It’s all systems go for Wales while plans for Scotland progress

British Dressage (BD) members in England have been out competing for ten days now as dressage shows have been able to get back underway under COVID-19 safe conditions – and today’s announcement by Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford means that our welsh members can also resume outdoor competition activity.

This positive step forwards means that our Regional Development Officer for Wales, Vanessa Archer, will return to her role from Monday to liaise with venues and get a full calendar of fixtures in place for the second half of July and August.  Working closely with our Sport Operations team, she will help to assist organisers in implementing our COVID-19 protocols to ensure that all competition activity is safe and in accordance with government regulations.  Further details will follow for members next week.

We are confident that the procedures we have already put in place for the resumption of activity in England can also be applied in Wales within the maximum gathering limit of 30 people, so these will now be updated and circulated to our competitors, organisers and officials in Wales.

The news from Scotland yesterday unfortunately didn’t provide a clear path towards a competition restart as yet, but consultation with government remains ongoing, in conjunction with sportscotland and horsescotland, with the aim of resuming by the end of the month at the latest.

However, in both devolved nations, the easing of lockdown restrictions have increased the numbers of individuals and households that can now meet, meaning that our riders, coaches and venues have further opportunities to train, with immediate effect.

The current situation is as follows:

	England	Scotland	Wales
How many can meet?	Up to six people from different households, or no limit if from two households.	Groups of up to four households at a time, to a maximum of 15 people, in an outdoor environment. Up to two households at a time, to a maximum of eight people, can meet in an indoor setting. A household can meet up to four other households daily.	Larger gatherings of up to 30 people are permitted outdoors, where activity is organised and supervised. Up to two households of an unlimited number can meet indoors.
Travel distance	Any	Any*	Any
Social distance requirements	2m or 1m with mitigations in certain settings	2m	2m or 1m with mitigations in certain settings
Riders	Groups of six people from separate households can ride together, or five plus a coach.	Four households can participate at a time, up to a maximum of 15 people, in an outdoor environment.	Riders can participate in gatherings up to 30, where activity is supervised, in an outdoor setting only.
Coaches	Can teach groups of up to five people from separate households in a session, with no limit on the number of sessions per day. You may travel to clients, or they may come to you	May instruct lessons for up to four households at a time, up to a maximum of 15 people. Coaches can meet with a maximum of four households per day.	May instruct individuals or groups of up to 30 people, outdoors only. No limit on the number of sessions per day. You may travel to clients, or they may come to you.
Venues	Groups of six people from separate households can ride together in indoor or outdoor spaces, or five plus a coach.	May open for training and exercise within the guidelines for the provision of a safe environment for staff and participants. Lessons for up to four households at at time, up to a maximum of 15 people.	May open for organised training and competition activity for groups of up to 30 people at a time in outdoor settings only
Covered/indoor arenas permitted?	Yes	Yes	No
Affiliated competition permitted?	Yes	No	Yes - from 13 July
Camps permitted?	Yes	No	Yes - from 25 July

* Except those living in the following postcodes: DG 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 16 (Scottish control only).

Members are reminded to read our guidance before returning to competition or training and that it is a condition of entry to abide by all protocols and procedures put in place. In particularly, adherence to social distancing, public health and hygiene measures is vital to ensure the safety of all participants. The continued co-operation of members is appreciated to enable BD competition and training activity to be run in a safe, regulated and controlled environment.