RULES

EBRC
EVENT & HEALTH & SAFETY RULES

All Officers, the Club Committee, Members and visitors to the Club fields and those taking part in Club activities have responsibility for the health and safety of themselves and that of others.

Everyone concerned must conduct themselves in a manner that does not put themselves or anyone else at risk.
Potential and actual health and safety hazards, risk and accidents should be reported without delay to a Club Officer or Steward.

Please obey Club Officers and Stewards – They are there to help ensure your health and safety.

1. All vehicles must proceed no faster than walking pace.

2. You must not leave horses unsupervised – you must not tether a horse to a fence, gate or wall.

3. Horses and ponies must be aged four years or over to compete in ridden events.

4. Lunging is not permitted anywhere on the show field.

5. Dogs must be kept on a lead, supervised and not cause a nuisance.

6. No stallions or colts are allowed on the show field.

7. Horses must be ridden or led at walk outside the rings and designated practice areas and must not be allowed to enter the designated spectator areas.
8. All junior competitors are aged 16 years or under on 01/01/2023, The minimum age is three years old on prior to the day of competition. All juniors must be accompanied by an adult who takes full responsibility for that child. Please make any children in your care aware of the key
points of these health and safety rules.

9. All competitors are required to hold public liability insurance cover. The Club does not accept liability for accidents to riders, handlers, owners, grooms, spectators or any other person or for loss or damage to any animal, vehicles or property at any event organised or supported by the Club. It shall be considered a condition of entry that each entrant agrees to indemnify the Club against any legal action arising therefrom. Nothing in the foregoing shall affect statutory rights.

10. In line with our insurance, spectators, dogs, pushchairs, and small children are strictly not permitted in the horse waiting area and entrance to rings. Riders and handlers must ensure that this area is not obstructed and all walk ways and gates are kept clear. Grooms are allowed in the horse area but do so at their own risk and it is requested only one groom per competitors enters this area. Should these areas become congested, horses, riders and grooms may be asked to vacate the area.

11. All Junior competitors must wear body protectors in all classes jumps and also in the jumping warm up area.

12. It is compulsory for all competitors to wear a standardised hard hat with the harness securely fastened when mounted. In addition, Juniors must wear a hard hat for all in-hand classes. Senior members are strongly advised to also do this. The Eventers Challenge is run under Sunshine Tour Rules and competitors must wear hats without fixed peaks suitable for Cross Country. The One Day Event is run under EBRC rules and as fences are not fixed, hats with peaks are permitted.

13. Competitors must wear suitable clothing at all times whether in a ridden or an in-hand class, this includes appropriate footwear. Jewellery should be removed before competing. Judges have the discretion to penalise competitors incorrectly attired.

14. All horses and ponies on the club field or at any external venue are required to have been vaccinated against equine influenzas within 12 months of attending an event. Horses and ponies must also be passported in line with current regulations.

15. Novice classes are to be entered by combinations who have not won first in that class at that level or higher prior to the current season. The club officers have the right to refuse entry if the class is not being entered in the spirit of the club and the combination is not progressing to the next level. Only snaffles are permitted to be used in Novice classes (with the exception of the Working Hunter class.)

16. All competitors are required to enter events in the spirit of the club, which promotes progression and development of each horse and rider combination. Where combinations are not progressing, the committee reserves the right to request the competitor to enter non competitively or to refuse the entry at that specific level. Where a competitor chooses not to progress, they are able to personally request that the entry is non-competitive.

17. The fall of an animal or a rider shall result in immediate elimination and the rider must not remount but must leave the ring immediately on foot. All falls must be reported to the cabin and an accident report form completed.

18. The club fields are bounded by dry-stone walls and falling stones can cause serious injury. Please do not lean against the walls and never climb the walls. The ERC fields, and all surrounding fields, are used for grazing: do not drop litter or muck-out on the fields. Barbecues are not allowed for fire safety reasons.

