I hope that USEF will come to its senses. Pony Finals. Really? https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/28/896152597/midwest-could-see-surge-in-covid-19-cases-unless-states-are-more-careful-fauci-w
2 Likes
I keep checking this thread to see if USEF has come to their senses and decided holding Pony Finals just isn’t worth the risk. Apparently not.
7 Likes
I’m surprised that USEF is advising the improper use of face coverings in their COVID policy. See here the USEF’s recommendation about what to do if you “become hot” in a mask.https://www.usef.org/media/press-rel…ction-plan-for Pulling a mask down with your hand and then putting it back over your nose and mouth is not an effective way to prevent the transmission of the virus unless proper hand washing is involved in the process and no public heath professional would recommend doing what USEF is suggesting.
Still no mention by USEF about the Governor of Kentucky’s quarantine advisory.
1 Like
I’ll edit the extra “do” from my post later, rather than have it enter the “unapproved post” zone.
“Each of the five days with the most new Lexington cases occurred since July 10, according to health department data.”
When did showing start back again at the horse park? Think anyone sees a correlation??
3 Likes
“Heritage Farm has made the difficult decision to forego travel to Kentucky for the Pony Finals, Derby Finals, Green Incentive, or Junior Hunter Finals. Over the next few weeks, while we continue showing locally, we’ll relive some of our favorite moments from those championships, like Caroline Passarelli’s 2016 USEF Pony Medal Final win @chronofhorse”
announced this AM via Facebook. I think a voice like this should definitely be taken serious by the USEF. OR maybe they know something we don’t about it continuing…
19 Likes
I just saw that too. They have a big collection of pony riders. Hopefully USEF will finally take notice.
9 Likes
I’m sure the 14 day quarantine period on return to NY has something to do with their decision, but regardless it’s good to see one of the big barns pulling out from the event and making a public statement about it (instead of just quietly not being there).
13 Likes
USEF just updated their requirements to mandate use of facemasks at all times when not mounted/driving a carriage/cart. No more allowance for not wearing a mask while social distancing. I don’t know that enforcement will get any better…
[TABLE=“width: 0”]
[TR]
[TD=“bgcolor: #ffffff”]Dear USEF Members and Competition Organizers (Licensees and Managers),
We are nearly two full months into a return to competition. While we are all grateful for the opportunity to enjoy competing again, the challenges and risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic remain part of our daily lives. Governors are beginning to pull back or even reverse reopening initiatives in several states as positivity rates are increasing.
We truly appreciate the diligence and cooperation of participants and organizers who have gone above and beyond to ensure the health and safety of their competition communities by adhering to the various state and local requirements, as well as the requirements and recommendations outlined in the <a href="http://links.usef.mkt7856.com/ctt?ms=MTc2NDYxNDUS1&kn=3&r=MjkwNjkxOTU2NzUwS0&b=0&j=MTkyMjE5OTk0MgS2&mt=1&rt=0">USEF Action Plan for Licensed Competitions</a>. However, USEF has received reports of non-compliance with and non-enforcement of the Action Plan. Every instance of non-compliance and non-enforcement not only endangers the health and safety of your fellow participants, but also threatens our ability to continue having competitions in this extremely tenuous environment.
The ability to keep competitions operating depends on every one of us, individually and collectively. It hinges on our cooperative participation in efforts to control the spread of the virus.
With that in mind, effective immediately, USEF mandates the use of face masks/face coverings at all times while on the competition grounds except when mounted on a horse or driving a horse-drawn carriage or cart. The USEF Action Plan update, released yesterday, reflects this strengthened mandate.
