Annual Report 2014
Annual Report 2015 Annual Report 2014
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About Equine Canada Equine Canada (EC) is the leading national sport and equine organization in the country. It fulfills a broad range of governance, advocacy and development functions, all of which focus, in one way or another, on the horse and draw on the enthusiasm it arouses. As a result of our efforts, EC is recognized by Sport Canada and the Féderation Equestre Internationale (FEI) as the national governing body for equestrian sport and recreation in Canada. It is the industry sector leader and as such is recognized and supported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). In particular, its leadership in improving both the quality and condition of horses is lauded at home and abroad.
OUR VISION Canadians are inspired to achieve personal excellence and embrace lifelong participation in equestrian activities.
OUR MISSION From championing best practices to encouraging fun and participation, Equine Canada is the dedicated national voice working to serve, promote and protect the interests of horses and Canada’s equestrian community.
OUR CORE VALUES We believe in: Equine Welfare: Accepting our responsibility to our equine partners as a privilege, we affirm safeguarding the welfare of the horse is paramount. Respect: For each other, the safety of ourselves and our horses, and for the health of the environment in which we all live. Diversity: Celebrating our differences, we embrace our community’s increasingly dynamic membership. Inclusivity: Working together, we provide a meaningful equestrian experience for all of our members, from grassroots participants through to elite performers. Service: Effectively and proactively satisfying our members’ needs, expectations and best interests is fundamental to all we do. Excellence: Leading by example, we reflect the highest aspirations of our members through outstanding performance in our sport, recreation, business and staff-managed initiatives. Volunteerism: As a means of encouraging personal growth in a way that has direct, immeasurable benefits to the equine community, we actively seek, welcome and respect those who selflessly give of their time in aid of the welfare of the horse and the achievement of EC’s mission.
Cover photos: Diana De Rosa Photography, Rob Hess, Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography, Nacho Olando, picsofyou.com, Cealy Tetley
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der in Equestrian Ex a e L cell re a enc a e We Participation
Excellence in Equine Development
World Class Performance
Canada is a Great Equine Nation
Information Technology
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Organizational Excellence
Financial Capacity
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Highlights of One Vision: Equine Canada’s Strategic Plan 2012–2018 Our strategic plan focuses on six overreaching goals: 1. Understand that the welfare of the horse is paramount. 2. Communicate effectively to increase the profile and value of equestrian activities to members and stakeholders. 3. Be a sport system that fosters excellence at all levels. 4. Strengthen the economic and cultural value of the horse. 5. Design, promote and deliver quality programs and services. 6. Create the organizational culture needed to achieve our results. To maximize the potential for success, focus has been placed on the following priorities: 1. Excellence in Equine Development 2. Participation 3. World Class Performance 4. Athlete Development 5. Organizational Excellence 6. Financial Capacity 7. Information Technology
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Equine Canada – 2014 by the Numbers EC Sport Licence Holders
EC Sport Licence Holders by Province
28
3,180
18,483
3
3,261
474 414
12
2,629 7,598
103 317
EC Sport Licence Holders by Gender Female: 17,018 (92.1%) Male: 1,465 (7.9%)
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464
EC Sport Licence Holders by Interest
EC Sport Licence Holders by Type
Breed Sport – American Saddlebred
77
Breed Sport – Arabian
471 3
Breed Sport – Hackney
152
Breed Sport – Morgan
30
Breed Sport – Other Breed Sport – Road Horse
1
Breed Sport – Saddleseat
34
Breed Sport – Welsh
18 3,640
Dressage
136
Driving
Platinum Sport Licence Holder
1,079
Gold Sport Licence Holder
8,044
Silver Sport Licence Holder
3,666
Bronze Sport Licence Holder
5,667
Non-Sport Licence Affiliate
11
General/Voluntary Member
290
Lifetime Member
170
Honourary Lifetime Member Farm/Stable Registration Corporation/Syndicate
1,702
Eventing Eventing/Dressage
348
Eventing/Jumper
396
General
1,714
Hunter
2,169
Hunter/Jumper
4,941
Jumper
2,238
20,959
Total Passports 2010–2014
11,616
124
Reining
88
Trail/Recreation
145
Vaulting
90
New Passports in 2014
66
Para-Equestrian
127
1,428
145
Endurance
12
Passport Sport Licence Holders 2014
National Associations American Saddlebred Horse Association
Island Horse Council
Canadian Donkey and Mule Association
Newfoundland Equestrian Association
Canadian Hanoverian Society
Manitoba Horse Council
Canadian Quarter Horse Association
Saskatchewan Horse Federation
Canadian Sport Horse Association
Alberta Equestrian Federation
Canadian Thoroughbred Society
Horse Council British Columbia
Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association
Equine Association of Yukon
Standardbred Canada
Jump Canada
Canadian Veterinary Medical Association
Dressage Canada
Canadian Trakehner Horse Society
Canadian Eventing Committee
Canadian Pony Club
Para-Equestrian Canada
Filière Cheval du Québec
Drive Canada
Québec à Cheval
Endurance Canada
Ontario Equestrian Federation
Canadian Reining Committee
Fédération équestre du Québec
Vault Canada
New Brunswick Equestrian Association
Breed Sport Canada
Nova Scotia Equestrian Federation
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EC Sponsors and Partners Equine Canada would like to thank and recognize the following sponsors and partners for their ongoing commitment and support:
MEMBERS FIRST
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MEMBER BENEFITS
Canadian Equestrian Team: 2014 Alltech World Equestrian Games
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Contents Message from the President.............................................................1 Message from the CEO....................................................................... 3 2014 Equine Canada Board of Directors....................................6 Marketing and Communications..................................................8 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.............................. 10 The Canadian Equestrian Team Goes Global........................ 14 Discipline Reports ............................................................................. 15 Dressage..................................................................................17 Driving.....................................................................................21 Endurance ...............................................................................23 Eventing ..................................................................................25 Jump.........................................................................................29 Para-Equestrian ......................................................................31 Reining ....................................................................................35 Vaulting....................................................................................37 Breed Sport..............................................................................39 General Performance .............................................................42
Council Reports................................................................................... 43 Industry Council......................................................................44 Provinces Council....................................................................46 Recreation Council..................................................................47
EC Committee Reports.................................................................... 49 Competitions...........................................................................50 Ethics Committee....................................................................53 Governance Committee..........................................................54 Health and Welfare Committee..............................................56 Long-Term Equestrian Development & Long-Term Horse Development Models................................58 National Coaching Committee...............................................59 EC Recognition & Awards Committee....................................61
Financial Overview............................................................................ 63
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reen Jerrett
Message from the President “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” — Henry Ford
I came across the above quote and felt it applied to the journey we’ve all been on this last while at Equine Canada (EC). If we can accomplish Ford’s last statement we’ll move closer to our priorities as set out in EC’s strategic plan, One Vision. I think those words are a fitting description of what’s needed throughout the horse community in this country, now more than ever, as each facet of our industry comes under more pressure to stay current and viable. The following annual report describes the successes and progress of the organization. It’s the result of thousands of hours by staff and volunteers devoted to the development of the programs and initiatives that support this industry, and of the success of our equestrian teams and individual athletes at competitions around the world. Over the past year the EC Board of Directors have aided with many vital initiatives, including conducting a successful search to hire a new CEO, Eva havaris, and finalizing the winning bid for 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) 2018 in Bromont, Que. The winning WEG bid added to the excitement of Canada’s performance at the 2014 Alltech FEI WEG in Normandy, France. Highlights include the outstanding performances by Lauren Barwick, who won silver and bronze medals in Para-Dressage, and a historic performance by our vaulting team, who were the first full squad to represent Canada at WEG. The top discussion over the past year has been the review of EC’s By-laws, and you can find a comprehensive update further along in this Annual Report in the Board of Directors Report. The Board also supported and approved a comprehensive plan by Havaris to reorganize EC’s administration structure, which got underway in 2014 and continues to develop. I have only touched on some of the highlights the Board was involved with this past year, so please read on for a greater understanding of how “Working Together is Success.” I’ve had the good fortune to work with very knowledgeable and engaged Board and committee members this past year, and I thank them for their commitment. I would also like to thank the councils and volunteers who have dedicated their time and expertise, as well as all the staff who support us. It was through the dedication of so many that the organization accomplished so much in 2014. Life is all about the Ride,
Al Patterson President, Equine Canada
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Message from the CEO “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” — Anonymous
2014 was without a doubt a year filled with exciting moments and challenges for EC. In joining the federation in June 2014, I was excited about the opportunity to be part of positioning EC as a leading equestrian organization. I knew this would not be possible without strong partnerships and a “team” approach at all levels. Speaking with many members, volunteers, athletes, and our key partners over the last several months has allowed me to acquire a clear understanding of the main opportunities for improvement within EC. The desire for improvement has been shared with me from every facet of the organization including the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and partners. It’s in all of our interests to have a strong, effective national organization and it will take real partnership, consensus, and a collective effort to build one.
Reorganization of the National Office My action plan in 2014 began with an intensive process to learn about the operations of EC and to prioritize the development of a revised national office structure. This led to a reorganization of the functional departments within the national office into the following areas: Finance & Administration, Business Development, High Performance, and Technical Programs.
Finance & Administration
Business Development
• Financial Planning
• Marketing & Communications
• Elite System Development
• Sponsorships
• Talent ID
• Equine Medications
• Membership & Customer Services
• Talent Projection
• Rules
• High Performance Coaching & Technical Support
• Competitions Management & Results
• Performance Analysis & Evaluation
• Coaching Programs
• Major Games
• Participation
• Revenue Modeling • Budgeting • Invoicing • Donations • Payroll • Administration
• Community Engagement
• E-Store
• Research & Development
• IT
• Industry
• Accounts R/P
• Health & Welfare
• HR
• ID & Traceability
High Performance
• Athlete Pathway
Technical Programs
•
• LTED
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The structure aligns with EC’s strategic plan, One Vision, and provides the foundation to achieve the organization’s objectives over the next four years. This new structure prioritizes service to the community and will hopefully clarify EC’s role and purpose within the Canadian equestrian industry. The office reorganization is underway and is anticipated to be completed by Nov. 30, 2015.
2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games The 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) were held in Normandy, France this past summer. These Games were an enormous success on all fronts with recordsetting athlete participation, spectator attendance, and global TV viewership. Canada’s team delegation included over 180 athletes and support staff in seven of the eight FEI disciplines. It is by far the largest Canadian team contingency at any of the major games in equestrian. I am pleased to report that Canada won two medals in Para-Dressage – a silver and bronze. WEG 2018 will take place in our backyard as Canada hosts in Bromont, Que. This is an exciting opportunity to showcase Canada’s equestrian and equine industries on the world stage and improve upon our 2014 results.