19. Any formal complaints must be made on the day of an event and should be put in writing along
with £10 deposit. Should the objection be upheld the club will return the payment

EBRC CLUB RULES & CONSTITUTION

1) TITLE:
The Club shall be known as the ‘Eldwick & Bingley Riding Club’.

2) PURPOSE AND OBJECT: The main purposes and objects of the Club are:
a. To provide facilities for and to promote participation in the amateur sport of horse riding in Eldwick
and in surrounding communities, to encourage riding and showing as a sport and recreation, to
improve and maintain the standard of riding and horsemanship, to provide training. Events are
open to members and visiting competitors.
b. To organise competitive, instructional, recreational and social events and other activities to further
the objects.
c. To be a friendly and welcoming club to Club Members, visiting competitors and spectators and to
promote good fellowship among competitors.
d. To affiliate to other equestrian organisation as agreed at the AGM or the Club Committee and to
maintain good relationships with other riding clubs.
e. To support organisations in relational to investigations and maintenance of bridleways, riding and
road safety and rights of way as seen appropriate, when required.

3.) MEMBERSHIP
a. Membership shall be open, without discrimination, to anyone 3 years and over who wishes to take
part in any event or activity organised by the club.
b. A Senior Member is sixteen on 1 January in the current year. A Junior Member is one who is at least
3 years of age and below the age of 16 on 1 January of the current year. (Note: organisations to
which we affiliate may have different definitions of Senior and Junior). All members (and
competitors) must be able properly to support themselves in the saddle and shall only compete in
classes suited to their age and ability.
c. Membership will run from 1 April to 31 March in the following year in any year. Membership fees
shall be due at a rate set by the AGM
d. The Club or its Committee may expel from membership, and subsequently refuse to accept back
into membership, any member that it considers has seriously breached the rules of the Club.

4.) OFFICERS OF THE CLUB AND THE CLUB COMMITTEE
The committee will take all available steps to ensure that it has the following officers elected as
required by the club and given available resources.
a. There shall be elected at the AGM four Principal Officers:
• Club Organiser
• Treasurer
• Membership Officer
• Communications Officer
b. Six Additional Officers shall also be elected at the AGM:
• Entries Secretary
• Points Secretary
• Judges & Judges’ Steward Organiser
• Jumping Advisor
• Trophies and Rosettes Organiser
• Field maintenance manager.
c. The Club Committee may, at its own discretion, co-opt additional Members to the Committee who,
it believes, will make a valuable contribution to the club.
d. In addition to the AGM, the Club Committee shall meet minimum of once a year in person, but will
meet as required either in person or online to discuss club matters.
e. The Club Committee shall at each of its meetings appoint one of its numbers to chair the meeting
and another to take minutes and later type them and circulate to the committee.
f. Officers, Committee Members and Co-opted Committee Members of the Club shall give their
services to the Club on a volunteer basis and shall receive no payment for their work. Nothing in
the foregoing shall prevent the payment of the standard fee to an Officer or Committee Member
who is contracted to work as a Judge or Qualified Training Instructor on the same basis as external
Judges and Instructors at a Club organised event.

