Dressage gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin, eventing legend Lucinda Green and rider fitness coach Jon Pitts are among horse industry figures and riders to be recognised in equestrian safety awards organised by the campaign group Riders4Helmets.
The 2012 Craig Ferrell MD Equestrian Safety Awards took place at the Riders4Helmets Safety Symposium on 18 February.
World number one Charlotte is one of a small number of top-level dressage riders who choose to wear a safety helmet rather than a traditional top hat.
She was among 13 professional riders who won the “exceptional role model award” for wearing helmets.
Others included fellow dressage riders Isabell Werth (Germany) and Adelinde Cornelissen (Netherlands), and showjumper Reed Kessler (USA).
Lucinda Green won the exceptional role model award for 2012 (non-helmet related) for her XC the Safe Way clinics.
Former US dressage rider Courtney King-Dye, who suffered a traumatic brain injury three years ago, was one of five people to receive awards for their campaigning for equestrian safety in 2012.
Jon Pitts, who trains riders how to be fit to ride and how to fall safely was also recognised in this category.
The 2012 awards were named after former chairman of the FEI medical council Dr Farrell, who died in a fall in May 2012 while playing polo.
“We were delighted to name the 2012 Equestrian Safety Awards after Dr Ferrell who worked with us on the campaign for over two years,” said Lyndsey White, of Riders4Helmets.
“Dr. Ferrell not only worked tirelessly with the United States Equestrian Federation and the Federation Equestrian Internationale (FEI) in order to make equestrian sport safer, he was also well respected by many equestrians whose lives he touched when he had their personal safety interests at heart.”
