How does this affect me?.......

For 2015, all members will continue to be required to have their hats tagged before competing in any BRC Qualifier or Championship. When you arrive at the competition, take your hat with you when you go to declare. The Official Steward will then check that your hat complies to an accepted standard, and will place a unique BRC tag on it. It is a good idea to allow a little extra time when arriving at a competition for this process to be done. Please note, you will not be allowed to ride anywhere at that event if your hat has not been tagged, and hats which do not comply to an accepted standard will not be tagged under any circumstances. It is the competitors’ responsibility to ensure they arrive at a competition with a hat to the correct standard so it is therefore imperative that you check your hats before you get to the event, in order to avoid disappointment.

To do this:

1) Use the following information or the BRC 2015 Rule Book for reference

2) Check that your hat clearly displays one of the accepted standards

3) Check that the standard also shows the correct corresponding date

4) Check that your hat also displays the correct corresponding safety standard mark

5) Make sure that you do not remove any labels from inside of your hat which may hold the relevant information as a hat will not be tagged without all of the required information permanently visible. Only hats which comply with all of these above steps will be accepted for tagging. If you’re in doubt, please contact the BRC office for further advice. If your hat cannot be tagged, you will not be allowed to ride wearing that hat under any circumstances.

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR 2016: We have been notified that the European Commission have made changes to the EN1384 hat standard (this also includes BSEN1384) and it will no longer be recognised as an acceptable standard for riding hats in the UK. However, in order to phase out the use of EN1384 and/or BSEN1384 hat standards, the BRC 2015 / 2016 hat rules will be changed as follows:  There will be no changes to the accepted hat standards for 2015 and hats will continue to be tagged with the BRC blue hat tags.  However, from 1 January 2016, ALL hats must be checked and tagged with a new ORANGE BRC hat tag. All hats which only meet the standard EN1384 or BSEN1384, WILL NOT be accepted and therefore will not be permitted for any BRC competition. Hats which bear EN1384 or BSEN1384 along with another standard, will be tagged. For example, BSEN1384 & PAS015 (1998 or 2011) along with the Kitemark, would be acceptable, but not BSEN1384 on its own.

 From 1 January 2016, no hats with a peak of any description will be permitted for the XC phase of any BRC competition. Hat covers and silks will be permitted. BRC Hat Guidelines 2015 V1 Please note the changes for 2016 Only hats to the following specification are acceptable at any BRC competition: Either PAS 015 (1998 or 2011) or BSEN 1384 (1997 or 2012) or EN 1384 (1996) ASTM F1163 (2004a or 04a) SNELL E2001 AS/NZS 3838 (2006) AND MUST HAVE AND MUST HAVE AND MUST HAVE AND MUST HAVE BSI Kitemark SEI mark Official SNELL label and number SAI Global mark At all BRC Area Qualifiers and Championships, hats must show a visible BRC ‘hat tag’. Any other standards / dates are NOT acceptable and will not be tagged.