But in the photo, her measurement is going from the bottom of the upper cheek ring. The rule states the top of the upper cheek. (Frankly, the bottom of the ring seems to me to be the logical place to measure; what difference does the amount of metal above the where the cheekpiece attaches make?)
It’s all completely stupid, IMO.
It looks like it is an angled cheek so if you measure straight down, it should hit 5cm. But again - this is all stupid. It’s not a leverage bit, it doesn’t have a curb chain which would engage the leverage.
Dumb.
Dumb.
DUMB.
an extraordinary rule proposal has been approved and starting Dec 1, the rule will be 7cm instead of 5cm.
HURRAH!
It doesn’t help those going to regionals this year, but hopefully TDs will give some grace knowing that the rule is about to change.
Interestingly enough, I’m at region 8 championships right now, and the announcer made a few announcements around the show today for people who were using bouchers to come to the secretary’s office and have them measure before their test.
That was my plan for region 1 gaigs, to find the TDs after I get the pony tucked into her stall.
Yesterday my trainer said that the rule was now 6cm. I looked in the rule book; it says 7cm. I looked in the annex; the only mention of length was for a bit they described as being illegal because the length of the upper hanging cheek exceeds 7cm.
Trainer insists it’s been changed to 6cm, and that she got that info from USDF, not USEF. @Janet, can you weigh in here?
Best to ask through USEF email channels so you have an authorized reply in writing.
You’re right, and I did just that this evening.
The current USEF Dressage rules say DR121.2.a.6)
"The upper cheek of a hanging cheek (baucher) snaffle (measured from the top of the mouthpiece to
the top of the upper cheek) may not exceed seven centimeters. "
I checked the rule change proposals, and none of them apply to DR121.2
Thanks. That’s what I read, and to be double sure I looked at the rule change proposals, as well. I can’t imagine why anyone at USDF would tell my trainer anything different.
USEF got back to me this morning, and confirmed that it’s 7 cm.
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