse Dressage
classes must have completed Young Horse Educational Training. This training will be held once again in conjunction with Dressage
at Lamplight in late August. The date and schedule will be available in the near future.
List of Newly Approved Licenses Now Available
The Licensed Officials Committee met on January 10th and 11th to review applications for new status. You can now view a list of
all those newly approved for a license on this page: http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/LicensedOfficials/listOfApplicants.aspx
Please remember that if you are intending to submit an application for review at the August meeting of the Licensed Officials
Committee, that application must be received by our office no later than June 4th.
Congratulations and Thanks are in order!
The USEF staff would like to take a moment to thank all of the licensed officials who have been submitting their
Accident/Injury Report Forms in such a timely manner! For the last several weeks, all of the reports have been called in on the
weekend hotline when needed and then submitted by fax or email promptly at the end of the competition when involving a serious
injury or a possible head injury and/or concussion. The remaining reports for minor incidents have accompanied the Steward/TD
Report as appropriate. We appreciate your diligence in your reporting, please keep up the good work!
Attention All Stewards
Just a reminder that USEF GR1075.4 has changed the Clinic requirements for attendance as follows:
4. Clinics:
a. A Recorded Category 1 or Category 2 steward must attend the corresponding Category 1 or Category 2 Federation Stewards clinic
at least once every two years.
b. A Registered Category 1 or Category 2 steward must attend the corresponding Category 1 or Category 2 Federation Stewards clinic
at least once every four years
2012 Steward Clinics will be held at the following dates and locations:
Stewards ? C1 & C2
March 22-24, 2012
Katy, TX
April 4 - 6, 2012
San Juan Capistrano, CA
May 16-18, 2012
Lexington, KY
August 28-30, 2012
Syracuse, NY
This will also serve as a reminder that all C1 Steward?s exam requirements will be fulfilled at the clinics beginning with the
Stewards Clinics conducted in 2012. All Stewards who aren?t attending a clinic in 2012 will be emailed/mailed an exam in 2012.
Beginning in 2013 exams will no longer be sent via email but will only be administered at the Stewards clinics. These exams will
consist of 50 questions given at the clinics with an open book format allowing everyone to work in small groups.
Medical Personnel and Equipment
There has been some confusion in answering the Medical Personnel and Equipment questions on the Steward?s and TD?s reports.
Please remember that by not answering these questions completely, you are in violation of the Federation?s Rules and your reports
will be considered incomplete.
In order to rate the medical personnel, consider whether they arrived on time and were polite, professional, and available as needed.
If they used their equipment; did it appear to be functioning properly, in good condition and appropriate for the situation?
Verifying the medical personnel?s credentials by asking to see documentation of their license and/or certification is all that
is needed to determine if they were qualified to fulfill the Federation?s rules.
The questions on the report are intended to determine if, to the best of your ability and knowledge (not as an expert in the medical
field) the equipment supplied by the medical personnel was sufficient. If the qualified medical personnel were present, wearing
appropriate uniforms/identifying clothing and had equipment present which was ready to be used to treat various medical emergencies,
then the equipment present was likely appropriate. An example of inappropriate equipment would be a box of adhesive bandages
alone or no equipment at all.
If you have any questions or concerns about this, please contact Beth Taylor by email at btaylor@usef.org or by phone at (859) 225-6981.
Dressage Judges:
Please be aware of the addition to DR 122.8 which became effective 12/1/2011.
?All half marks from 0.5-9.5 may also be used both for movements and collective marks, at the discretion of the judge, and scores
given must be recorded with a decimal (i.e., as 6.0 instead of 6).?
**This is rule does not apply to judging the Dressage Phase at an Eventing competition
Smoking While Judging
Recently, the Federation has received complaints regarding officials that smoked while judging ongoing classes.
Please remember to be professional in dress and actions while in officiating. The actions of our judges reflect upon the whole
of equestrian sport.
Staff Directory
Competition Licensing, Evaluation & Safety Department
Leigh Anne Claywell, Director, lclaywell@usef.org (859)225-6959
Diana Campbell, Assistant Director, dcampbell@usef.org (859)225-6914
Becky Francis, Competition Reports Analyst, bfrancis@usef.org (859)225-6980
Rachael Zilboorg, Competition Evaluation Analyst, rzilboorg@usef.org (859)225-2047
Beth Ann Taylor, Competition Safety & Federation Representative Coordinator, btaylor@usef.org (859)225-6981
Licensed Officials Department
Diane Shawback, Director, dshawback@usef.org (859)225-6971
Smantha Kline, Continuing Education Coordinator, skline@usef.org (859)225-6969
Danielle Nichter, Licensing Coordinator, dnichter@usef.org (859)225-6968
Education Department
Chuck Walker, Director, cwalker@usef.org (859)225-6970
Amanda Bassett, Assistant Director, abassett@usef.org (859)225-2044
Regulation Department
Emily Patrick, Director, epatrick@usef.org (859)225-6956
Julie Bernier, Assistant Director, jbernier@usef.org (859)225-6953
Adrienne Dumke, Regulation Representative, adumke@usef.org (859)225-2048
Terri Grothpietz, Regulation Representative, tgrothpietz@usef.org (859)225-6917
Kristen Brett, Regulation Representative, kbrett@usef.org (859)225-6945
Weekend Emergency Hotline
(859) 312-5186
Drugs and Medications Hotline
(800) 633-2472