Urgent Event Update
Dear Competitors, Judges, Volunteers and Officials,
The Sydney Dressage Inc. Committee, based on Equestrian Australia guidance, developed a COVID Safety Plan in alignment with National and State level COVID regulations. This COVID Safety Plan is based on a rigorous Risk Assessment process which highlighted our areas of significant risk. These being:
Congregation of competitors while awaiting test paper collection
Placement of two individuals within an enclosed environment, less than 1.5m apart. Specifically, judges and writers.
In order to address these risks we implemented the following:
Congregation:
No test papers would be returned on the day. All scores would be published online, texted to competitors and papers emailed through in real time. This removes the need for competitors to:
Remain on site past the end of their tests
Congregate for test paper collection
Enclosed Environment without Physical Distancing:
Hired all Gazebos available at SIEC to facilitate 1.5m physical distancing and allow good ventilation for our judges and writers.
To account for the shortfall in Gazebos, and based on previous advice, we enacted the following:
Judges bring their own writer from within their “social bubble” and thus utilise the standard vehicle approach
Judges write for themselves with “scores only” recorded
Unfortunately, many judges were unable to source their own writers and with limitations in the supply of Gazebos, we had some judges needing to write for themselves. Subsequent to enacting our COVID Safety Plan we have been advised that our approach is in contravention to National Dressage Rule G.8.1 and that any test run without a writer would not be considered an “official competitive” test. It is our understanding as a committee, based on Australian Institute of Sport Risk Assessment documentation, that any rule that contravenes a public health order needs to be amended to comply. We have also sought advice from the Equestrian Australia National Safety Manager, who supported our Risk Assessment approach and the controls we applied to mitigate the identified risks.
We as a committee feel we are in the untenable position where we are unable to run a COVID safe event in accordance with public health guidelines and meet National Dressage Rule G.8.1. As this impacts the majority of our competitors, we are incredibly regretful to make the decision to cancel our April 18th Competition. For those competitors impacted by this event cancellation, all entry fees will be refunded in full and all nominate fees will be covered by Sydney Dressage Inc.
We acknowledge that the current COVID risk is low in NSW at the moment due to no community transmission. We are benefiting from no community transmission due to the strong efforts of the wider community in complying with COVID regulations and we have an obligation to continue this strong response to ensure the safety of all. As we have seen with the cancellation of Byron Blues Fest it does not take much for this highly transmissible virus to escape into the community.
Further reading: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/scientific-brief-sars-cov-2.html
With Regret,
The Sydney Dressage Inc. Committee