Re-defining the Provincial/Territorial and National Equestrian Partnership In November 2014, a national strategic workshop was held at EC’s office with the provincial/territorial equestrian organizations, and proved to be pivotal in redefining and building stronger partnerships. We are now mapping a partnership strategy with specific priorities of mutual interest and importance for the growth and development of the equine and equestrian industries in Canada.
2015-2016 Strategic Priorities Following nine months of consultation with the Canadian equestrian and equine community, I am pleased to report the commitment of the Board and myself to the following strategic priorities for 2015–2016: 1. Marketing, Communication and Branding 2. Research and Development 3. Financial Capacity 4. Service and Partnerships 5. Organizational Readiness and Alignment 6. Sport Excellence These priorities have been identified to address priority issues and challenges within EC, including: • Reconciling and clarifying EC’s core role and purpose as a national equestrian organization to achieve system alignment, communication, service, and strong partnerships across the organization; • Undertaking a review of EC’s strategic plan and redefining the planning process within and throughout the organization; • Undertaking a review of EC’s governance structure to address current cultural and branding issues; • Mapping EC’s road to success with clear recommendations and a course of action for the Board and national office staff.
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Financial Position As per the Financial Statement Report for the 2013–2014 fiscal period, EC remains a financially healthy and stable association with operating revenues in the $6.8 million range, placing us in the top quarter of all national sport organizations. We receive a wide base of support from government and partners, including Sport Canada, Own the Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the provincial and territorial organizations, members, sponsors and donors. We have worked diligently over the past several years to eliminate past deficits and build reserves to assist with future operational priorities. We have modified our budgeting processes to align with multi-year commitments and strategic initiatives. Internally, we are reviewing processes, which will ultimately assist with lower costs and improved efficiencies. In 2014 more than 90% of the current 19,000 sport licences, along with passports and related services, were purchased online resulting in improved turnaround times for all members. We created or updated two thirds of our 60 web applications, making all of them mobile, tablet and desktop friendly. In closing, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to the EC staff, volunteers, partners, and especially our members, for their insight and support through this transition period. I look forward to more exciting and challenging times, and building more meaningful partnerships with all of you in the coming year as we build a strong national organization our entire community can be proud of.
Eva Havaris Chief Executive Officer Equine Canada
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2014 Equine Canada Board of Directors President
Al Patterson
Secretary
Kerri McGregor
Treasurer
Cheryl Denault
Directors at Large
Tony Eames, Kerri McGregor, Karen Sparks
Industry Division Representatives Haidee Landry, Dean Liefso
Provinces/Territories Division Representatives Shirley Brodsky, Dominique Chagnon, Paul CotĂŠ
Recreation Division Representatives Jack De Wit, Kathie Lane, Les Oakes
Sport Division Representatives Peggy Hambly, Isabel Reinertson
Immediate Past President Mike Gallagher
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GOVERNANCE The EC Board of Directors conducted business of the organization at three face-to-face meetings in 2014, one in February at the EC Convention in Winnipeg, Man., one in June at the EC office in Ottawa, Ont., and finally one in Toronto, Ont., in November at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. There were also nine conference call meetings and numerous e-mail updates and discussions.
New Chief Executive Officer One of the first priorities of the Board in 2014 was to approve and implement a process for an extensive search and hiring of a new CEO. The process took about three months to complete and ended with the successful hiring of Eva Havaris, who started her new position in June.
2018 World Equestrian Games The Board reviewed and held discussions on the WEG 2018 bid and finalized agreements with the bid committee and the FEI. This led to the exciting news that Bromont, Que. received the winning bid. The news of the winning bid added excitement for Canadians attending WEG 2014 in Normandy, France. The Closing Ceremonies, where WEG 2018 was officially handed off to Canada was especially exciting.
Reorganized EC Administration Structure A number of objectives were outlined for the CEO, Eva Havaris to accomplish in the first half of 2014, one being a review of the EC office structure and staffing. Havaris completed the review and successfully presented a comprehensive plan to the Board for review, approval and overall support. The reorganization project began unfolding in 2014 and will continue to develop over the coming year.
Policy, Code & Service Updates The Board spent considerable time in 2014 reviewing and approving a number of policy updates, several codes, and an updated service agreement between EC and the provinces/territories.
EC’s Proposed By-laws Reviewing EC’s proposed By-laws was the Board’s top discussion in 2014. The Governance Committee devoted untold hours developing a number of draft documents, and reviewing suggestions from the councils. The Board received several draft By-law documents and continued to work on revisions in an effort to balance everyone’s best interests within one comprehensive document. Another round of meetings were then held with Provincial/Territorial Sport Organization (PTSO) presidents, councils, and sport disciplines, resulting in the development of a final draft, along with two suggested options for member voting. The Board discussed the options and approved the final draft in January 2015 based on what the Board felt would best serve the interests of the whole organization. The process for circulation and communication to the membership was then put into play and a final decision will be made at the 2015 EC Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Special Recognition The Board would like to thank everyone who has devoted themselves to supporting the vision of EC, including council and committee members, staff, volunteers, and of course members.
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Marketing and Communications 2014 was an exciting and busy time for the EC Marketing and Communications department. It was both a pleasure and an honour to promote the initiatives and exciting changes happening within all areas of the national organization, from industry to recreation to competitions. And, of course, to highlight the success of our talented Canadian Equestrian Team (CET) on the world stage, including WEG 2014. Once WEG 2014 was behind us in our major games cycle, we immediately began planning out the communications strategy for the 2015 Pan American Games, taking place in our own backyard in Toronto, Ont., as well as the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In looking forward, we are also excited to conceptualize and implement a fresh new communications strategy for EC. The past year has seen changes in the department that have streamlined communications efforts, but many more improvements are underway. With the addition of new staff, and new strategies being developed for communications and marketing, 2015 is set to be a big year full of forward progress and innovation for the department.
PRESS RELATIONS In 2014, the department produced and distributed 352 external targeted communications pieces for a weekly average of 6.8 products delivered to sport and industry-related audiences, including mainstream and trade media, print, radio, television, and online agencies. As the leading national sport and equine organization in the country, EC has reached new markets through its website, including Australia, Brazil and Germany. Since Jan. 1, 2014, the EC website has received over 70,000 hits from more than 10 countries.
DIGITAL PLATFORMS EC took on an innovative approach this past year by utilizing leading digital and social platforms for audience engagement. In 2014 EC’s social engagement campaigns saw outstanding uptake on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
18,917 9,639 135,000 Followers
Likes – which represents a growth of 1,464 within 12 months Highlight: WEG 2014 audience reached
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7,917
Followers and growing Highlight: WEG 2014 campaign saw 1,300 tweets using the hashtag #CETWEG
YouTube
307 Subscribers since being reactivated in 2014 Highlight: Contains audio and video files from a range of competitions, including major games. Future marketing efforts will be focused on using YouTube to deliver immediate daily access to athlete audio and video assets for media repurposing and general population engagement.
EC Website
www.equinecanada.ca
70,000 unique visitors from 10 countries in 2014
EquineCAN! EC launched an exciting mobile application in 2014. The app was launched during WEG 2014 and was made available through Google Apps and iTunes. Highlight: The EquineCAN! app had 1,415 downloads for WEG 2014 alone!
GRAPHIC AND WEB DESIGN EC’s in-house design is an integral part of the Marketing and Communications department. Throughout 2014, over 300 print and web-related deliverables were created for internal and external partners, featuring eye-catching design and strong brand recognition. June | July 2014
The World Equestrian Games Normandy in 2014—Canada in 2018! North American Junior and Young Rider Championships Wrap-up Drawing Contest Winners Take Part in the Evolution of Equine Canada and VOTE!
Publications Mail Sales Agreement #40050382
Photo © Sandy Sharley
Equine Canada Magazine In 2014, over 25,000 hard copies of Equine Canada Magazine were distributed within Canada, and to 30 countries across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. The online editions received 80,000 unique hits.
2014 Athlete Media Guide
EC utilized digital technology to deliver media guides for WEG 2014 in an innovative way via a USB-accessible web key featuring downloadable content. This gave the media access to continually updated athlete bios, backgrounders and news releases. 350 web keys were mailed directly to Canadian media, and another 250 were dispersed to international reporters and photographers on the ground in France. Equine Canada National Tests | FEI Tests | Competitions Calendar | Officials Directory | Certified Coaches
Print Publications
COMPETITION HANDBOOK 2014
In total, more than 50,000 items were printed in 2014, including: • Advertisements • Stationary, Signs, & ID Badges • Trade Show Displays, Banners & Brochures • Pocket Folders, Programs & Handbooks
EC Roundup
Photo © SusanJStickle.com
• Thank You/Greeting Cards & Postcards
Throughout 2014, 37 issues of EC’s online newsletter, EC Roundup, were created and distributed to over 34,000 subscribers.
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2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games A record number of nations, horses and athletes descended upon the Normandy region of France for two weeks of top international competition, sportsmanship and camaraderie at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG). Canada proudly fielded teams in seven of the eight FEI disciplines, with only Driving not being represented – largely due to the significant costs of shipping teams of six horses each over to Europe.
STATISTICS TOTAL
54
Nations
CANADA
27
Horses
199
184
32
153
Horses
Athletes
Athletes
Support Staff
DRESSAGE Rider / Horse / Owner Megan Lane / Caravella / Megan & Cathy Lane David Marcus / Chrevi’s Capital / Deborah Kinzinger-Miculinic Karen Pavicic / Don Daiquiri / Jayne Essig & Karen Pavicic Belinda Trussell / Anton / Robyn Eames
Team Result: Ninth
Photo © Cealy Tetley
Special Advisor – Desi Dillingham Chef d’Equipe – Victoria Winter Team Veterinarian – Dr. Geoff Vernon Technical Advisor – Dr. Volker Moritz Mental Performance Coach – Dirk Stroda Team Manager – Christine Peters
ENDURANCE
Chef d’Equipe – Maura Leahy Team Veterinarian – Glenn Sinclair Team Manager – Wendy Gayfer Team Result: Did not complete the race, but all riders and horses closed out the Games safe and sound.
