Helmet Regulation Changes Will See Some Helmets Ruled Out For Use In Competition
As of August 1st 2023 there will be helmet regulation changes for Equestrian Sport New Zealand and New Zealand Pony Club Association.
These changes will see the requirements for a new yellow tag to be worn in competition and activities.The move to approved safety standards is in recognition of the importance of safety in equestrian sport and is being taken seriously by ESNZ and NZPCA.
The change has been brought about due to current VG1 helmets not having to be third party checked. As of August 1st the helmet regulation changes will mean that all helmets must under go a second round of testing whether that be the Kite mark alongside VG1 or another testing mark such as ASTM etc. This will ensure that manufacturers do not produce helmets with safety ratings when they are in fact not up to the standard.
At competition, a rider wearing a helmet where a tag is not visible may be required too dismount and have the helmet checked before being allowed to continue. It is the competitors’ responsibility to ensure they arrive at an event or rally with a helmet to the correct standard. Generally at most events there should be an official who can check and yellow tag your helmet however you may want to check this before arriving at the show.
Helmets which do not comply with an accepted standard will not be tagged under any circumstances and will only be able to be used at home or in private settings.
Although protective headgear can help to keep a rider/driver as safe as possible, no headgear can prevent serious injury under certain circumstances.
Perfect fit and the correct adjustment of the retention harness are essential to the performance of protective headgear. We always recommend trying on the helmet and ideally having it fitted by someone that is qualified to do so.
There are differences in the shape of the Kask and Kooki helmets. The Kask Star Lady and Dogma helmets will also have some slight changes to them as of the 2023 models. Please contact us directly if you wish to purchase a helmet online so we can discuss these changes with you.
If you are unsure about whether your current helmet is legal for the coming changes you can usually find the label with the helmet standards under the liner, this can then be cross referenced with the PDF below.
All Kask and Kooki Helmets from 2018 forward will be legal for the yellow tag. Kask helmets with the magnetic chin straps however will not be able to receive the new yellow tag. If you need to upgrade your current helmet feel free to browse our helmet page and contact us with any of your queries.
Standards that are legal for the new yellow tag
Please read the article below for more information on the yellow tag regulations and refer to it when purchasing your new helmet as some stores are still selling helmets that will not be legal as of August 1st.
Review-of-helmet-standards-2022-1
You can find more information on the ESNZ and NZPCA helmet regulation changes here or here.
Helmets being worn at at FEI event must comply with FEI standards which you can view here
ESNZ has always chosen to follow FEI rules meaning all legal ESNZ helmets as of August 1st will comply with the current FEI rules.
Still unsure? Oakridge Equestrian owner Zephania Steele is a Pony Club Head Coach and is there for able to check and yellow tag your helmet, whether is is a KASK or not. Catch up with her at an event or give her a call to organise a catch up, you can find her details on our contact page.
