BRC Officials and Meetings

View notes from 16 May 2024 (PDF)

Role of the Official Steward

A BRC Official Stewards (OS) must be present at every BRC Qualifier event. If there is no Official Steward Present, then the qualifier cannot go ahead. They must be present for the duration of the event. 

The Area Representative is normally the Official Steward, unless they are unable to attend the event. In these circumstances it is their responsibility to nominate a qualified replacement from the BRC Official Stewards List.

Before the event

• Advise & support organiser/event secretary
• Review event schedule
• Advise on the specific competition rules
• Carry out site inspection – advise on layout of the showground
• Ensure flu vaccination procedures are in place and the rules are complied with
• Walk XC course (should be more than one visit)
• Ensure all health and safety rules are applied and that a H&S adviser is appointed for each event, who fully understands their duties prior to and during the event
• Ensure the appropriate medical and veterinary provisions have been arranged
• Ensure the appropriate judges and officials have been appointed
• Review Risk Assessment & Serious Incident Plan 

At the event

• Advise & support organiser/event secretary
• Check site layout & courses incl. SJ , XC, emergency access routes
• Brief all officials, ensuring they are all familiar with rules
• Brief fence judges at XC events (this can be delegated to the Chief XC Steward)
• Advise on application of rules and ensure event is run in accordance with rules
• Check radio allocation, PA and Communications Plan, ensuring the appropriate officials are on the correct radio net, especially for XC events
• Check all medical and veterinary support is in place before commencing the event
• Resolve any problems appropriately e.g. Flu Vac issues, dangerous riding etc.
• Investigate any objections lodged
• Act as Disciplinary Steward when required
• The OS will head up the Serious Incident Team, implementing the Serious Incident Plan when necessary
  
• Stop event if medical cover is insufficient
  
• Ensure that the welfare of the horse is paramount
• The OS has the authority to stop a qualifier if necessary, for example if the medical cover is insufficient. Their decision is final 
• Monitor scoring, check & agree results
• Announce results and make awards at prize giving
• Thank the organisers

After the event

• Write up results
• Send results and declaration forms to BRC Office no more than three working days after the event
• Forward any supplementary documents to BRC Office e.g. Fall forms, disciplinary reports
• Review the event, making notes on lessons learnt and feed these back to the organiser

In order to become a qualified BRC Steward, the following must be completed:

• Shadow a current Steward at a minimum of two Area Competitions. This Steward will be your mentor for that day, and may be a different Steward for each competition. Please note, as a qualified Seward you will only be able to Steward at phases which you have had ‘shadowing experience’. It is therefore beneficial to gain experience at a variety of different phases e.g. dressage, SJ, XC
• Attend a BRC Officials’ Training Weekend. These are held annually and details can be obtained from the BRC office.

We have area reps across the country, covering 23 areas. Find out more