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Photo © Diana De Rosa Photography
Rider / Horse / Owner Yvette Vinton / Petit Loup d’Jolie / Madame Cecile Dumas Jessica Manness / Greater Glide / Jessica Manness Leanna Marchant / Samsons Fire / Leanna Marchant Kathy Irvine / Nightwind’s Savanah / Kathy Irvine
EVENTING Rider / Horse / Owner Peter Barry / Kilrodan Abbott / Peter, Dylan & Susan Barry Hawley Bennett-Awad / Gin & Juice / Linda Paine & Hawley Bennett Selena O’Hanlon / Foxwood High / John & Judy Rumble Jessica Phoenix / Pavarotti / Don J. Good
Team Result: Seventh
Photo © Cealy Tetley
Chef d’Equipe – Jacky Green Team Veterinarian – Dr. Christiana Ober Technical Advisor – Clayton Fredericks Team Farrier – Randy Pawlak Team Manager – Fleur Tipton
JUMPING Rider / Horse / Owner Yann Candele / Showgirl / The Watermark Group Tiffany Foster / Verdi III / Artisan Farms LLC Eric Lamaze / Zigali P S / Artisan Farms LLC Ian Millar / Dixson / Susan & Ariel Grange
Team Result: Eighth
Photo © Cealy Tetley
Chef d’Equipe – Mark Laskin Team Veterinarian – Dr. Sylvie Surprenant Team Manager – Karen Hendry-Ouellette Stable Manager – Darren Roberts
PARA-EQUESTRIAN
Chef d’Equipe – Elizabeth Quigg Team Veterinarian – Dr. Jennifer Miller Team Coach – Andrea Taylor Assistant Team Coach – Mary Longden Team Manager – Amie O’Shaughnessy INDIVIDUAL RESULTS Placing / Rider / Horse / Owner Silver – Grade II Freestyle Test / Lauren Barwick / Off to Paris / Equine Canada Bronze – Grade II Individual Championship Test / Lauren Barwick / Off to Paris / Equine Canada
Photo © Kim MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
Rider / Horse / Owner Robyn Andrews / Fancianna / Robyn Andrews Lauren Barwick / Off to Paris / Equine Canada Ashley Gowanlock / Ferdonia 2 / Lauren Barwick Roberta Sheffield / Bindro T / Evelyn Little
Team Result: Eighth
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REINING Rider / Horse / Owner Lisa Coulter / A Smokin Whiz / Robert Thompson Matthew Hudson / Its All About Smart / Andre de Bellefeuille Josianne Gauthier / Ju Juzz Gunslinger / William M. Bradley Cody Sapergia / Nu Chexomatic / Tina Künstner-Mantl & Jac Point Quarters Chef d’Equipe – Lyne Laforme Team Coach – Francois Gauthier Team Manager – Wendy Gayfer INDIVIDUAL RESULTS Placing / Rider / Horse / Owner Sixth / Cody Sapergia / Nu Chexomatic / Tina Künstner-Mantl & Jac Point Quarters Team Result: Ninth
VAULTING CANADIAN VAULTING SQUAD Vaulters: Todd Griffiths Angelique van der Sluijs Jeanine van der Sluijs
Haigen Pavan Shianne Hofer Dallyn Shields
Lunger: Becca Hewit Horse: Bankey Moon Owner: Becca Hewit
VAULTING PAS-DE-DEUX TEAMS Vaulters: Todd Griffiths & Brooke Boyd Lunger: Becca Hewit Horse: Bankey Moon Owner: Becca Hewit Vaulters: Angelique van der Sluijs & Jeanine van der Sluijs Lunger: Liz Mackay Horse: ILPH Islay Owner: International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) INDIVIDUAL FEMALE Vaulter: Alisa Schmidt Lunger: Tanja Evers Horse: Laser 19 Owner: Tanja Evers Vaulter: Jeanine van der Sluijs Lunger: Liz Mackay Horse: ILPH Islay Owner: ILPH Chef d’Equipe – Rebecca Marland Team Coach – Hannah Marland Team Manager – Wendy Gayfer RESULTS Squad Result: 10th Pas-de-Deux Results: Placing / Vaulters / Lunger / Horse / Owner Eighth / Todd Griffiths & Brooke Boyd / Becca Hewit / Bankey Moon / Becca Hewit 10th / Angelique & Jeanine van der Sluijs / Liz Mackay / ILPH Islay / ILPH
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Photos © Cealy Tetley
CANADIAN OFFICIALS Foreign Veterinary Delegate – Dr. Yves Rossier FEI 5* Dressage Judge – Elizabeth McMullen
CANADIAN EQUESTRIAN TEAM SUPPORT Chef de Mission – Kerri McGregor Assistant Chef de Mission – Christina Collins Chief Media Officer – Carmen Marson-Awad Media Officer – Jessie Christie Media Officer – Jordan Fulcher Photographer – Cealy Tetley
THANK YOU TO OUR CET SUPPORTERS! The Canadian Equestrian Team (CET) thanks all those who generously supported our 2014 WEG athletes, including support team members, grooms, owners, family, friends and the Canadian equestrian community. The CET would also like to thank the Normandy community for their warm hospitality. It was a very special experience to proudly wear the maple leaf and be greeted with warm smiles, waves and supportive cheers. Many thanks also go to the FEI for providing a unique venue for the equestrian world to come together once every four years and celebrate both the differences and the similarities in eight very unique equestrian sports. The CET looks forward to coming back even stronger when Canada plays host to the world at the WEG 2018 in Bromont, Que. Respectfully submitted,
Kerri McGregor Chef de Mission - Canadian Equestrian Team WEG 2014
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The Canadian Equestrian Team Goes Global
In 2014, the CET proudly represented Canada around the world, travelling and competing in 77 countries:
Algeria Argentina Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Belarus Belgium Brazil Bulgaria Canada Chile Chinese Taipei Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Czech Republic Dem. Rep. of the Congo Denmark Ecuador Egypt Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany
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Great Britain Guatemala Hong Kong Hungary Ireland Italy Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malaysia Mexico Monaco Morocco Namibia Netherlands New Zealand Norway Oman China Poland Portugal
Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of Korea Romania Russia Russian Federation Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of) Serbia Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Tunisia Turkey United Arab Emirates United Kingdon United States of America Uruguay Uzbekistan Venezuela Zimbabwe
Discipline Reports On behalf of all the members of the EC Sport Council, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the sport section. In the following pages you will find information on the past year from all our FEI recognized disciplines, our breed sports, and our technical committees. Many of this past year’s highlights will be related to WEG 2014, which was a major sporting event in 2014. However, WEG was not the only success of the past year. Our technical committees, such as Coaching, Rules, and Competitions also had many noteworthy accomplishments. Take a moment to read what we have been working on, on your behalf. We hope you are successful in whatever your competitive pursuits are in 2015! Best regards,
Sarah Bradley Chair - EC Sport Council
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Dressage HIGH PERFORMANCE 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games The Canadian Dressage Team finished ninth out of 24 teams at WEG 2014 in Normandy, France and surpassed the team target of 70%. The team average for all four rider/horse combinations equaled 70.3% with a final team average (counting the top three scores) of 70.5%. This represents the highest team average ever for a Canadian dressage team.
International Results The summer of 2014 also saw David Marcus and Belinda Trussell achieve personal best scores at the Grand Prix level in Europe, each earning marks just over 72%. In addition, Megan Lane and Karen Pavicic represented the Canadian Equestrian Team for the first time at the Grand Prix level, and show outstanding promise for Canada.
JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDERS 2014 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships Six teams and 21 athletes represented Dressage Canada at the 2014 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) in Lexington, Ky. Multiple medals were won at both the Junior and Young Rider levels.
DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION 2014 Clinics, Symposiums & Events The following development and educational opportunities were offered in 2014: Event / Location / Date Florida Fortnight / Wellington, Fla. / January-February 2014 Performance Advantage Symposium / Stouffville, Ont. / June 14–15, 2014 Performance Advantage Symposium / Calgary, Alta. / June 24–25, 2014 National Coaching Symposium & Performance Advantage Symposium / Langley, B.C. / Nov. 22–23, 2014 These events provided professional insight for beginners, avid amateurs and rising stars. Symposium presenters included some of Canada’s best talent in the fields of high performance competition, judging, mental training and conditioning, sport science, sport physiotherapy, performance analysis, horse welfare, veterinary care, and supplement support for high performance athletes. Dedicated one-on-one appointments with session experts were also available for high performance athletes. Additional opportunities offered in 2014 included: Event / Location / Date Judges Education Clinic / Richmond Hill, Ont. / March 23, 2014 Judges Updating & Promotion Clinic / Palgrave, Ont. / June 7–8, 2014 Judges Updating & Promotion Clinic / Maple Ridge, B.C. / July 26–27, 2014
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COMPETITION FEI-Sanctioned Competitions Preparations were made to ensure that, for the first time in history, Canada will host seven FEI-sanctioned competitions in 2015, including the 2015 Pan American Games. Competition Level / Location / Date CDI3* / Langley, B.C. / April 10–12, 2015 CDI3* / Palgrave, Ont. / May 8–10, 2015 CDI-W / Cedar Valley, Ont. / May 21–24, 2015 CDI3* / Ottawa, Ont. / May 28–31, 2015 CDI-W / Cedar Valley, Ont. / June 19–22, 2015 CDI3* / Calgary, Alta. / June 26–28, 2015 Pan American Games / Toronto, Ont. / July 10–26, 2015
Promoted Officials The following Dressage Canada Officials were promoted to FEI status within the past year: Steward • • • •
Jane Holbrook – FEI Level 1 Leslie Kennedy – FEI Level 1 Lynne Milford – FEI Level 1 Anne Welch – FEI Level 1
Judge • William Tubman – FEI 3* Dressage Canada also promoted 16 Officials to new EC status, including eight recorded judges, four basic judges, one medium judge, one senior judge, one basic steward and one medium steward.
New Dressage Tests Developed New national tests were developed and will be introduced at all levels for 2015. In conjunction with the new tests, the test user policy and rules now allow provincial/ territorial-recognized competitions to use EC tests at all levels.
NEW & NOTABLE Elite Performance Team Dressage Canada established an Elite Performance Team to develop, support and manage high performance athletes, including lead-up and on the ground support for major games. The Elite Performance Team includes the following experts: • • • • • • •
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Desi Dillingham – Special Advisor Dr. Volker Mortiz – Technical Advisor Victoria Winter – Chef d’Equipe Alison Martin – Chef-in-Training Dr. Geoff Vernon – Team Veterinarian Dirk Stroda – Mental Coach Christine Peters – Team Manager/Dressage Manager
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Photo © Eve-Lyne Ouellet Photography
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Photo © Cealy Tetley
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Driving HIGH PERFORMANCE Equine Canada Sanctioned Competitions Planning and organization was undertaken in 2014 to hold two EC-sanctioned events in Canada in 2015: CAI-2* Bromont and CDE Can-Am Challenge BĂŠcancour, both in Quebec.
