Participants examine helmet use in the Western World; name Helmet Heroes
A wealth of information was shared on January 14th during the 3rd Riders4Helmets Safety Symposium in Palm Beach Florida.
One hot topic that was examined from more than one angle was the question of how to increase acceptance of safety helmets in the Western disciplines. From discussing how to broach the conversation with a Western rider, or any rider who chooses not to wear a helmet, to implementing more helmet incentives at competitions and recruiting helmet role models, it made for an encouraging, upbeat round table atmosphere.
Incentives Could be the Answer
Barrel racer, trainer, and participant in Extreme Mustang Makeover competitions Mary Miller-Jordan attested to the huge value of implementing helmet incentives at Western competitions, and related the success of the first incentive, held at the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth Texas last September.
Hastily organized in late summer, the Incentive was made possible by sponsors who together raised $2,000 to award bonus money to high scoring riders who competed while wearing a certified helmet. $500 was awarded to the highest scoring rider with a helmet on.
““I feel certain that this saved at least one life,” attested Mary. “There was a lady who signed up for the incentive, who was not planning on wearing a helmet before she did, but she strapped one on and then had a fall during the competition. Her head hit a brick wall so hard you could hear it, and she got up and walked away. You can’t tell me that that wouldn’t have had the same outcome if she hadn’t been wearing a helmet.”
With the cash incentive, riders more readily picked up a helmet. While it wasn’t universal, the riders that wore helmets at the Mustang Makeover helped the perception of helmet wearing in their discipline. Mary pointed out that every time one more person saw a helmeted competitor, they were that much more likely to consider wearing a helmet themselves.
In the Eye of the Beholder
In a perfect world, the perception of helmet-wearing from discipline to discipline would be the same – that it’s necessary. The question now is how to spread that perception into all disciplines. Dressage was held up as a case in point where the general perception underwent a massive change over a short perdion of time. Dressage riders went from universally riding in top hats to wearing helmets more often than not in a period of 12 months.
Today, dressage and hunter/jumper riders put on helmets to appear professional, whereas a rider ten years ago was considered green or riding an unsafe horse if they donned a helmet. But is a similar shift in perception possible in other disciplines?
“It’s almost like we Western riders think we have a wild card,” said Tammy Sronce, Managing Director of the American Competitive Trail Horse Association. “We are cowboys and that’s a tough crowd to crack. There are a lot of different avenues that you have to explore.”
Paradigm Shift
Mental Skills Coach Tonya Johnston spoke about ways to facilitate conversations about helmet wearing with riders who eschew their use. It may seem like a small thing, but a simple conversation can be the first step in changing a rider’s perception – if it’s handled correctly.
“In saying to someone do you wear a helmet – that’s a yes/no question,” said Tonya. “But asking if someone had certain situations where they would consider wearing a helmet invites a more open ended answer.”
Tonya pointed out that of the many things that symbolize Western culture, perhaps the most dominant symbol is the cowboy hat.
“The symbol of the cowboy hat does make it tougher for people who are promoting helmet safety,” she added. “It’s hard when you are talking about people changing their habits. It may make them hold on to that cowboy hat even tighter.”
But if a conversation can engage and invite conversation, rather than dictating what a person should do, a door is opened. Even if it’s just a crack. Generating ideas and communication instead of focusing on short-term outcomes will result in a more lasting outcome down the road.
“It’s about starting a conversations, planting seeds. You never know when someone’s going to have a change of heart,” said Tonya.
Be a Change Agent
A change agent is an event, organization, material object or most often a person that acts as a catalyst for change. The change agent in dressage was Olympian Courtney King Dye, who used her helmetless fall and subsequent TBI to change the perception of an entire discipline. That change agent carried as far as the FEI, which will enact a universal helmet requirement at all of its competitions in 2013.
“It’s fascinating to see the evolution of where we’ve gone with dressage inside of one year,” said grand prix dressage rider Lauren Sammis. “Now dressage barns without helmets are frowned upon, instead of the other way around.”
Finding the change agent for Western pleasure riders, barrel racers, competitive trail riders, and other equestrian disciplines that don’t require helmets is the next big goal for Riders4Helmets. Top riders are examined by and influence the younger generation in nearly every way, putting them in very influential positions as role models. When the first medal-winning reiner competes in a helmet, they will have become a major change agent for their discipline.
First Annual Helmet Hero Awards
For the first time, Riders4Helmets named Helmet Heroes, to recognize those individuals who have been change agents in their respective disciplines or fields of expertise.
Mary Miller-Jordan was among the 2011 Helmet Heroes who were recognized at the Safety Symposium. She has been the change agent at competitions in her discipline, and went one step further by offering helmet incentives at local competitions hosted on her farm.
Other 2011 Helmet Heroes included:
Courtney King-Dye, for refusing to let her injuries defeat her. Courtney used her situation to enact striking change within and outside the dressage discipline.
Sallie Stewart, for having the courage to share her story in words that resonated with all equestrians after a traumatic brain injury changed her life in 2008.
Shiwon Green, for shelving her top hat and picking up a helmet to become a positive example for change to fellow FEI level dressage riders in New Zealand.
Kemi O’Donnell, for campaigning for helmet legislation to be introduced into Congress, and for sharing the heartbreaking story of her daughter Christen’s death from head injuries that were preventable, had she been wearing a certified safety helmet.
Elizabeth Charleston, a public figure in New Zealand for campaigning for helmet safety after a traumatic brain injury changed her life.
Gary Hornstein, for becoming the change agent that led to helmet safety legislation passed in the state of Florida for junior riders. Gary’s daughter Nicole passed away from injuries sustained from a helmetless fall from a horse, and Gary has campaigned for change in Nicole’s memory every since.
Isabell Werth, for making a bold statement by donning a sparkling gold helmet at an FEI dressage competition in December 2011. The Olympic medalist and World Champion attracted global attention when she declared that she will never again ride helmetless.
Craig Ferrell, MD, for dedicating countless hours to enact helmet wearing among equestrians.
Dr. Allan Sills, for working to educate equestrians on the effects of head injuries and in particular concussions, and for repeatedly making the case of the benefits of helmets.