In addition to the updated face mask/face covering requirement, USEF expects that:
[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD=“align: left”]”¢[/TD]
[TD=“align: left”]All participants will adhere to, and all competition organizers will enforce, social distancing requirements at all times while on competition grounds.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD=“align: left”]”¢[/TD]
[TD=“align: left”]Competition organizers will restrict access to competition grounds in accordance with state and local travel and quarantine restrictions.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD=“align: left”]”¢[/TD]
[TD=“align: left”]During a competition, Stewards and Technical Delegates will report non-compliance to competition management, and individuals who continue to demonstrate non-compliance with social distancing or mask/face covering requirements will be promptly removed from the competition grounds by competition management.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD=“align: left”]”¢[/TD]
[TD=“align: left”]Stewards and Technical Delegates will document and include in their report to the USEF all incidents of non-compliance, so that USEF can address any deficiencies.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
We all share the enormous responsibility of doing our utmost to maintain a safe competition environment. It is no easy task. It can sometimes be uncomfortable, even unpleasant. However, in this significantly altered environment, these steps are necessary to keep our competitions as safe as possible and keep them operating. We cannot lose sight of the wide-reaching and devastating impacts facing our industry that would result from competitions being shut down due to failure to comply with mitigation efforts. If you are unwilling or unable to adhere to the COVID-19 requirements mandated by USEF or state and local agencies, please stay home and refrain from attending or operating USEF-recognized events until the pandemic resolves.
We continue to monitor and assess the pandemic impact, and we will keep you informed of any updates to our position as circumstances warrant or as instructed by the government and public health authorities.
The safety and welfare of our members and their horses remains our top priority, and everyone must do their part and take every step necessary to keep fellow competitors as safe and healthy as possible and to keep the competition environment open.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
1 Like
I’ve heard they really stepped up enforcement at the Kentucky Horse Park.
1 Like
Making masks mandatory at all times except mounted is huge. Still dont get why this show is going on but I think the masks at all times will deter people.
1 Like
Yesterday, I sent USEF the link to the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s request that people coming from high incidence States quarantine themselves for 14 days upon entering Kentucky. I had a reply this morning that they would include it on the USEF Pony Finals website. Finally some progress.
5 Likes
That’s awesome. I wonder how they can make people adhere to it…
2 Likes
Pony Finals starts August 3, so a voluntary 14 day quarantine upon entering the state will not be especially helpful. I hope that people planning to participate behaved responsibly before heading to Lexington. It looks like strict mask compliance at KHP, and at hotels and restaurants will be the best safety measure available.
1 Like
COTH article about this makes clear that the 14 day quarantine upon return to NY drove the decision.https://www.chronofhorse.com/article…-championships
"We were very on the fence given the situation,” said Griffith. “We were enjoying training at home and going places that were an hour to two hours from the farm. We had been sort of watching the seven-day rolling average. Last Tuesday was the last day to make your decision to get your stalls back. We made an educated guess that Kentucky was going to be on the list, and sure enough it was. For us to go there and have to quarantine coming home, and not be able to come to the barn and enjoy our horses, would have been difficult. We would like to follow the rules and the protocols, which we feel like we’ve been doing. If we go there we’ll be really low on staff that is allowed to do what they need to do to keep it all running.”
3 Likes
Some of you that do not live in KY and are not even in the group of going/not going seem to be spending alot of time on trying to shut this show down. ?
3 Likes
They can’t, but people planning to go to Kentucky should be informed. It may make some responsible people think twice about attending with children.
I get the impression that USEF was unaware of the quarantine advisory from the Kentucky public health department.
I’ve checked and they did put a notice, and the link I sent them, up on the Pony Finals page of the USEF website.
3 Likes
How weird. Perhaps they are worried about the public health threat of hundreds of people traveling to KY during a global pandemic, catching a potentially deadly disease, and bringing it back to spread in their local community.
26 Likes
Am I not supposed to care that our NGB is holding a pony show in the middle of a pandemic? I care, I can’t help it.
There are people in Kentucky that are not at all happy about this show and some of them are contributing to this thread.
USEF will get some very bad publicity if a child becomes sick and they will look like idiots for having “Pony finals” right now. Horse sport does not need a worse image than it already has.
13 Likes
It’s nice to see Heritage setting an example. I bet most people are not adhering to the 14 day quarantine they are supposed to upon reentry to the north eastern states. They are taking it seriously.
8 Likes