COMPETITION Rules The process for suggestions and member review of proposals was completed, and incorporated a number of universal changes adopted by the FEI General Assembly in December 2014. Changes became effective Jan. 1, 2015.
DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION Online Officials Training There has been considerable progress made with an online training initiative where officials will be able to maintain their certifications online. Online training and knowledge certification for licensed officials is now authorized and encouraged.
Learn to Drive The Drive Coaching Committee has started working on creating the Learn to Drive rubrics required by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC).
Rules & Safety Educational content on safety, course design and rule familiarization is being developed.
Competitions Review Committee The Canadian Driving Committee (CDC) is working with the Competitions Review Committee to study and improve program delivery, educational opportunities, and communication to increase participation and membership.
NEW & NOTABLE 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games The CDC will continue to work with the Bromont International Organizing Committee on its four-year plan to prepare competition facilities in advance of WEG 2018 in Bromont, Que.
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Endurance HIGH PERFORMANCE 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Endurance Canada sent a team of four riders to WEG 2014, held August 23 through September 7 in Normandy, France. Two riders were subsequently invited to attend the Sheik Mohammed Al Maktoum Endurance Cup in Dubai in January 2015.
2018 FEI World Equestrian Games Endurance Canada has been working to encourage the sanctioning of more FEI rides in Canada as qualifiers for WEG 2018 in Bromont, Que. The Endurance Canada Committee has also opened up communications with the Bromont International Organizing Committee to offer assistance with the endurance portion of the competition.
JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDERS 2014 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships One individual attended the 2014 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) in Lexington, Ky. Katya Levermann of B.C. finished fourth, coming in just seconds behind the individual bronze medalist.
COMPETITION Membership Statistics 2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
108
128
145
137
123
157
178
131
Endurance Competitions in Canada Province
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
4
5
6
9
14
Alberta
10
12
8
9
10
Manitoba
10
5
7
12
10
0
0
0
0
3
Ontario
11
5
9
10
13
Quebec
0
0
0
0
0
New Brunswick
0
0
0
0
0
British Columbia
Saskatchewan
Nova Scotia
2
2
3
1
0
PEI
0
0
2
0
0
Newfoundland
0
0
0
0
0
37
28
35
41
50
Total
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Breakdown of Canadian Competitions Category
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
32
33
27
28
29
30 miles
5
4
2
15
14
50 miles
31
30
30
37
46
75 miles
2
6
5
6
13
22-25 miles
100 miles
2
3
2
3
5
FEI 1* 50 miles
4
3
4
7
5
FEI 2* 75 miles
2
3
4
4
6
FEI 3* 100 miles
2
1
1
3
1
FEIYR 1*
2
3
4
7
5
FEIYR 2*
2
3
4
4
6
FEIYR3*
0
0
0
2
1
Officials Endurance Canada continues to develop the officials program, enlisting more Technical Delegates and Veterinary Control Judges for EC-sanctioned competitions.
NEW & NOTABLE Competition Review Endurance Canada will be continuing work on competition review, and the finalization of a skills matrix.
Database Improvements Endurance Canada has started working toward improving the database for ride results, and tracking year-end points for members and their horses. Plans have been put in place to import historical mileage for both horses and riders in 2015, allowing tracking of lifetime achievement for members and their mounts. Photo Š StockImageServices.com
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Eventing HIGH PERFORMANCE 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games The primary focus of the High Performance Program was WEG 2014, held in Normandy, France. The Canadian Eventing Team, comprised of Hawley Bennett-Awad aboard Gin & Juice, Peter Barry riding Kilrodan Aboott, Jessica Phoenix with Pavarotti, and Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High, finished seventh. The team was supported by International Technical Advisor Clayton Fredericks, Chef d’Equipe Jacky Green, Team Manager Fleur Tipton, Team Veterinarian Christiana Ober, Stable Manager Max Corcoran, Team Farrier Randy Pawlak, Team Therapist Jo Ann Wilson and Grooms Colleen Loach, Anne Marie Duarte, Sandra Andresen, and Sarah Braun.
2015 Toronto Pan American Games The secondary focus of the High Performance Program has been training and qualification for the upcoming 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Ont.
International Competitions Canadian athletes competed at 85 FEI competitions in 2014, representing an increase of 41.6% over 2013. Throughout the year, Canadian athletes competed across Canada, and in many other countries, including the United States, France, New Zealand, Belgium, Great Britain, Holland and Ireland.
Corporate Support/Supplier Program The Canadian Eventing Committee (CEC) thanks the following sponsors and suppliers for their support of the High Performance Program: Sport Canada, Own the Podium, Canadian Olympic Committee, Horseware Ireland, Gastroguard, Arthrodynamic Technologies Inc., Point Two Air Jackets, Ecogold, Kentucky Equine Research, Tipperary Equestrian, and BW Furlong & Associates.
COMPETITION Canadian Eventing Membership Membership increased by 6.8% to 2,532 in 2014, with gains in both Senior (9.5%) and Junior (1.7%) categories.
National Competitions Sixty-two sanctioned competitions were held in 2014, up 8.8% from 2013. This included five FEI-sanctioned competitions. The total number of starters in Canadian competitions for 2014 was 6,302, up 0.3% over 2013.
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Officials The revised officials licensing and education program was launched with the objective of creating a balanced accreditation model for all EC Eventing Officials, categories and levels. The following educational opportunities were offered to officials in 2014: Event / Location / Date / Course Directors Officials Education Course for Judges & Technical Delegates / Petit Bromont Horse Trials - Bromont, Que. / June 14–15 / Andrew Bowles and Jo Young Course Design Practical Building & Theory Course / Winnipeg, Man. / September 2014 / Jay Hambly & Laurie Rowan Six new eventing officials received accreditation in 2014. Two have been approved by the FEI: Peggy Hambly (Level 1 & 2 Technical Delegate) and James Atkinson (Level 1 & 2 Course Designer).
Competitions Management The 2014 Canadian Eventing Omnibus, containing the schedules and prize lists of all EC-sanctioned competitions, was produced and delivered according to the established schedule, as was the 2015 Omnibus.
JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDERS 2014 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships Young Rider Championship – CH 2* • Individual Gold Medal: David Ziegler & Critical Decision • Team Bronze Medal: Ontario Junior Championship – CH 1* • Individual Bronze Medal: April Simmonds & Impressively Done
NEW & NOTABLE Canadian Eventing No Boundaries Program The No Boundaries program officially launched in the spring of 2014. The North American competition series consistently tracks and monitors Canadian athletes, focusing on creating well rounded individuals who demonstrate the talent to reach elite levels.
Safety/Risk Management • Data Collection / Monitoring – The CEC requires the reporting of all falls occurring at competitions, including all competition arenas and warm up areas. This data is collated into the annual Report on Safety and reported to the FEI. In 2014, 92% of competitions reported falls, with a total of 258 falls reported. This is a decrease of 17.4% over 2013. The rider was unseated in 95% of falls, while 14 falls (5%) included horse and rider. No rotational falls were reported. • FEI Risk Management – Dr. Rob Stevenson, FEI Safety Officer for Canada, attended the annual FEI Eventing Risk Management Seminar in 2014.
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Jump HIGH PERFORMANCE International Success The Canadian Show Jumping Team competed in nine nations’ cup competitions in 2014, always finishing in the top half, including wins in Wellington, Fla., Coapexpan, Mexico, and Calgary, Alta. The team also finished eighth at WEG 2014 in Normandy, France. As of December 31, 2014, Eric Lamaze was the highest placed Canadian in the Longines Ranking of International Riders, sitting in 27th. A total of 142 Jumping FEI Registrations were completed for riders, and 274 for horses. Entries were made to 311 FEI competitions outside Canada – 641 for riders, 1,392 for horses. Fifteen authorization letters were sent out for riders to compete in foreign national competitions.
Major Games Below are some of the items continuously worked on in advance of all major games, including the upcoming 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Ont., as well as the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: • Liaising with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and the Organizing Committee (OC). • Conducting site visits to obtain knowledge of facilities at major games sites. • Team preparations, including pre-games training camp, transport, travel, accommodation, clothing, sponsorships, scheduling, and feed and equipment. • Securing accommodations for athletes, team personnel, and grooms. • Handling team accreditation requirements as per the COC and OC. • Planning and arranging logistics of transportation for equipment, supplies, athletes, and horses (including ensuring import/export requirements are met).
COMPETITION Domestic Competitions A total of 27 Platinum Canadian Hunter Jumper competitions were held in 2014, with 77 Gold, 84 Silver and 143 Bronze competitions also taking place. A wide range of programs were available to competitors, including the National Talent Squad, CET Medal and CET Mini Medal, JC Medal, FEI Children’s Jumping Qualifier, and the JC Hunter Classic Series.
EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT Clinics, Officials & Rules Two Jumper Judge Clinics and two Hunter Judge Clinics were held in 2014. Applications were received for five Recorded Course Designers, one Senior Course Designer, four Recorded Jumper Judges, two Recorded Hunter Judges, two Senior Jumper Judges and four Senior Hunter Judges. More than 17 rule change proposals were put forth following the completion of the Section G rules.
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Financial Assistance Programs In 2014, JC provided the following financial assistance to athletes, venues and associations: • Five $2,000 Youth Bursaries awarded to up and coming riders. • $27,500 in Venue Development Funding to three facilities. • $118,981.20 levy funds were returned to provincial hunter jumper associations. • $9,550 was distributed to assist with travel to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. • $2,500 went to five applicants towards transport costs for the 2014 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC). • $1,000 in funding was given towards travel to the FEI Children’s Finals.
NEW & NOTABLE Communications Eleven issues of JC’s electronic newsletter, The Warm-up Ring, were circulated to approximately 13,000 subscribers. A media guide, featuring profiles of elite athletes, was given to major media, and 33 press releases were distributed – four by Jennifer Ward of Starting Gate Communications and 29 by EC. The JC Facebook page, which was re-created in September 2013, gained over 2,600 ‘likes’ by the end of 2014.
