Yellow and Red XC 'Rider Warning' flags trial

[reynold]

See in H&H last week that the FEI are trialling at Burgley and Blenheim a set up of warning flags on XC.

If the stewards think that a rider is over-riding a horse, the horse may be lame, or labouring then a Yellow flag is to be held out onto the course in front of the rider to warn them that they are 'being monitored'.

If the rider continues and the horse worsens and the rider doesn't themselves pull up then a red flag will be raised and the rider stopped by officials.

Apparently if this trial works then it'll be put into the rulebook.

Seems like the FEI have finally reacted to the Amy Tryon issue with something positive.

 

[poops]

Well it is worth a try. Im all for anything to improve safety. It will be interesting to hear riders comments once this is put into action

 

[WFL]

It would only work if fence stewards were very quick on the radio and called ahead to the next fences, otherwise by the time they decide that a rider needs a yellow flag, they have gone past.

When I had to do a safety stop on a rider in a PN last year, I stood right in her path waving the orange flag and she rode right past me. It was a safety stop as the next fence was wrecked and my colleague (then 7 months pregnant) had to stand in front of the fence to make her stop. She gave us a load of abuse for stopping her (until she was shown the back of the fence) and swore blind to the Technical Advisor that she never saw me. I tried (unsuccessfully) to have her eliminated and suspended, so she gave me a dirty look later.

 

[WishfulThinker]

Am issue there could be what if a rider is pulled up by an overly cautious steward? If that happened and the horse showed to be fine I can't see good things happening