Suspension Extended for Equestrian Canada Sanctioned Competition
Ottawa, ON, March 30, 2020 – The suspension of Equestrian Canada (EC) sanctioned competition has been extended to June 1, 2020, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The initial return to competition was set for April 12, 2020, but has been extended due to federal government and public health authority directives to limit COVID-19 transmission. 84 EC sanctioned competitions were scheduled during the timeline of March 16 to June 1, 2020.
No competitions will be sanctioned by either EC or the Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations (PTSOs) for the period of suspension. All matters pertaining to the accumulation of points, scores, qualification or rankings towards any EC awards program or team selection will be addressed once a return to competition framework has been developed. Competition hosts will be able to receive a full refund of their sanctioning fees or have the funds held as a credit for future competitions.
All in-person meetings, clinics, events, Rookie Rider and Learn to Ride/Drive activities will continue to be suspended until further notice. Virtual participation in these programs and events is encouraged where available; options are being explored for programs that do not have virtual options at this time.
EC will continue to monitor the state of the pandemic and asses the need for further extensions to the suspension timeline. A working group of EC staff and veterinarians has been established to develop a graduated framework that will protect the health and welfare of horses upon competition reinstatement. The recommendations of this working group will be part of joint initiatives with the PTSOs, select competition organizers and coaches/technical advisors.
The working group is comprised of:
James Hood – EC High Performance Director
Kristy House – EC Manager, Welfare and Identification & Coordinator, Industry and Equine Development
Rachel Huebert – EC Manager, Technical Development
Dr. Alan Manning MSc, DVM – FEI Official Veterinarian for Dressage, Eventing and Jumping; Canadian Dressage Team Veterinarian for the Lima 2019 Pan American Games; Canadian Para-Dressage Team Veterinarian for the Tryon 2018 World Equestrian Games; private practice veterinarian
Dr. Hilary Clayton BVMS, PhD, DACVSMR, MRCVS – FEI Permitted Treating & Testing Veterinarian; author; researcher and clinician, Michigan State University
Dr. Jan Henriksen DVM – FEI Permitted Treating Veterinarian; Canadian Eventing Team Veterinarian for the Lima 2019 Pan American Games; private practice veterinarian
Dr. Yves Rossier DVM, IPSAV, Dipl. ACVIM – FEI Official Veterinarian for Dressage, Driving, Eventing, Jumping and Reining; National Head FEI Veterinarian for Canada; Member of the FEI Veterinary Committee; EC Equine Medication Control Committee Chair; Professor, Université de Montréal
Dayton Gorsline – EC Jumping Youth Development Program Advisor, former member of the Canadian Equestrian Team
EC is making every effort to ensure continuous, thorough and up-to-date communication concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. EC’s complete statement on COVID-19, including regular updates, can be found on our website here. For the running list of cancelled/postponed clinics and events, click here.
Thank you for your cooperation and engagement as we work diligently to keep our community safe and informed. We are counting on each and every member of the Canadian equestrian community to make responsible decisions based on the information available, the conditions in your geographic area and directives from your local government and public health authorities.
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