Special Awards The following awards were presented in 2014: Volunteer-of-the-Year Award – Frances “Fran” McAvity Official-of-the-Year Award – Jan Stephens Sponsor-of-the-Year Award – Canadian Pacific (CP) Owner of the Year Award – The Watermark Group Eighth Annual Hall of Fame Gala Inductees • Hunter Horse – Killer Tom, owned by Sam Son Farms • Official – Sandra Sillcox (posthumous) • Sponsor – The Bassin family including Don and Frankie Bassin and their children, Marni, Sari and Stuart • Team – 1987 Pan American Games Gold Medal Team comprised of Laura Tidball Balisky, Lisa Carlsen, Hugh Graham and Ian Millar
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Para-Equestrian HIGH PERFORMANCE 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games The Canadian Para-Equestrian Team won Canada’s only medals at WEG 2014 in Normandy, France. Lauren Barwick earned individual silver and bronze medals, while Robert Sheffield earned a fourth place and two top-six finishes. Overall, the team secured four top-five results, eight top-10 or top-half placings, and an eighth place finish out of 19 teams. The team was represented by Robyn Andrews, Lauren Barwick, Ashley Gowanlock, and Roberta Sheffield. Support members included: Director of Para-Equestrian Amie O’Shaughnessy; Team Coach Mary Longden; Team Coach Andrea Taylor; Chef d’Equipe Elizabeth Quigg; Grooms Kerry-Anne Bourne, Lauren Massey and Emma Hale; Athlete Supporters Diana Andrews, Laura Dixon and Justine Bowers; Coach/Groom Sue McTavish; Registered Massage Therapist Caroline Archambault; and Para-Equestrian Coordinator Anna Johnson.
International Team Competitions In preparation for WEG 2014, the Canadian Para-Equestrian Team participated in six international events, spanning five countries and two continents. A full support team accompanied the athletes, including the National Team Coaches, Chef d’Equipe and the Director of Para-Equestrian. At the end of the competition tour, the team was second on the FEI Para-Equestrian world ranking list, with Barwick, Sheffield and Gowanlock securing the top three FEI world rider rankings. The tour represented 25 individual and three team podium finishes.
Training and Preparation Three world-class coaches were contracted within the high performance stream in 2014; a National Team Coach (Andrea Taylor of Langley, B.C.), an Assistant Team Coach (Mary Longden of Melbourne, Australia) and a Development Coach (Lynn Marshall of Toronto, Ont.). The number of in-competition coaching opportunities provided by the National Team Coaches more than doubled in 2014. In addition, nine team training camps were held to better prepare riders and horses for international competition. The high performance online training system continued to play a central role in managing athlete and team training and monitoring.
NEW & NOTABLE Athlete Development A new competition grant initiative has been introduced, offering individuals the opportunity to receive funding to support their transition from therapeutic riding to the competition stream. Therapeutic riding centres were also offered the opportunity to obtain grants for new competition initiatives. Over 60 grants have been awarded since its inception, resulting in greater awareness for riders with disabilities competing in Para-Equestrian sport.
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Video Competitions Five different video competitions were offered in 2014 to provide competitive opportunities for developing riders, with more than 100 competition entries received. Eight individuals have progressed from the video competitions into mainstream EC competitions, with five currently ranked on EC’s long list, a fantastic achievement!
New Recruitment Programs Para-Equestrian Canada continued to implement a number of other recruitment programs in 2014 supporting developing athletes, such as talent identification projects. Many of the 2016, 2018 and 2020 athletes have been recruited through the athlete development programs initiated by Para-Equestrian Canada.
Community Engagement The Para-Equestrian Canada Facebook page was officially launched in 2014, allowing people to support and follow Canadian Para-Equestrian Dressage, as well as promoting all Para-Equestrian sport disciplines and their activities in Canada.
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Reining HIGH PERFORMANCE 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games The highlight of 2014 for the Canadian Reining Committee (CRC) was WEG 2014, held August 23 through September 7 in Normandy, France. Four riders represented Canada: Lisa Coulter, Josiane Gauthier, Matt Hudson and Cody Sapergia. Sapergia made it to the finals, finishing sixth.
JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDERS North American Junior and Young Rider Championships The CRC has been asked to review the 2015 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) qualification criteria with a view to make it easier and less expensive for riders and parents. One example would be to change the horse/rider combination requirements so riders can compete using leased horses.
NEW & NOTABLE Para-reining Para-reining is rapidly gaining popularity worldwide. Demonstration classes are already being held at major reining shows. Some of Canada’s top para-dressage riders have tried this exciting new sport, reporting it was a very positive experience. Lisa Coulter is the driving force behind para-reining in Canada and is working to ensure events will be held here in 2015. The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) will be discussing parareining at several of their upcoming meetings. Photo Š Cealy Tetley
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Vaulting HIGH PERFORMANCE 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games At WEG 2014, the Canadian vaulters made history by competing as a full Squad for the first time. The Squad finished in the top 10, making their results a highlight for the Canadian Equestrian Team at WEG. Team Canada was also represented by two Pas-deDeux teams, with both qualifying to move forward to the final as part of the top 12 teams.
International Competitions A record number of Canadians competed at the FEI level in 2014, including 28 participants attending the CVI Pacific Cup in California.
DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION Judges Program Canadian competitions were able to utilize Colin Schmidt as VC’s first Provincial Judge in 2014. Lynn Walden became the second Provincial Judge. In addition to a yearly judges training weekend with FEI 4* Judge Sue Detol, a second weekend was added in the fall of 2014 for the first annual Judges Meet-Up.
COMPETITIONS Record Number of Competitions A record 10 vaulting competitions were held in Western Canada in 2014. Here is the breakdown: • Provincial: 5 • Bronze: 3 • Bronze/Silver/Gold: 1 • Bronze/Silver/Gold/FEI: 1 The largest competition, the CVI Canada Cup & Future Champions, set a new record with 179 participants from 31 vaulting clubs.
Competition Video Uploads The video upload program continued in 2014, with most EC competitions videoed and uploaded to the VC YouTube account. The individual performance videos were then linked to the competition results, allowing athletes, coaches, and judges to study the correlations between the video and the scores. Special thanks goes out to the many volunteers who made this possible, especially Jessica Church who uploaded and linked the majority of the 2014 videos.
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NEW & NOTABLE New Logo An extensive design competition resulted in a well-received new logo. A male version of the same logo, with the vaulter in the position of a handstand, will also be created.
New Mobile-Friendly Website The entire VC website was redesigned to be mobile friendly and focus on allowing visitors to easily find what they’re looking for. The competition entry, management, scoring, and results system is also now mobile friendly.
Social Media Facebook and Twitter accounts were established in 2014 to help keep the vaulting community in the loop.
New Provincial Vaulting Organization VC was pleased to welcome the Saskatchewan Equestrian Vaulting Association (SEVA) as a voting member of the VC Sport Committee, holding two votes.
Highlights for 2015 Upcoming 2015 highlights include the Long Term Athlete Development Competition Review, as well as the CVI Chilliwack competition changing from bi-annual to annual.
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Breed Sport DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION Breed Sport Judges Clinics Two Breed Sport Judges clinics were organized by the BSC Committee in 2014, one in Ontario, the other in Alberta.
Helmet Task Force BSC was a proactive participant in the EC Helmet Task Force. In order to properly evaluate the current and potential use of helmets in competition, the committee spent considerable time developing an electronic survey, with the questions and format finalized by late 2014. It was determined the survey would be sent via the national breed associations to all BSC members. Collectively the BSC member associations have approximately 3,300 members.
Promotional Brochure 2014 was a very productive year for Breed Sport Canada (BSC). Early in the year a promotional brochure was produced and designed not only to promote the different breeds, but also to enhance and strengthen BSC branding within EC. These brochures have been made available to competitions, clinics, meetings, and trade fairs, just to name a few.
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COMPETITION Breed Sport Competition Trends Several competitions are adding second and third breeds, or combining breeds. The committee sees this trend as the most efficient way to afford good facilities and organize excellent competitions. Currently, the Canadian Arabian Nationals is the largest ECsanctioned Breed Sport event, and in 2014 hosted over 700 entries from across Canada and the United States.
Saddle Seat World Cup The 2014 Saddle Seat World Cup was held in North Carolina where the Canadian Teams earned bronze medals in the three gaited and five gaited divisions. The next World Cup will be in July 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa. Several countries will be competing, and it’s hoped Canada will once again participate. Saddle Seat Canada will also be attending a Youth Invitational in New Orleans, La. in June of 2015.
NEW & NOTABLE Enhanced Communications Plan A new endeavor taken on for 2015 is an enhanced communications plan. The committee will begin utilizing national breed magazines and newsletters in an effort to reach more of the Breed Sport membership, disseminate information, and promote programs.
Breed Sport Canada Horse of the Year The committee is excited to continue the BSC Horse of the Year program. With many Canadian-bred, owned, shown, and/or trained horses winning world titles or achieving incredible accomplishments in various disciplines, it is truly wonderful to provide recognition.
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General Performance COMPETITION Judges Clinics An EC General Performance Judges Clinic was held in Olds, Alta., in November 2014 with a very good turnout of both Alberta Equestrian Federation and EC judges. More clinics have been planned for 2015, including in Regina, Sask., in March and Winnipeg, Man., in May.
NEW & NOTABLE Logo Launch The committee hired a graphic designer to develop a logo, which was implemented and is now being used on relevant materials, including press releases.
New Rulebook The committee did some housekeeping of the EC Section F Rulebook in 2014, and is pleased to announce that the entire rulebook is slated to be overhauled in 2015.
Special Thanks to Lorraine Gilchrist This past year also saw the retirement of Lorraine Gilchrist, who was on the committee and a clinician for many of the EC General Performance Judges Clinics over the years. The committee thanks her for her many volunteer hours dedicated to the General Performance disciplines. Tracy Dopko from Alberta will now take over as the facilitator in Western Canada for the EC General Performance Judges Clinics.
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Council Reports
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Industry Council MANDATE The Industry Council has the responsibility to manage and coordinate all EC programs, services and activities relating to the business of horses and the breeding of horses, within the policy framework established by the EC Board.
INITIATIVES Growing Forward 2 Funding There are many exciting initiatives currently underway within the Industry Division. One of the main projects is the Growing Forward 2 Funding opportunity from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), which has enabled EC to put a comprehensive plan in place, targeting international market development for the Canadian equine industry. The goal of the funding is to encourage the development of emerging export markets with long-term potential for the sale of Canadian-bred horses and genetics, which will help Canadian horse breeders compete effectively and successfully in the international marketplace.
Advocacy for Equine Owners, Breeders & Professionals Another main initiative of the Industry Division is advocating for the rights of horse owners in Canada. To this end, the Industry Division represents the best interests of horse owners, breeders and professionals to a number of agricultural organizations, including: • Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) • Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC) • National Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Council (NFAHW) • Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Equine Code of Practice The Industry Division worked in conjunction with the NFAHW to develop a revised Equine Code of Practice. This guide is a reference document promoting sound management and welfare practices for horses in Canada. It has proven to be very popular. In fact, it has become one of EC’s most requested books from those involved in industry and sport.
