A petition has been sent to the FEI asking for the ban on top hats, which comes into force next year, to be rethought. H&H speaks to riders and the federation to find out more...
SOME of the world’s best dressage riders have signed a petition calling on the FEI to allow top hats to be worn at the top level of the sport.
Proposed rule changes for next year, which will be finalised at the FEI general assembly on 23 November, state that protective headgear must be worn while mounted, at all times. Anyone found violating the rule will be “prohibited from riding until the protective headgear is properly in place”.
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"}
This news story will also be published in full in H&H magazine, on sale Thursday 5 November
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H&H news editor
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
