Isabel Hurley

THE board of Eventing Ireland is set to consider widening grant approval for a new fence safety pin system that has gained widespread international support.

A two-thirds grant approval is currently available from Eventing Ireland for event organisers and course builders towards the existing frangible pin safety mechanism.

Research for the established British Eventing-approved front safety pin system was largely carried out on the premise that rotational falls begin with a downward force on a fence.

However new research has since revealed that in over 80% of cases studied, rotational falls actually began with an upward or forward directional hit against a fence.

Frangible devices, also known as deformable devices, are aimed at reducing rotational falls where the risk of traumatic injury and death is greatest to riders and horses.

However, recent findings shifted the international focus shifting to the new Swedish MIM Safe New Era Clip & Pin system, which has been endorsed by the FEI for use at top level competitions and is the first cross-country safety fixing to pass the FEI’s new approvals scheme for frangible devices.

The MIM Safe New Era Clip & Pin underwent years of development and field tests in Sweden, Australia and the USA by inventors Mats Bjornetun of MIM Construction AB and Anders Flogard. They attained the new specification at the world renowned Transport Research Laboratory in Berkshire, Britain.

The landmark certification means the MIM Clip & Pin is currently the only device permitted for use on frangible cross-country obstacles at FEI competitions nationwide under the new FEI eventing rule (546.2.4) which came into force on January 1st 2013. The system is in use at WEG and has been endorsed by Aachen and America’s Rolex event.

TATTERSALLS SAFETY MEETING

The MIM system was reviewed by four of the 10 board members who attended a recent safety meeting at Tattersalls where Mats Bjornetun made a comprehensive presentation.

The issue is now set to come before Eventing Ireland’s September 10th board meeting for discussion.

“The grant approval for the MIM system will be discussed then and will be up for approval. Eventing Ireland wants to support safety in the sport to as great an extent as possible. Two-thirds grant funding is available. To date, we have had a good uptake on the grant system over the last three months and it will improve over time,’’ said Hon. Secretary of Eventing Ireland Michael Woods.