HIGHLIGHTS How to Buy and Sell a Horse Reference Booklet The Industry Division has created the reference booklet, How to Buy and Sell a Horse. It contains the suggested best practices for horse owners and buyers when dealing with the complexities of purchasing or marketing a horse for sale. This booklet is slated to go into production in the spring of 2015 and will be available online on the EC website and by hard copy on the EC e-store.
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Life Cycle Management Policy The Industry Division has made it a priority to address growing concerns for a national policy with respect to life management for Canadian horses. Therefore, in collaboration with the EC Health and Welfare Committee, the Industry Division created the Life Cycle Management Policy with the overall objective of maximizing the quality of life for each horse by: • Working towards a balanced equine population in Canada. • Helping to ensure all horses are treated humanely throughout their lifetime. • Fostering long, healthy, and active careers for equines. • Maximizing opportunities for horses to enjoy a secured retirement. • Ensuring a humane end for all horses.
NEW & NOTABLE Bill C-571 The Industry Division advised the EC Board of Directors to speak out against the proposed Bill C-571 stating that is does not enhance or add value to the existing Safe Food for Canadians Act and its comprehensive framework for ensuring food safety in Canada. The Bill would have severely restricted the movement of horses in Canada and would have been an onerous burden on the Canadian horse industry in relation to the movement of horses between provinces in Canada.
Animal Pedigree Act In its role of representing the breed associations in Canada with a unified voice, the Industry Council spoke on behalf of all the breed registries that fall under the Animal Pedigree Act when the government was looking to eliminate the Act. The Industry Council contributed to a report that was submitted to the AAFC for review.
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Provinces Council MANDATE The Provinces Council provides a forum for the provincial/territorial sport organizations (PTSOs) that are members of EC to meet and discuss issues of common interest. The council also facilitates communication among the PTSOs, EC Board, and other councils.
INITIATIVES EC’s Proposed By-laws The Provinces Council was called upon to review and provide input on EC’s proposed new By-laws in 2014. A sub-committee of the Provinces Council was created in February 2014 to create an executive summary outlining the concerns, suggestions, and official position of the Provinces Council in relation to the proposed By-laws. The sub-committee then presented their findings to the Governance Committee.
EC Familiarization Report In March 2014, the standing Provinces Council Chair, Paul Côté, spent time visiting the EC office in order to familiarize himself with the structure and operations of EC, and how the various committees and councils interact. Côté brought his findings back to the Provinces Council to help improve clarity between EC and the Provinces Council.
HIGHLIGHTS Canadian Interprovincial Equestrian Championships The Provinces Council has been heavily involved in ensuring the organization, implementation, and success of the annual Canadian Interprovincial Equestrian Championships (CIEC), which is an EC-sanctioned competition that gives equestrian athletes from coast to coast the opportunity to compete as a team representing their province or territory in the disciplines of dressage, reining, and jumping. The 2014 CIEC, hosted by the Fédération équestre du Québec (FEQ) at the Blainville Equestrian Park in Blainville, Que. was a great success, attracting 70 participants from across Canada.
NEW & NOTABLE National-Provincial Workshop In November 2014, EC hosted a National-Provincial Workshop at the EC office in Ottawa, Ont. PTSO representatives from across Canada attended the two-day strategic workshop, which acted as a forum for EC and PTSOs to share current initiatives, future plans, recommendations, and concerns. Open discussion topics included the EC/PTSO service agreement, competition review, coaching and Learn to Ride/Learn to Drive programming, and recreation/participation initiatives. Post-meeting priorities have included drafting a NSO/PTSO partnership strategy that addresses the priorities and best interests of the Canadian equestrian industry.
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Recreation Council MANDATE The Recreation Council has the responsibility to supervise and coordinate all EC programs, services, and activities relating to the enjoyment of horses.
INITIATIVES National Trail Network Project The National Trail Network Project was identified as a primary focus for the Recreation Council due to the benefits of attracting more people to ride and encouraging them to use Canada’s vast network of trails. EC established a two-year contract with Sherbrooke University in collaboration with the Canadian Trails Federation to digitally map all trails in Canada. The outcome will be a web-based navigation of all trails in Canada that will be readily available to all equestrians in Canada. An expert group of industry leaders in trails was established and will continue to guide this project to completion.
Trail Riding Pilot Project A new accreditation pilot project for equestrian tourism leaders in Canada was launched in 2014 in partnership with Quebec à Cheval, the association for equestrian tourism and recreational riding in Quebec. The first training and assessment clinic was delivered at Broadleaf Guest Ranch in Riverside-Albert, N.B. in June 2014. The clinic provided EC with valuable information that will be used to enhance and refine the program for the future.
HIGHLIGHTS Video to Celebrate Contributions of the Horse in Canadian History In partnership with Cinéma d’Animation, Cégep du Vieux Montréal, and both the Recreation Council and the EC Health and Welfare Committee, a short animated video is being completed that celebrates the enormous contributions of the horse in Canadian history, from the past to present day. The video will be used to promote horses and horseback riding with the goal of engaging horse enthusiasts and the general public, and fostering growth of the equestrian community. The video will be featured in many upcoming projects and initiatives, including EC Horse Day.
NEW & NOTABLE Canadian Equestrian Tourism Research Project A tourism research intern from France—one of the most advanced countries in the world in equestrian tourism—is surveying the Canadian equine tourism industry under the supervision of the Chair of Tourism at the Université du Québec à Montréal. The survey will include all of the main equestrian tourism organizations, facilities and opportunities. Once completed, this research will assist the goal of increasing participation and promoting the healthy development of equestrian opportunities in Canada.
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ey ark y Sh d n Sa
EC Committee Reports
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Competitions MANDATE Many vital committees fall under the ‘Competitions’ umbrella. From rules to human and equine medications to officials, these committees help ensure EC-sanctioned competitions adhere to the rules, principles, and values of EC.
COMPETITIONS COMMITTEE Canadian Competition Statistics In 2014, EC approved 614 competitions of all levels, from Bronze through Platinum, and adopted the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Calendar system with an implementation date of January 2016 for all EC-sanctioned competitions.
2014 Competititons By Level of Sanctioning/Province 120
Bronze
100
Silver Gold
80
Platinum
60
Canceled
40 20 0 BC
AB
SK
MB
ON
QC
NB
NS
PE
NL
YK
NY
2014 Number of Horses Competed
30000
2014
26000
2013
22000
2012
18000 14000 10000 6000 2000 0
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BC
AB
SK
MB
ON
QC
NB
NS
PE
YK
NL
STEWARDS COMMITTEE & OFFICIALS COMMITTEE National Steward Clinics EC hosted four National Steward Clinics in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec in 2014, with a total of 72 attendees. In addition, one Recruiting and Educational Clinic with Jackie Taylor took place in Saskatchewan with very positive results.
Steward Promotions Twelve EC Stewards were promoted across the country, bringing the total number of EC National Stewards to 99, with 78 FEI Stewards across the country. The EC National Stewards Program fits into the new FEI Stewarding Education system, with recruitment, retention and continuing education being primary objectives.
Para-Equestrian Classifiers Susan Foell was promoted to FEI Level 2 Classifier in 2014, allowing her to be invited to classify riders at the international levels, and assist in the development of classification processes for the sport. In addition, the 2014 EC Para-Equestrian Classifier Conference was hosted by the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association in October. This conference was attended by all EC Para-Equestrian National Classifiers, who come together every two years to ensure classification best practices are being maintained and developed. Para-Equestrian Dressage classes continue to be integrated into dressage competitions and Para-Equestrian Canada (PEC) welcomes and strongly encourages dressage officials to apply for the equivalent PEC official status.
EQUINE MEDICATION CONTROL COMMITTEE 2014 Equine Medication Control Samples Nearly 1,500 samples were collected at 364 EC-sanctioned competitions in 2014. Fortyfive technicians and veterinarians were hired by EC to perform the testing. A forbidden substance (positive test) was found in 11 samples.
FEI Official Veterinarians Canada currently has 31 FEI Official Veterinarians approved for jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, endurance, reining and vaulting, as well as 62 FEI Permitted Treating Veterinarians.
Equine Medication Control Education A focus was placed on equine medication control education in 2014: • In February, an FEI Official Veterinarian Clinic was held at the EC office in Ottawa, Ont., with 22 veterinarians and three FEI Stewards attending. The course directors were Yves Rossier (CAN) and Gerit Matthesen (GER). • Two Clean Sport/NCCP Seminars were held in 2014 - one in March, hosted by the Horse Council of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C., and the other in April in Nova Scotia. A shortened version was also held at the 2014 CIEC in Blainville, Que. • In April 2014, a Technician Clinic was held in Toronto, Ont., with 35 technicians and testing veterinarians from across the country attending. • The 2015 Equine Medication Control Guide was created and will be made available to EC members. Annual Report 2014
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FEI Competitions Support The FEI competition organizers’ subsidy program was a great success in 2014. In addition, pre-competition testing programs for Canadian Equestrian Team horses (e.g. mounts attending FEI World Equestrian Games, Pan American Games, and Olympic Games) were developed.
2010-2014 Equine Canada Equine Medication Sample Collection
1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Number of EC Urine samples Number of EC blood samples Total number of EC samples
HUMAN MEDICATIONS COMMITTEE EC has adopted the 2015 Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP). Subsequently, an updated EC Code of Conduct and Ethics was added to the EC website.
NATIONAL RULES COMMITTEE The National Rules Committee (NRC) met several times in 2014 to discuss rule change suggestions, develop proposals and author documents for member review, and monitor discipline/breed sport rule committee proposals. The NRC proposed the establishment of a Risk Review Management Panel (RRMP) to review all rule proposals for any potential liability risk or conflict with General Regulations or EC policies, and to confirm internal references and correct English usage.
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Ethics Committee MANDATE The Ethics Committee recommends policies, strategies and programs to EC to assist in maintaining and enforcing its Code of Ethics and Statement of Principles as they relate to ethical behaviour.
HIGHLIGHTS Revised Codes, Agreements & Policies In 2014, the committee approved and revised the EC Code of Conduct and Ethics, Workplace Harassment and Violence Policies, and the new Board Confidentiality Agreement, Council and Committee Member Confidentiality Agreement, and Code of Conduct for Candidates. The committee also approved the appointment of an independent Observer Panel for elections.
NEW & NOTABLE Looking to 2015–2016 The committee believes that a broad, active program for monitoring, advice and education is an extremely important means for attaining understanding of, and compliance with, high ethical standards. To fulfill its responsibilities effectively, the committee will: • Develop and conduct educational programs for volunteers. • Continue development of a new Code of Professional Conduct, including conflict of interest, confidentiality, and protected disclosure provision, for volunteers.
