The club doesn’t have too many rules, but just as a general reminder to keep everyone on the straight and narrow, here are details of the ones that seem to cause most problems.
BVRC membership is open to people 17 years old or older (with no upper age limit). 16 year olds may compete in competitions and attend any riding event as a member’s guest, (with permission of the organiser) but BVRC does not allow under 16’s to ride at their events. They do, however, welcome guests of any age at the socials.
Everyone mounted, whether or not a competitor, shall wear correct riding clothes, which must include ‘Protective Headwear’, with a harness properly adjusted and fastened.
‘Protective Headwear’ constitutes a hat meeting one of the following standards:
British PAS 015:1998 or 2011 (Provided they are BSI Kitemarked or Inspec IC marked)
European VG1 01.040 (2014-12) (Provided they are BSI Kitemarked or Inspec IC marked))
American All SEI, ASTM F1163:2004a or 04a (Provided they are SEI SNELL E2001 and SNELL E2016 marked)
Australian & New Zealand AS/NZS 3838 2006 onwards (Provided they are SAI Global marked)
Skullcaps must be worn with an appropriate coloured silk. Please be aware before you turn up that you bring the right hat with you to every single riding event & competition that we run.
Body protectors (Level 3 – Purple Label year 2009 or later or Blue Label year 2018 or later) shall be worn for any event involving cross-country jumping and are strongly recommended for show jumping. An Airbag style protector, if used, must be worn over a permitted, level 3, body protector. Riders wearing Exo Body Cage protectors must inform the organiser before commencing any cross country.
Medical armbands (armbands issued by BE and BRC) are strongly recommended at Club Horse Trials, Hunter Trial and FoTH competitions and if used MUST BE WORN ON THE RIDER’S ARM.
Jewellery including body piercing components and therapeutic medical devices (wristbands) must be removed. If removal is not possible, items must be covered up by clothing or gloves. This will be done at the rider’s own risk.
Suede chaps and half chaps may be worn but must be of identical colour to the boots and have no decoration of any sort. Brown or black leather gaiters with matching boots are permissible.
Long hair should be worn in a net or secured in such way as not to hang below the collar. There are horrific reports of long hair being entangled in a jump wing and large lumps of hair being torn out at the roots.
Otherwise there is no particular dress code, it is sufficient just to be “clean and tidy”. Correct footwear (no Muckers) is a good idea.