Riders4Helmets.com has teamed up with leading helmet manufacturers to once again host International Helmet Awareness Day 2014 on Saturday July 12th.

Building on the success of International Helmet Awareness Day 2013, participating retailers all over the world will be offering discounts on helmets to equestrians on this day. “We are absolutely delighted at the continued support of the event shown by equestrians, retailers and helmet manufacturers,” said Lyndsey White, Riders4Helmets. “To be in our fifth year of hosting and organizing International Helmet Awareness Day is truly a testament to the need for continued education of equestrians with regards to all aspects of helmet safety. Over 230 retailers in the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia have already registered to participate in this year’s event and many more are expected to do so.”

The riders4helmets campaign was founded in 2010 as a direct result of Olympian Courtney King-Dye’s accident with the aim of educating equestrians on the benefits of wearing a properly fitting, secured and certified helmet. “In 2013, International Helmet Awareness Day received support from 12 helmet manufacturers and retailers in 8 countries,” said King-Dye. “Whether you are a helmet manufacturer, retailer or equestrian, I hope that you will lend your full support to this important event in 2014.”

International Helmet Awareness Day is not just an opportunity for equestrians to purchase a helmet at a special one-time discount, more importantly it is an opportunity for equestrians to be educated.  Riders4Helmets will therefore be live streaming “Get Educated” webinars via Riders4Helmets.com on Saturday July 12th, in which equestrians will be able to ask a variety of experts real-time questions. The webinars will feature experts in fields such as: Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion; Psychology; Neuro Physiotherapy; Helmet Manufacturers; Traumatic Brain Injury Survivors; Leading Equestrians; and, Helmet Testing Agencies. Riders4Helmets will announce the confirmed line-up of participants at Riders4Helmets.com prior to July 12th. The educational aspect of International Helmet Awareness Day will be supported by participating retailers, many of whom make plans to offer educational events in their stores.

Helmet brands that have committed involvement in International Helmet Awareness Day 2014 to date include: Antares-Sellier, Champion, Charles Owen, Devon Aire (Aegis), Gatehouse, GPA, International Riding Helmets (IRH), KEP Italia, LAS helmets (Leslie Sutcliffe), One K, Ovation, Samshield, Tipperary, Troxel and Uvex. “We are grateful to the helmet manufacturers for their continued support of this important event,” said Chad Mendell, Riders4Helmets. “The Riders4Helmets campaign has continued to grow on a global level, as we hope will International Helmet Awareness Day.” 50,000+ unique visitors per month currently visit riders4helmets.com to read the many articles, watch educational videos and share their stories. The campaign has also hosted four Safety Symposia, videos from which can be viewed on the website.

Retailers who wish to participate in the event may register by visiting riders4helmets.com/ihad/retailer-information/. Retailers are encouraged to register prior to July 4th, 2014 in order to ensure that they receive educational materials in time for the event. Late registrations will however, still be accepted through July 11th. Retailers who would like riders4Helmets to share information on any safety events that they hold in store, or helmet wearing stories provided by their customers, may email these year-round to [email protected]  for publication on Riders4Helmets.com and via our social media channels.

Equestrians may visit www.riders4helmets.com/ihad/   to learn more about International Helmet Awareness Day and to search for participating retailers by “Name” or “Geographic Location.” Equestrians are encouraged to visit www.riders4helmets.com/ihad/  the morning of July 12th, 2014, to view the most current update, as participating retailers continue to be added on a daily basis.

For more information on the Riders4Helmets campaign, visit www.riders4helmets.com. You can also follow the campaign at facebook.com/riders4helmets and http://twitter.com/riders4helmets .

Riders4Helmets was founded in early 2010 after Olympic dressage rider Courtney King Dye was seriously injured in a riding accident. King Dye, who remained in a coma for a month following her accident, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, and is still undergoing rehabilitation.