USHJA Board of Directors Votes on Proposed Rule Changes for 2022
Lexington, Ky.—Feb. 26, 2021—The USHJA Board of Directors met virtually on Monday, February 22, to discuss and vote on final rule change proposal recommendations referred from the 2020 USHJA Annual Meeting for the 2022 competition year.
Key rule change proposals approved for recommendation include changes to hunter prize money for Regional, National and Premier rated competitions, and changes to the current mileage exemption process to make it more transparent, consistent and strengthen the process overall.
The USHJA Board of Directors also voted to approve the rule change put forward by US Equestrian that modifies the definition of an Amateur. This rule would allow Amateurs to be considered social influencers, teach lessons in a non-competition environment, work as an apprentice, and accept a non-monetary token gift up to $1,000 annually.
A jogging rule change that was established as a 2020 Presidential Modification due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and previously approved during a Board meeting on February 8, was also brought back to discuss standardizing procedures for the jogging format. This proposed rule change gives management leeway to hold jogs as they feel best for their individual competitions while keeping horse welfare a priority.
Previously approved at the 2020 USHJA Annual Meeting was a Hunter Breeding rule requiring age verification for Young Hunters and Hunter Breeding horses. The Board brought back this rule at the February 22 meeting for clarification and ultimately amended the rule to remove the requirement for age verification of Hunter Breeding horses in an effort to help encourage more participation. Age verification for Young Hunters would still be required.
Disapproved by the board was a rule change that would have established three age splits for Amateur Owner Hunters. Proposed by the Amateur Task Force, several new variations of the rule change were brought forward and debated at the February 22 meeting after being postponed for further research from the USHJA Annual Meeting and February 8 meeting. USHJA President Mary Knowlton (formerly Babick) also drafted an alternate proposal with input from USEF and presented it to the Board. The Board worked to determine the impact of this change on competitions of all sizes across the country, and in particular year-end qualifying shows that limit entries. However, it was decided that more geographical data and research will need to be collected and the Board voted to disapprove and withdraw this rule change at this time.
Per the US Equestrian rule change process, the USHJA Board of Directors will have until March 1, 2021, to submit rule change proposal recommendations to USEF for voting at their mid-year meeting in the summer of 2021. Only the USEF Board of Directors may enact a rule change for USEF-licensed competitions.
To view all currently active standard proposed rule changes, click here.
- GR312.1 – Tracking #019-20 – Hunter Prize Money
- GR315 – Tracking #017-20 – Mileage Exemption Process
- GR1131.1 – Tracking #016-20 – Amateur Owners Age Split
- GR1306.3 – Tracking #087-20 – Professional/Amateur Status
- HU133 – Tracking #053-20 – Hunter Breeding Age Verification
- HU118.3 – Tracking #047-20 – Jogging
