As the 10th anniversary of the Riders4Helmets International Helmet Awareness Day (IHAD) draws closer, we thought we would explain a little more about IHAD and some key points on one of the leading helmet brands we stock here at Kentaur Australia.
Last year IHAD had over 680 retailers in 19 different countries register to participate, and 2019 is set to be even bigger!
“Back in 2010 when Riders4Helmets was founded and we hosted the first International Helmet Awareness Day, I never imagined that the campaign would inspire tens of thousands of equestrians to wear a helmet for the first time, and serve as a continued reminder to those who were already wearing a helmet, to ensure it is fitted correctly and that they replace it when appropriate,” said Lyndsey White, Riders4Helmets. “I am absolutely overwhelmed at the continued support shown to the Riders4Helmets campaign by helmet manufacturers, retailers, and equestrians around the globe.”
International Helmet Awareness Day was founded in 2010 as a direct result of US Olympian Courtney King Dye’s accident, with the aim of educating equestrians on the benefits of wearing a properly fitting, secured and certified helmet.
Courtney explains in her interview with The Horse Magazine; “I didn’t fall off, and my horse did nothing naughty. He just tripped over his own feet and fell, and my head hit the ground hard. Hence my motto: expect the unexpected. I was not wearing a helmet, and my brain sheered, or bounced around, in my skull.”
Wearing a helmet is imperative while riding, and at Kentaur Australia we stock one of the leading helmet brands in the world; KEP Italia.
KEP Italia
- Commitment to Safety: all models of KEP Italia helmet have been designed with safety at the forefront. Not only do they satisfy the latest international safety standards, but they are one of the only brands of helmet on the market to satisfy almost every international standard and quality mark. This means they have been through and passed the most vigorous testing that accounts for many different types of fall, making them one of the safest bets when it comes to equestrian helmets. They also have a lower reach on the back of the helmet to protect the lower part of the skull.
- Ventilation system: all KEP Italia Helmets have been designed with an advanced ventilation system. Unlike many other helmet brands that are heavy and have little air flow (leading to the inevitable sweaty, matted post-riding hair look!), KEP helmets have an exclusive air control system to allow for uniform circulation of air. They have levers on the front grid that allow it to be opened and closed, providing extra air circulation if needed (and also proving handy should it be raining and you need to close it). This superior ventilation system makes KEP Italia Helmets perfect for the Australian summer.
- Lightweight: years of research have allowed KEP to produce a helmet that is almost as light as a bike helmet; far lighter than the average equestrian helmet! This is through the utilisation of state-of-the-art materials such as polycarbonate, Kevlar, mesh and aluminium.
- Removable liners: the inner padding of all KEP Italia Helmets can be removed, washed and even exchanged for a different size (depending on the shell size – a ‘Medium’ shell caters for liners of size 51-58, and a ‘Large’ shell caters for 59-62). The liner is attached directly to an anatomical cushion that fits to the nape of the neck, providing extra comfort. Additionally, it is made of ‘Coolmax’ materials for extra sanitation and breathability.
- Excellent stability: KEP Italia Helmets have five connection strap points to help distribute pressure and increase stability. This gives a greater feeling of comfort, balance and secureness.
- Customisation: as well as the standard KEP Italia helmet options (e.g. the KEP ‘Smart’ Helmet and KEP ‘Cromo Matt Black’ Helmet), there are numerous customisation options for every discipline (show jumping, dressage, eventing, racing, polo, endurance, etc). The KEP configurator allows for almost endless personalisation options: from the shell texture (shine, texture, polish, texturised or velvet), front texture (shine, texture, polish, lace, python, leather, velvet, and more!), rear texture, visor size and texture, the frame (with things like Swarovski crystals, mirror or even coloured frame), grid texture, grid button, button logo, inner pad size, and even with nameplate and custom flag options, you really can design your ‘dream’ helmet and stand out from the crowd!
To find out more about KEP Italia helmets, go to our full blog post: https://shop.kentauraustralia.com/blogs/news/why-kep-italia-really-have-superior-helmets
As a participating retailer, we will be offering 10% off selected helmets (including those on pre-order) for the duration of IHAD. We strive to keep our helmet prices as low as they possibly can be, and therefore almost never discount them… So don’t miss out!
We offer various finance options (ZipMoney, Sezzle & BitPay) and have free postage on all our orders. Shop our range of KEP helmets here.
For more information on the Riders4Helmets IHAD campaign and more information on rider safety, visit www.riders4helmets.com.
You can also follow the campaign at www.facebook.com/riders4helmets, www.instagram.com/riders4helmets, and www.twitter.com/riders4helmets.
