Lexington, KY – The US Equestrian Federation (USEF) announced a rule change on Tuesday, August 28, 2018 requiring that effective January 1, 2019 all USEF members 18-years-old and older, with a Competing Membership, must complete SafeSport Training in order to be eligible to participate in USEF activities, including competitions. To provide further guidance, below are a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the new rule change. Please note, there are three modules to the training and all three must be completed in order to satisfy the requirement. The SafeSport Refresher course does not have to be completed until 1 year from the day you complete the three modules in the SafeSport Training.
- Where can I locate the required SafeSport Training? How long does it take?
The required SafeSport Training is on the U.S. Center for SafeSport website and is free for USEF members. Instructions on how to register for an account to access the training can be found here. The training will take approximately 90 minutes to complete and consists of three modules: Sexual Misconduct Awareness Education, Mandatory Reporting, and Emotional and Physical Misconduct. All three modules must be completed in order to satisfy the requirement. The training does not have to be completed in one sitting; you can break it up to accommodate your schedule.
- By what date do I have to complete the SafeSport Training?
All USEF Competing Members 18-years-old and older (based on your actual birthday) must complete the training within 30 days of joining or renewing your membership. USEF will provide members who renew or join on or after December 1, 2018 a 30-day grace period to complete the SafeSport Training. Members joining prior to December 1, 2018 will have until January 1, 2019 to complete the training.
- How do I know I have completed the required SafeSport Training?
The required SafeSport Training consists of three modules: Sexual Misconduct Awareness Education, Mandatory Reporting, and Emotional and Physical Misconduct. After you have completed all three modules, USEF receives notification within 24-48 hours and it will reflect in your member dashboard as “SafeSport Training Completed.” You can also verify that the modules are completed by accessing “Your Activities” on the U.S. Center for SafeSport website here. Watch a short video on how to complete the training here.
- Who is required to take the SafeSport Training?
Any USEF Competing Member who is 18-years-old and older (based on your actual birthday) is required to take the SafeSport training, including amateurs, professionals, juniors who are 18-years-old and older, and owners who have an annual, three-year, or lifetime membership. Others required to take the SafeSport training include USEF licensed officials, Chefs d’Equipe, Staff, Board Members, Competition Management, Coaches, Human Physios, Farriers, Trainers, Veterinarians, and Selectors hired or contracted by USEF. The SafeSport training requirement does not apply to USEF Fan Members or USEF Competing Members under the age of 18 (based on your actual birthday).
If you have already completed the SafeSport Training on or after January 1, 2018 for another National Governing Body you are involved with, please reach out to our SafeSport Program Coordinator, Teresa Roper at [email protected] to ensure that completion is recorded in our system.
- Why is the SafeSport Training a requirement of USEF Competing Members 18-years-old and older?
On February 14, 2018 the U.S. Senate signed into Federal Law, S 534, the Protecting Young Victim’s from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 which became effective immediately. The bill imposes general requirements on youth-serving amateur athletic organizations including child abuse prevention training for adult members who have regular contact with minor athletes. This requirement extends beyond USEF to all amateur sports organizations participating in interstate or international athletic competition and whose membership includes any adult who is in regular contact with minor athletes. In equestrian sports, there are no horse shows that exclude children. Therefore, it was approved by the USEF Board of Directors on August 28, 2018 to require all USEF Competing Members 18-years-old and older to complete the SafeSport Training.
- I’m having trouble with the SafeSport Training or the SafeSport website, who do I contact?
Please be sure you have registered for an account on the U.S. Center for SafeSport website. You must verify your email to confirm your registration before you can sign-in to the U.S. Center for SafeSport website to take the SafeSport Training. Call 720-676-6417 for technical support or email [email protected]. For assistance setting up a SafeSport account please call (720) 531-0344.
- How often do I need to complete the SafeSport Training?
The required SafeSport Training (approximately 90 minutes), only needs to be completed once. A SafeSport Refresher Training, which takes approximately 30 minutes, must be completed annually thereafter. USEF provides Competing Members, who are 18-years-old and older, a 30-day grace period to complete the SafeSport Training if they join or renew on or after December 1, 2018.
- I am a survivor of abuse and believe this training could be an emotional trigger, what do I do?
If you are a victim or a survivor of abuse and believe this training could be an emotional trigger, please contact Teresa Roper at [email protected], Sonja Keating at [email protected], or the U.S. Center for SafeSport at [email protected], before accessing the SafeSport Training course.
- What happens if I do not comply with the SafeSport Training requirement?
Those who do not complete the required SafeSport Training will be ineligible to participate in USEF activities, including competitions, and will be placed on the SafeSport Ineligibility List.
- I don’t have access to the internet or a computer, how do I access the SafeSport Training?
The SafeSport Training can be completed on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. If none of these are available, there are a lot of public options to access computers and the internet, such as a public library, internet café, or a myriad of businesses that provide free Wi-Fi.
- What happens if I join or renew at a horse show?
If you join or renew at a horse show, you have 30 days from the day you join or renew to complete the required SafeSport Training. Points accrued at said horse show will count and are good. If you do not complete the required SafeSport Training after the 30-day grace period, you will be ineligible to compete and will not continue to accrue points until the required SafeSport Training is completed.
