Helmets with built in ear buds

[Scribbler]

If this happened to a junior, the junior is not morally at fault as much as the adult trainer who likely suggested it. If this is a way to slag the rider rather than the coach, stop this train. It’s the coach who needs to be cited, and (if the story is true) is likely doing this all the time.

A junior rider with a crooked coach tends to have little scope to refuse to cheat. How many of us as adults say OMG I can’t believe what we accepted as normal as kids? Whether that was doped horses in competitive h/j or asshole raw brutality from bad cowboy adults (my world).

I get that you want to gossip about a famous up and coming young rider. But it’s the coach who provided the earbuds that needs sanction.

[trubandloki]

@Moneypitt how long ago did this thing you are asking about happen?

And the bigger question, why is it such a huge deal to you now, when it was not such a huge deal to you when it happened?

To answer your original question, I have never heard of anyone cheating this way because a trainer giving advice from the rail is allowed so no reason to cheat this way.

[Moneypitt]

Exactly why the names are NOT named. That was not the point. Although some seem to think it is?

The point being breaking rules goes on. More than most of us know or are aware of.

What brought the ‘memory’ up and the questions about anyone being sanctioned was the trainer with the little walkie talkie, being mentioned in another discussion topic.

[trubandloki]

@Moneypitt

What brought the ‘memory’ up and the questions about anyone being sanctioned was the trainer with the little walkie talkie, being mentioned in another discussion topic.

Interesting.
I have not seen that thread.

I do know barns/trainers use little walkie talkies (or did in years past) to communicate with the people back at the barn. Nothing nefarious.

[lenapesadie]

@Moneypitt

The point being breaking rules goes on. More than most of us know or are aware of.

I dunno. Cheaters exist in pretty much anything that can be cheated. Thought that was common knowledge.

[IPEsq]

In h/j rules, I think it applies to all times while mounted. In that you aren’t supposed to be riding in the warmup while on the phone, for example. I think the rule stems from a safety perspective not that it’s an unfair advantage. I’m contrast, in dressage, devices are allowed in the warmup for coaching (which I think is unsafe, personally, the way they are often used), but not for competition. And it could be an advantage for competition there because other than having a reader for some tests that follows a set script, coaching from the rail isn’t allowed.

In the jumpers, unless the rider is prone to going off course, I don’t see it being a big competitive advantage. Safety issue remains though.

What we have learned from the electric spurs thing is that riders aren’t required to remove their equipment on their body for inspection absent some suspicion of breaking the rules.

[MHM]

Flat out against the USEF rules in hunter competition. The rider is not even supposed to be carrying any communication device in the show ring, much less using it, unless there is a documented medical exemption.

I believe the jumper and equitation rules are the same.

From the USEF rule book:

HU106 Equipment

2. Electronic Communication Devices
   a. No mounted exhibitor may wear or carry an electronic communication device (i.e., cellular telephone, pager, walkie talkie, iPod, etc.) while in the competition ring. The penalty for wearing or carrying a forbidden device if observed by the judge may be elimination from the class during which the device was worn or carried.
   b. Electronic communication devices used for purposes of coaching, etc., between competitors and individuals outside the ring shall be prohibited in all classes.
   c. Exhibitors who have a chronic condition may apply for a Presidential Modification exempting them from the provisions of this rule in accordance with GR153. Riders may not use these devices in over fences classes.
   d. An exhibitor who has a chronic condition and has previously been granted at least one annual presidential modification related to the condition, may submit an application for approval of a special three-year presidential modification related to the same condition. The application must be accompanied by sufficient supporting documentation that the condition is unlikely to improve during the three-year period.

[LSBC]

Not sure how long ago this was, but I do know that there is/was a junior with a hearing impairment that was allowed to have an earbud. It was designed so she could hear her trainers in the warm up ring, I believe.

@Moneypitt - how much have you investigated this? Do you know if the rider had a hearing impairment or something of the sort that would have allowed them to use an earbud?

[Moneypitt]

I addressed the answer to your question in the original post.

As far as I know, no special needs.

This was observed in the main jumper GP show arena.

The rider has since moved up to GP FEI level jumpers.

[Scribbler]

The big question is what’s the trainer doing.

[Moneypitt]

Looks like they are coaching/training and riding jumpers. Just elsewhere.

[Scribbler]

So the trainer is the one to watch for future rule breaking. Not the former junior necessarily.

[Blinky]

This does not at all seem feasible or plausible. By the time the trainer sees something, says something, the rider hears it, the rider does something and the horse says “ahh ok!” time has passed. So if you are saying this is in the jumpers the only thing they could be saying is the course and not things like kick or turn tighter or whatever. So call me doubtful of this OP.

[Moneypitt]

That is exactly what ‘Nosy Nelson’ told me; he thought the one trainer was telling the rider where to go. Like black and white to the red; turn left…???

I don’t know exactly because we couldn’t hear what he was saying under his hat, 300’ feet across, the other side of arena.

Maybe riding hunters, eq/medals and jumpers limited the rider’s time to learn the jump courses? It’s a probably a good thing they had three trainers. We weren’t watching any of those other arenas.

Like I said, I didn’t even notice anything unusual; until I was told. Then I looked over across the arena and watched.

[MHM]

@Moneypitt

As far as I know, no special needs.

I have no dog in this hunt, but that seems like an odd statement. How do you know?

Do you think people would be wearing a sign if they had special needs?

[Moneypitt]

No mention in any public news media and no noticeable speech differences in video interviews.

I understand why people don’t report a lot of things…

Have a nice evening.

[vxf111]

A learning disability would neither be visible nor noticeable in interviews. The same for partial blindness. I don’t know that you can just assume this person did not have a disability accommodation because you didn’t detect an obvious reason. People are not obligated to publicly disclose such a thing.

[Bristol_Bay]

I’m having a hard time picturing this because most helmets don’t fit over the ear. It’s not like a batting helmet.

I’m not disputing the cheating, just can’t quite picture it.

[Foitin]

Agree, this makes zero sense unless the person is unable to remember the course or the jump off for whatever reason. If anything, I would think this would be a disadvantage in the jumpers because it is distracting: one would have to turn before processing any instructions! Maybe in the adult hunters or something, a trainer telling the rider to come forward or steady to a distance out of a corner, or to the single oxer. That would be plausible.

[Moneypitt]

Well; anyone that has a wireless cell phone is probably aware of just how powerful the tiny built in cell phone speakers, can be. The music sounds amazing from mine.

With that in mind, there are many wireless options used inside ski and even motorcycle helmets. These might be larger size and are placed inside the helmets over the wearers ears; rather than being smaller, powerful and placed inside an equestrian helmet above the level of the wearer’s ears. They sell numerous versions that work with a walkie talkie. I imagine versions that are smaller but powerful like the motorcycle ones must be, more expensive.

As an example of how this works for snow skiing…

Bluetooth Helmet Audio Drop In Kit - The Chips by Outdoor Tech

You can Google wireless helmet speakers and read more on how this works. Those little motorcycle helmet speakers must be really loud.

**I didn’t see inside the equestrian helmet; so I have no knowledge of what exact technology was used. Plus I’m totally not techie at all.