5.) DUTIES OF OFFICERS, COMMITTEE & MEMBERS
a. The Club Organiser are responsible for:
• Shall be the principal point of contact for all matters relating to the Club except as determined
otherwise.
• Coordinating the Club, Officers, Committee Members, Members and supporters.
• Delegating necessary tasks to ensure the efficient and effective running of the Club, its shows,
events and activities.
• Ensuring that all shows, events and activities are properly organised and managed.
• Forging links and good relations with other local clubs and equestrian organisations
• Securing sponsorships where possible and delegating workload.
b. The Membership Officer shall be responsible for:
• Administering membership
• Maintaining an accurate list of paid-up members and their horses and ponies.
• Ensuring the membership system gathers the correct information and is user friendly.
• Ensuring payment is received
• Issuing correspondence. competitor numbers, and other mailings
• Seek to identify opportunities to maintain, increase and develop membership.
c. The Communications Officer is responsible for:
• Promoting the events and activities organised by the club.
• To be responsible for the production of all promotional material distributed by the club. Inc.
Online media, websites, social media, posters, handbooks and schedules.
• Ensure all booking systems are created in line with event information and are user friendly.
• To be responsible for all websites and social media resources used to promote the club.
d. The Field & Equipment Manager are responsible for:
• ensuring that the Club fields are maintained in good and safe order and that walls, fences,
gates, temporary buildings and toilet are maintained, repaired and replaced as necessary.
• Ensure that jumping and other equipment is maintained, repainted, repaired and replaced as
necessary.
• Ensure that grass is cut before events and that obstacles that could cause injury are removed
from horse and spectator areas.
• Ensure that equipment is safely stored for the winter and ready for the start of the following
season.
e. The Entries Secretary shall be responsible for:
• Administering the entries to each points show and other competition.
• Be responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient people allocated to entries duties at each
show and other competition and coordinate runner duties.
• Shall monitor the number of entrants to each class over the year and make recommendations
to the Committee on any changes that s/he thinks should be made to the schedule. S/he shall
be responsible for maintaining the first-aid kit and accident book.
• Ensuring entry forms are available for use at the event alongside any other paperwork needed
to run the entries efficiently.
f. The Judges and Judges’ Steward Organiser shall be responsible for:
• Securing judges and their stewards for events
• Shall maintain contact and good relations with past, present and prospective judges.
g. The Jumping Advisor is responsible for:
• Designing and where possible, build show-jumping and working hunter courses for points
shows and other competitions.
• Advising the Committee on all matters concerned with jumping, including training.
• Overseeing jumping events and making decisions regarding rules
h. The Points Secretary shall ensure that:
• Event results are documented and points are awarded to the members subject to conditions
of membership.
• The committee is informed of the end of season results so the prizes can be allocated
i. Additional Committee Members and Co-opted Committee Members shall play a full part in the
management of the Club and will be expected to assist at shows when they are not competing, and
helping with the setting up of the Club field and the maintenance of the Club fields and equipment
j. The Club Committee may vary the tasks of individual Officers to take account of their individual
circumstances. All Officers and Committee Members will be expected to attend Club Committee
meetings and operate flexibly, and help each other, in order that the Club operates efficiently,
effectively and smoothly. They shall seek to act in a way that enables the Club to live up to its
reputation as welcoming, friendly and helpful. Officers and Committee Members who find they
cannot manage the task allocated to them should advise the Club Organiser as soon as possible
so that a solution can be found.
k. The Club Committee shall have the power to fill Officer vacancies or combine duties in the event of
a vacancy arising or a post not being filled at the Annual General Meeting. If the duties of a post are
not being carried out satisfactorily and no other solution can be found, the Club Committee shall,
as a last resort, have the power to ask the person filling the post to resign from office.
l. Members shall be expected to give up a little of their time to help set up events and clear away
afterwards, undertake steward duties, and help with the maintenance of the Club fields and
property at the start of the season and at the end when everything is put away.

6. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND OTHER MEETINGS OF THE CLUB
a. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club shall be held within the first month of the new
year to transact the following business:
• To receive reports from the Officers on the activities of the Club over the year
• To receive and agree the statement of accounts and balances
• To make any changes to the rules and constitution of the Club
• To elect the Officers and Committee Members for the ensuing year
• To consider any matters placed on the agenda by the Club Committee
b. A Special General Meeting (SGM) of the Club may be called by the Club Committee, or by
request signed by not less than five Members who shall not be members of the Club Committee
specifying the business to be discussed. The Club Organiser shall give Members at least 7 days’
notice of such a meeting and shall specify the business to be discussed.
c. Members wishing to place a proposal before an AGM or SGM but submit the proposal to the Club
Organiser in writing at least seven days in advance of the meeting.

7.) INSURANCE
The Officers and Club Committee shall ensure that the Club operates with adequate public liability
insurance at all times.