- If I have already taken the Safe Sport Training, do I have to take it again?
If you have taken Safe Sport Training (approximately 90 minutes), after January 1, 2018, you will not need to take that Safe Sport Training again. If you have taken an older version of the SafeSport Training prior to January 1, 2018, you will need to complete the new version to be eligible to participate in USEF activities including competitions. A SafeSport Refresher Training, which takes approximately 30 minutes, must be completed annually thereafter.
- How long does it take for USEF to receive notification that someone has completed the SafeSport Training?
It can take up to 48 hours for USEF to receive notification, and for your MyUSEF member dashboard to reflect that the SafeSport Training has been completed. At the end of completing all three training modules, you can print a certificate that says “SafeSport Trained” for verification purposes. There is a certificate of completion after each module. Be sure you have completed all three modules in order to fulfill the requirement.
- How will show secretaries and competition managers know if someone has taken the SafeSport Training?
Competition management and secretaries will have access to a combined Suspension and Ineligibility List in the same manner as the current Suspension List to identify those who are ineligible to compete. USEF SafeSport Training records from the U.S. Center for SafeSport automatically update to the USEF system every 24 to 48 hours. If a person appears on the SafeSport Training Ineligibility List, but has completed their training before the system updates, they can print and take a copy of the SafeSport Trained certificate to the show office to prove they are eligible to compete. Anyone who has passed the 30-day grace period without taking the training will show up as ineligible to compete.
- Why is the SafeSport Training not required for USEF members under the age of 18?
There is a SafeSport Training for youth in the works, but is not a requirement. This training will be available approximately in January 2019. There is a free SafeSport training module for parents in addition to a SafeSport Parents Toolkit that has information for parents of preschool, middle school, and school-age children.
- Why do I have to take the SafeSport Training when I have little or no interaction with those under the age of 18?
USEF’s SafeSport Policy and the rules that govern it have been created to protect all athletes from misconduct. Recognizing the signs and behaviors associated with abuse will help all of us to prevent it. In addition, the training covers information on reporting, and under Federal Law, we all have a mandate to report any reasonable suspicion of sexual misconduct with a minor.
- Do parents have to complete the SafeSport Training?
No. A parent signing an entry blank is not required to be a USEF Member. We encourage all parents to take the free SafeSport Parent’s Training and to become USEF Members in order to stay informed. However, if you are a parent who is a USEF Competing Member 18-years-old and older you must complete the training.
- Can entire barns take the SafeSport Training together?
No. Currently that option is not available. However, at the USEF Annual Meeting on January 8, 2019, a U.S. Center for SafeSport representative will conduct a group training session.
- If the owner of my horse has not taken the SafeSport Training, is the horse ineligible to compete?
Yes, the horse is ineligible to compete unless the horse is listed as owned by a farm. If the owner of the horse has an active USEF Competing Membership and is also 18-years-old and older, they are required to take the SafeSport Training. A horse with an owner who does not have an active USEF Competing Membership will not be eligible to accrue USEF points. A horse entered under an owner who is on the SafeSport Ineligibility List is ineligible to compete at USEF-sanctioned competitions.
- Do Farm Members have to take Safe Sport Training?
No. Farm entities are not required to take SafeSport Training. If the owner of the farm has an active USEF Competing Membership and is 18-years-old and older, they must complete the SafeSport Training.
- If I pay a Show Pass fee to compete at a USEF-sanctioned horse show, does this training requirement apply to me?
No. Only USEF Competing Members 18-years-old and older are required to take the SafeSport Training.
- I am a member of another country’s National Federation and sometimes compete in the United States without USEF membership. Do I have to take the SafeSport Training?
No. Only USEF Competing Members 18-years-old and older are required to take the SafeSport Training.
- My profession requires me to take several trainings similar to the SafeSport Training, is there an exemption for me?
No. If you are a USEF Competing Member and are 18-years-old and older, you must complete the SafeSport Training.
24. If a horse is shown and the owner has taken the SafeSport Training, but the trainer and/or rider is a USEF competing member 18-years-old and older and has not taken the SafeSport Training, will that horse's points count?
No. For the horse's points to count, the owner, as well as the exhibiting rider and/or trainer must all be compliant with the SafeSport Training requirement.
25. If the owner, rider, and/or trainer was ineligible on the first day of the competition, but does complete the training after the competition starts, will the horse's points count?
If the ineligible owner, rider, and/or trainer completes the SafeSport Training on the first day of the competition and presents the 'SafeSport Trained' certificate to the show secretary, then they can compete and their points will count. If the SafeSport Training is completed after the first day of the competition and the 'SafeSport Trained' certificate is presented to the show secretary, they can compete, but their points will not be good.
26. If a trainer is suspended/ineligible for something other than SafeSport Training, will the horse's points count?
No, if a trainer is suspended/ineligible for any reason, a horse's points will not count.
Additional information and resources on Safe Sport, how to report sexual and non-sexual misconduct, access to a free training module for parents of equestrian athletes, a General SafeSport FAQ, the SafeSport Sanction list and more can be found here.