On April 24, 2017, the USEF Board of Directors reviewed and approved the following extraordinary and FEI rule changes:

Chapter 2 Membership Categories and Requirements

The Board has approved GR201, which will further streamline the Federation’s membership options by removing the different categories of membership and creating a single active membership classification, which is necessary as Federation memberships will be run on an anniversary renewal date.  Federation Active members may elect either Active or Life membership. This rule will go into effect 12/01/2017.

Chapter 10 Licensed Officials

With the adoption of GR1032, the Board approved the creation of a new category of Licensed Official, the Para-Equestrian Classifier. Para-Equestrian Classifiers will be responsible for the assessment and grading of Para-Equestrian Athletes at the national level. This rule will go into effect 12/01/2017.

Chapter DR Dressage Division

The Board approved an update to the “one rider” rule (DR 127.6 and DR 128.2) in order to ensure it was in place prior to USEF/USDF National and Regional Championships and USEF National Championships. The changes added language stipulating that the one rider provision includes the 24 hour period prior to the start of the competition. The current rule already required this during the competition. These rules will go into effective 6/1/17.

The Board incorporated an “Annex A” into the USEF Dressage Rules throughout DR121 due to many FEI saddlery, equipment, and bits recently integrated into the FEI Rules with aims to ensure that USEF Dressage rules on bits, tack and equipment are consistent with the FEI Dressage rules when applicable at the National Level. Annex A on the USEF website will list the legality of new bits and equipment. These rules will go into effect 6/1/17.

To view the rule changes in full please visit the USEF website https://www.usef.org/compete/resources-forms/rules-regulations/rule-changes.