8) CODE OF CONDUCT AT CLUB EVENTS
The club has event rules that all competitors must obey by when at any club organised event. These
are available on the club website, in the office and on request. These are additional rules in terms of
code conduct…
a. Abusive or intimidating behaviour or language shall not be tolerated and offenders may be asked to
leave the Club fields. All competitors and spectators shall obey legitimate requests made by an
Officer, steward or judge.
b. The Organisers reserve the right to alter, cancel, combine or split events and classes as felt
appropriate.
c. The Organisers reserve the right to refuse entry to events or classes where it is felt a competitor is
unsuitable in any way and to expel from a ring or the fields any person, horse or pony behaving in a
manner likely to affect adversely the safety and enjoyment of others.
d. Entry fees must be paid in full before entering the ring. Late entries will only be accepted at the
discretion of the entries steward and the ring judge. Entry fees are non-refundable once a closing date
has passed.
f. Clashes of classes are inevitable and a competitor faced with a clash should alert the ring stewards
or judges to the problem at an early and appropriate opportunity and, if possible and practicable,
judges will make provisions too accommodate the clash, provided that a class is not unduly
disrupted. No refund of entry fees can be made if a competitor misses a class for any reason.
g. The welfare of any animal on the show field must not be compromised at any time. Any behaviour
or treatment towards an animal that has a detrimental effect on its wellbeing will not be tolerated and
you may be ask to dismount, leave the ring and even requested to leave the show ground.
h. Any horse or pony displaying signs of lameness or discomfort will not be permitted to compete in
any event.
i. It is the responsibility of the competitor to ensure they have read and understood the conditions of
any qualifier and to ensure that all fees are paid to the qualifying event organiser by the requested
date and before the date of the competition.
j. Harsh handling and misuse of a whip towards any horse or pony whether in the ring or out will not
be tolerated and may result in you being asked to leave the show ground.

9) HEALTH AND SAFETY RULES
The Club Committee shall have the power to introduce and amend health and safety rules for the
conduct of competitive, instructional, recreational and social events and other activities. Such rules
shall be made available to all members and shall be displayed at all events held at the Club fields.

10) CLUB PROPERTY
All members and committee members with access to keys and equipment, must not borrow, lend or
remove club property without the consent of the Club Organiser or Club Committee. It is the
responsibility of all users of the club facilities to report any damages immediately to the club
organiser or a member of the committee. Trophies, keys and any other Club property must be
returned immediately upon the request of the lendee or club officer.

11.) INFRINGEMENT OF RULES
Any infringement of Club rules, including health and safety rules, shall be referred to the Club
Committee for determination and appropriate action.

12) NON-PROFIT NATURE OF THE CLUB
a. Eldwick Riding Club shall be a non-profit-making club and all surplus income or profits shall be
reinvested in the Club.
b. The Club shall seek to maintain sufficient reserves in its bank account to cover the regular
replacement, repair and renewal of storage facilities, equipment, fences, walls and groundwork; to
cover unforeseen repairs and replacements necessitated by forces of nature; and with sufficient
reserves to cover fixed and essential costs for the following year should bad weather or animal
disease prevent or curtail the operation of the Club the following year.
c. No surpluses or assets shall be distributed to Members or to third parties subject to the provisions
of Rule 13 – ‘Dissolution of the Club’.

13) DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
In the event that the Club is dissolved, any assets remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and
liabilities shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Club but shall be given or
transferred to one or more charitable or associated organisation as agree by the current committee at
the time of dissolution.

14) AMENDMENT OF RULES
These rules may be added to, repealed or amended by resolution to an Annual General Meeting or
Special General Meeting of the Club provided that no such resolution shall be deemed to have been
carried unless carried by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting and provided that any such
resolution and any proposed additions and amendments have been circulated with the agenda.
Notwithstanding the above, the Club Committee shall, by a simple majority, have power to introduce
new and changed rules for the conduct of competitions and other events at any time provided that
such changes are ratified by a subsequent Annual General Meeting.