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Governance Committee MANDATE The Governance Committee responds to objectives in EC’s strategic plan to strengthen governance, thereby ensuring EC is a strong and resilient organization capable of creating ongoing value for members and stakeholders. The Governance Committee supports the EC Board, councils and committees in governing with vision and excellence. Through the development of the 2013–2014 Action Plan, the Governance Committee identified five focus areas: • Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act (CNCA) Compliance • Fiduciary and Statutory Standards • Committee Review • Policy Review and Development • Volunteer Experience
HIGHLIGHTS Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act In 2014, the Governance Committee oversaw the completion of the By-law review initiated in 2013 as a component of EC’s compliance with the CNCA. Following a series of consultations and meetings at the February 2014 EC Convention, the committee presented draft By-laws and Articles of Continuance to the Board on July 22, 2014. The Board engaged members in further deliberations through dissemination of the relevant documents and background resources, as well as stakeholder teleconferences, resulting in further revisions.
Fiduciary and Statutory Standards Following a review of statutory requirements regarding the financial reporting, the Governance Committee recommended a change in fiscal year and timing of the EC Annual General Meeting, which were approved by the EC Board.
Committee Review Task Group The Committee Review Task Group (CRTG) was established by the Governance Committee in June 2013 to review and make recommendations regarding EC’s committees in order to assist the EC Board in properly fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. The CRTG was responsible for evaluating the utility and effectiveness of EC’s current Board committee structure and the practical needs of the federation. The final report was completed in January 2014 and delivered to the EC Board at the 2014 EC Annual Convention.
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Policy Management Project The Governance Committee established the Policy Management Project Task Group to foster an appropriate policy framework for EC. With the assistance of EC staff, the task group has completed an inventory of EC’s policies, and in 2014, work began on policy development procedures and guides. As a result, the Policy Management Project will be launched in the 2015–2016 governance year.
Volunteer Experience EC is committed to ensuring that employees and volunteers experience a collegial and enjoyable work environment that is exemplified by effective communication, collaboration and engagement. Development of a welcome package and manual to guide and support volunteers with the Board, various committees, and councils has been a two year endeavor for the Governance Committee, and is close to completion.
NEW & NOTABLE Looking to 2015–2016, the Governance Committee will: 1. Employ a methodical approach to selecting policies for review, taking into consideration the scope of the Policy Management Project, and seeking input from the councils and committees about which policies may require greater or more immediate attention. 2. Continue a proactive and effective approach in the development of polices, including Governance Framework, Travel and Hospitality, Contract and Procurement, and Election and Referenda, which are close to completion. 3. Continue development of EC Board and organizational governance policies, and implement best practices for EC Board and committee orientation, evaluation, and professional development. 4. Support the implementation of the Volunteer Experience Program.
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Health and Welfare Committee MANDATE When commissioned as an EC Board-directed committee in 2009, the Health and Welfare Committee was asked to, and subsequently prepared, a five-year Strategic Plan. 2014 brought that five-year period to a close. In that time, the committee has made great progress in many areas involving the health and welfare of the horse. To accomplish many of the initiatives and modifications to date, the committee worked closely with the Industry Council, as well as various groups and committees pertaining to medication, rules, stewards, and competitions.
INITIATIVES Competition Emergency Preparedness In 2014, the committee developed a comprehensive program to ensure sanctioned Canadian competitions meet a recognized standard of emergency management involving horses and riders. This objective was achieved by the creation of the Competition Emergency Preparedness Guide, which has been completed, and should be ready for distribution in the spring of 2015.
Addressing Horse Abuse In order to effectively address issues of horse abuse at competitions, the committee has approved several significant and approved changes to abuse and medication rules: • Implemented a cross discipline Yellow Warning Card system. • Increased rule consistency across disciplines and competition levels. • Improved communication of abuse situations within the national office. • Increased and coordinated constructive interaction between the Health and Welfare, Stewards, Competitions, and Medications Committees.
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HIGHLIGHTS Protecting Horse Health at Competitions A major goal of the committee has been developing a program to protect the health of horses at competitions and to mitigate the potential for transmission of infectious diseases through co-mingling of horses at competitions. This was achieved by establishing partnerships with government and industry organizations working to establish standards for disease containment. The committee has also initiated and supported a competition organizer stall sanitation pilot, and has been monitoring disease incidence in North America and providing disease alerts.
NEW & NOTABLE Disease Surveillance Members of the committee participate in monthly U.S. National Equine Disease Surveillance conference calls and are currently establishing the same in Canada. In addition, the committee has partnered with Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in the development of a Biosecurity Standard that will apply on farms and at events, and established best practices for organizers in requiring a negative Equine Infectious Anemia (Coggins) test for horses attending EC sanctioned competitions.
Equine Welfare Awards The committee established two annual welfare awards that were first presented at the 2014 EC Awards Gala. The Boehringer Ingelheim-Equine Canada Horse Health and Welfare Award will be given out annually and celebrates those who make horse welfare their top priority in Canada.
Warm Welcome to EC Program Manager Julie Cull The committee is pleased to congratulate EC staff member, Julie Cull on her new appointment as the Program Manager, Participation & Equine Development, and looks forward to getting many important projects underway in 2015—always with the goal of promoting great care and good handling of our equine partners.
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Long-Term Equestrian Development & Long-Term Horse Development Models MANDATE The Long-Term Equestrian Development (LTED) and Long-Term Horse Development (LTHD) models lead EC’s systematic approach being developed to maximize the potential of participants and athletes in equestrian sport.
INITIATIVES Athlete Development Matrix An athlete development matrix for the discipline of dressage was completed and submitted to Sport Canada in 2014. This matrix describes all of the skills that an athlete needs to acquire and develop at each stage of development to progress to the next level in the LTED model. Through the completion of this tool, gaps in athlete skill development were identified and the working group has made recommendations as a result.
HIGHLIGHTS Competition Review Working Group The Competition Review Working Group was very productive in 2014. During the EC Annual Convention held in Winnipeg, Man., a session with over 70 participants was held to discuss the competition review project. During the session, the working group asked those present to help draft the definition of meaningful competition, as it was critical to encompass perspectives from all stakeholders. The productive work of the working group, plus additional feedback from the equestrian community resulted in the final draft definition for EC. Using the definition of meaningful competition and the athlete development matrix, the working group was able to hold productive discussions and working sessions to develop recommendations to fill existing gaps and align the programs and services offered with the athlete development pathway. An interactive information sharing and gathering session was held during provincial/territorial executive director meetings in the fall of 2014. At the conclusion of 2014, these recommendations were in draft format and were scheduled to be released in 2015. With the implementation stage commencing for dressage, the working group will begin working with all other disciplines to use the templates, tools and lessons from the dressage competition review to begin reviews in 2015.
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National Coaching Committee MANDATE The Coaching Committee is responsible for the development and coordination of an Integrated National Coaching Certification Program. This includes the development of a standard of certification that forms the basis of EC’s Certification Policy and Procedure and is in line with the aims and objectives of EC and the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC).
HIGHLIGHTS Certification Throughout 2014, provincial and territorial equestrian federations issued over 3,300 certificates, which is an increase of more than 10% from 2013.
Coaching Excellence Awards EC is pleased to announce Andrea Taylor of Langley, B.C. was awarded the Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award in recognition of her achievements at WEG 2014, held August 23 through September 7 in Normandy, France. Danielle Yaghdjian was the recipient of the Community NCCP Coach Developer Award, created by the CAC and presented by Investors Group, which acknowledges her as an outstanding individual who goes above and beyond to develop certified and trained National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) coaches in her community and beyond.
Andrea Taylor
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INITIATIVES Learn to Ride / Learn to Drive The Learn to Ride and Learn to Drive programs are instrumental components to implementing and promoting our Long Term Equestrian Development (LTED) model and are a prerequisite to many of EC’s coaching programs.
Competition Coach Western Program EC’s Competition Coach Western program received final approval and is available in both official languages across the country.
Professional Development Credit Policy Effective Jan. 1, 2014, a new Professional Development Credit Policy came into effect. This policy aligns with the new NCCP and allows coaches up to five years to collect the necessary points to maintain their certification. This will ensure all coaches receive ongoing training and development, which in turn helps to provide athletes within the EC system access to updated knowledge and training.
Tools and Resources The coaching department has been working on adding additional resources to assist coaches in successfully completing their certification requirements. In 2014, a video resource, available in both French and English, was released to demonstrate the competencies required to complete the competition coach evaluation. This resource, along with a video for the Instructor of Beginners (IOB) evaluation, are available from all provincial/territorial equestrian partners to candidates who are interested in completing their evaluations.
NEW & NOTABLE Toque Campaign EC is pleased to recognize certified coaches by providing them with toques that depict their successful completion of an NCCP program, as they endeavor to increase the visibility of EC certified coaches across the country.
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EC Recognition & Awards Committee MANDATE The Recognition & Awards Committee is responsible for recognizing and honouring members who have made a special and significant contribution to equestrian sport in Canada through volunteer activities, or have earned the highest honours in their sport/ discipline through their athletic pursuits.
INITIATIVES Awards Program Promotion Direct communications were sent to all EC councils, as well as Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations (PTSOs) and Breed Organizations, asking for their assistance in promoting the program through their communication vehicles. The suite of promotional graphics first developed in 2013 were updated and made available for download to make them accessible for use on websites, newsletters and social media channels.
HIGHLIGHTS High Quality Submissions The committee was impressed with the high quality award submissions received over the past year, which resulted in stimulating discussion and some very difficult decisions in choosing recipients.
2014 EC Award Recipients Canadian Bred Horse of the Year Intimidate Canadian Breeder of the Year
Charlotte Schickedanz
Equestrian of the Year
Lauren Barwick
Junior Equestrian of the Year
Natalie Alves
Lifetime Achievement Award
Mary Anne Laframboise
Volunteer of the Year
*Confidential until announcement at 2015 EC Awards Gala
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NEW & NOTABLE 2015 Goals Some of the goals for 2015 include completing a review of the committee’s Terms of Reference, with an eye to broadening the awards program to better capture recognition opportunities, and ensure all EC divisions are represented.
Community Engagement The committee is looking forward to engaging EC councils, staff, and the membership at large to identify how the awards/recognition program can be improved. This includes identifying a yearly recognition program to highlight participants at major events, and volunteer services.
Thank You to EC Staff The committee sincerely thanks the terrific EC Marketing and Communications staff, Carmen Marson-Awad, Jordan Fulcher, and Gerry van Blokland for the support received throughout the year.
