Radios & Cell Phones on Rides

[Ramey Peticolas-Stroud <ramey@wvi.com>]

Hi Karen,

You asked whether it is legal to use radios and/or cell phones during
endurance events.  As always I am answering as an individual and not as
an AERC Board Member.  

Unlike FEI, there is no AERC rule specifically prohibiting the use of
two-way communications during a sanctioned event.  We often use helmet
radios to transfer monitoring data about our horses to our ground crew. 
They in turn record the temperature, heart rate and other data for
future analysis.  Sometimes we carry cell phones for emergency
communications. 

There is, however, one use of two-way communications which arguably
violates AERC Rules.  Rule 6(k) prohibits being prompted by a person
other than another entrant.  For this rule to be violated, a protester
has the burden of proof to clearly show that: (1) prompting has
occurred; and, (2) the prompting went beyond the ordinary support
services of attendants and crews.  In other words, if the prompting
information could have been passed on by a road crew, then the use of a
radio to transfer the same information would not be a violation under
Rule 6(k).  As far as I know there has never been a formal protest and
official AERC opinion on this subject.

FEI rules DO prohibit two-way communications of any sort during
participation in FEI Continental or World Championships.  National
federations may grant exceptions in certain cases for national rides. 

There is one other exception.  We sometimes have to add weight to my
wife's rig to meet the 75 kilo minimum standard for FEI events.  Rather
than use lead (dead weight) we fabricated a custom cantle bag.  In this
bag we place a trauma-kit and a cell phone or radio.  This kit and its
contents are inspected by the ground jury and then officially sealed for
the duration of the event.

If at any time our horse or rider is injured to the point of withdrawing
from the event, then we break the seal on the cantle bag and use the
contents to treat the injury and/or call for help.  No FEI official we
have talked to has ever found fault with the notion of having a cell
phone or radio in an officially "sealed" trauma pack used to make
weight.

Ramey