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Financial Statements of
Equine Canada Year ended March 31, 2014
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KPMG LLP 150 Elgin Street, Suite 1800 Ottawa Ontario K2P 2P8 Canada
Telephone Fax Internet
(613) 212-5764 (613) 212-2896 www.kpmg.ca
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT To the Board of Directors and Members of Equine Canada
Report on the Financial Statements We have audited the accompanying financial statements of Equine Canada, which comprise the statement of financial position as at March 31, 2014 the statement of operations, changes in fund balances and cash flows for the year then ended, and notes, comprising a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information. Management's Responsibility for the Financial Statements Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. Auditors’ Responsibility Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on our judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, we consider internal control relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion.
KPMG LLP, is a Canadian limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss cooperative. KPMG Canada provides services to KPMG LLP.
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Opinion In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Equine Canada as at March 31, 2014 and its results of operations, changes in fund balances and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not-forprofit organizations.
Report on Other Legal Requirements As required by the Canada Corporations Act, we report that, in our opinion, the accounting principles in Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations have been applied on a consistent basis.
Chartered Professional Accountants, Licensed Public Accountants August 31, 2014 Ottawa, Canada
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EQUINE CANADA Statement of Financial Position March 31, 2014, with comparative information for 2013 2014
2013
Assets Current assets: Cash Investments (note 2) Accounts receivable (note 3) Inventories Prepaid expenses
$
408,003 3,525,854 416,560 28,172 177,445 4,556,034
Tangible capital and intangible assets (note 4) Horses (note 5)
$
248,171 2,933,705 232,200 85,350 42,348 3,541,774
116,999
57,499
-
29,132
$
4,673,033
$
3,628,405
$
381,305 1,308,886 1,690,191
$
220,522 1,064,683 1,285,205
Liabilities and Fund Balances Current liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities Deferred revenue (note 6(a)) Deferred contributions - horses (note 6(b)) Fund balances: Invested in tangible capital and intangible assets Restricted (note 7) Unrestricted Pension (note 9) Commitments (note 10) $
-
17,418
116,999 2,376,809 489,034 2,982,842
57,499 1,889,008 379,275 2,325,782
4,673,033
See accompanying notes to financial statements. On behalf of the Board: Alvin Patterson, President Cheryl Denault, Treasurer
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$
3,628,405
EQUINE CANADA Statement of Operations
Year ended March 31, 2014, with comparative information for 2013 Unrestricted Revenue: Governance Sports Division Jump Canada Dressage Canada Canadian Eventing Para-Equestrian Driving Endurance Reining Vaulting Equine Medications Breeds and Industry Division Provinces Division Recreation Division Amortization of deferred contributions
$
Expenses: Governance Sports Division Jump Canada Dressage Canada Canadian Eventing Para-Equestrian Driving Endurance Reining Vaulting Equine Medications Breeds and Industry Division Provinces Division Recreation Division Amortization of horses
Excess of revenue over expenses
$
881,367 2,881,385 111,768 53
Restricted (note 7) $
1,257,992 530,975 357,288 437,705 6,499 35,780 16,064 5,100 254,041 -
2014
$
881,367 2,881,385 1,257,992 530,975 357,288 437,705 6,499 35,780 16,064 5,100 254,041 111,768 53
2013
$
777,296 2,660,197 1,293,039 696,267 897,935 660,821 4,523 17,351 12,395 2,026 230,595 10,310 2,000 2,000
17,418 3,891,991
2,901,444
17,418 6,793,435
17,419 7,284,174
1,346,208 2,069,617 142,165 39,559 95,264 29,132 3,721,945
777,330 473,931 335,720 437,160 5,574 33,489 16,898 3,662 330,666 2,414,430
1,346,208 2,069,617 777,330 473,931 335,720 437,160 5,574 33,489 16,898 3,662 330,666 142,165 39,559 95,264 29,132 6,136,375
1,118,131 2,013,211 1,207,919 655,731 762,836 648,983 1,878 17,859 11,869 408 231,975 26,099 17,373 79,953 29,132 6,823,357
170,046
$
487,014
$
657,060
$
460,817
Please visit www.equinecanada.ca for full financial reports.
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Audited Financial Statement Report for 2013–2014 Please note that this Audited Financial Statement Report for 2013–2014 is in reference to the Financial Statements, ending March 31, 2014, which have been produced in both French and English and are available online at www. equinecanada.ca. The posted Financial Statements were approved by the Board of Directors at their August 29, 2014 meeting. EC is a Registered Canadian Amateur Athletic Association (RCAAA) which is subject to an annual external audit, the highest form of review. The Independent Auditor’s Report of the Audited Financial Statements prepared by KPMG LLP, to the Board of Directors and members of EC, confirmed that the Financial Statements produced by EC management, present fairly, in all material aspects, the financial position of the association and that they were prepared as required, in accordance with the accounting principles in Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations. A brief overview of the EC Financial Statements show that our statements are broken down into four separate numerical sections (pages 1-4) as well as a complete written section of Notes, (pages 5-16) to help explain all figures listed: 1. The Statement of Financial Position (Page 1) is never closed out and shows the history and overall financial health (resources and liquidity) of the association, along with comparative figures for the 2013 fiscal period. The Assets section: • Reveals that we remain financially healthy with more than $4.5 million of which more than $3.9 million is in the form of liquid assets (Cash and Investments). • Accounts Receivable balances unfortunately increased due to the return in funding of the Agri-Marketing program as well as large year end balances within the Trade Receivables. Two thirds of these amounts were collected within the first quarter and balances have returned to a more consistent level. • Inventories decreased significantly to reflect the planned writing off of outdated manuals and products previously held in inventory at year end. • Prepaid expenditures increased significantly to reflect the requirements of the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Within the Liabilities section: • Account Payable balances increased to reflect the payments associated to the AgriMarketing program. These amounts were also paid within the first quarter and balances have returned to a more consistent level. • Deferred Revenues continue to increase due to the improved timeliness of collecting and reporting all fees. • The Fund Balance section confirms the strength of the association as it lists the accumulation of net worth over the years, the Restricted funds are detailed by discipline within Note 7 and the Unrestricted funds summary is contained within the Statement of Changes in Fund Balances (page 3), both Fund figures remain encouraging.
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2. The Statement of Operations (Page 2) informs us how the association performed over the past year alone (from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014) in terms of revenues and expenditures associated to the operations. These overall final figures are then closed out every year (to the Statement of Financial Position and Statement of Changes in Fund Balances). • EC allocates its resources between five Unrestricted funds (the divisions of the association including governance, sport, industry, provinces, and recreation), and the 10 Restricted Funds (includes all eight disciplines as well as the Equine Medications account and the Legal Defence Fund). • Unrestricted Fund resources are available for the benefit of the entire association whereby Restricted Funds are specifically allocated to the discipline or Equine Medications account or the Legal Defence account. • Unfortunately our overall association Operating Revenues declined for a second year in a row by nearly $500,000, but still remain fairly healthy at just under $6.8 million. Although there are numerous variances to the revenue accounts throughout the year the decline in revenues were mainly due to the loss in funding from Own the Podium funding combined with the fact that it was a “non-games” year meaning we had no revenue sources from the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) or the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC).
Operating Revenues (Less Horses) $9,000,000 $8,000,000 $7,000,000 $6,000,000 $5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 $0
04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14
• Overall the association had a very successful year. We were successful in securing multi-year funding through the Grow Forward 2 program, we moved office locations for additional space at a significant savings to the association, we surpassed 19,000 Sport Licence holders for only the third time in our association’s history, (19,025), we had signed Service Agreements with every Provincial/Territorial Sport Organization (PTSO), we introduced several new initiatives such as the reserve fund for the High Performance Teams, provided funding for the Canadian Interprovincial Equestrian Championships (CIEC) program, launched the Trail Ride Program, and created an Operational Plan for the new Strategic Plan, to name but a few. • We also had a very successful financial year in many respects. We are pleased to report that EC has earned a combined excess of just over $657,000 for the year. The unrestricted fund balances (divisions) earned a combined $170,000 excess for the year. All of the disciplines also earned a combined excess of $487,000 for the year, only Reining incurred a minor loss for the year. The Equine Medications account incurred a planned loss for the year as they tapped into their available reserve funds. • These excess amounts from 2013–2014 are now carried forward to be combined with results of previous years. Both amounts are added to the Fund section within the Statement of Financial Position (Page 1) now totaling $489,034 and $2,376,809 respectively. Additional background information on the Fund Balances is available from the Statement of Changes in Fund Balances (Page 3). For a complete summary of the balances contained within the Restricted fund balances, since their inception, please see Note 7 of the Financial Statements, on Page 11.
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3. The Statement of Changes in Fund Balances (Page 3) is a summary of the association’s net worth should it be required to dissolve. It reveals that our Capital Assets (computer equipment, furniture etc.) currently have a book value of just under $117,000 as we had a planned update to many systems as well as investments into our new office location. The Internally Restricted fund balance reveals the growth for the year (from the Statement of Operation) combined with the opening balances, to $2.377 million. It also reveals the increase in Unrestricted funds to a balance of more than $489,000. All final balances of this statement are then carried forward to the Statement of Financial Position in the Fund Balances section (page 1) to allow for a quick overview. The graph below offers a quick overview of the progress we have made within our accumulated Unrestricted fund over the past several years as contained within the Fund section within the Statement of Financial Position (Page 1).
Unrestricted Fund Balance $600,000 $500,000 $400,000 $300,000 $200,000 $100,000 $0 -$100,000 -$200,000
04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14
4. The Statement of Cash Flow (Page 4) is an accounting exercise which shows where our cash was increased or required over the past year as it relates to the final Cash balance of $408,000 contained within the Asset section of the Statement of Financial Position. Significant positive changes include increase in Investments, increases in deferred revenues as well as decreases in inventories. Negatives include the increase in Account Receivable balances, (which have since been collected) increases in Prepaid expenditures, (due to WEG) and increases in Accounts payable balances (which have since been paid). 5. The Notes to The Financial Statements (Pages 5-14) are an integral part of the audit process and reveal several important details and factors about an association. We are a relatively large Registered Canadian Amateur Athletic Association (RCAAA), with several divisions and disciplines and as such have several significant Accounting Policies. This year we have modified the Notes to recognize the new accounting standards as well as the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act (CNCA). We are aware that this is a very, very brief overview of the Financial Statements but we would be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have concerning the Financial Statements for 2013–2014 or this report that you may have. Respectfully submitted,
Cheryl Denault CPA, CA Treasurer
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Michael Arbour CPA, CMA Chief Financial Officer