Spring has sprung and many domestic events across the country are ramping up for a busy 2023 season. With show season upon us, many competition organizers are preparing everything they need for the year and coaches are reviewing what is required for the 2023 phase of the Coach Status Program. Maria-Christina Lepore, Equestrian Canada’s (EC) Manager, Competition Services, provides a few updates and helpful reminders before attending your first event of the season.

Desk Of: Helpful Hints for Competition Season 2023What’s New in 2023?

Here are some important changes that you may encounter in 2023 if you are attending an EC sanctioned competition:

Mandatory Safe Sport Training: 2023 & Beyond

EC is committed to working together with sport licence holders and competition organizers to create and protect safe and respectful environments for all participants in equestrian sport. In addition to being able to recognize harassment and abuse, another way to support the health of human athletes in the field of play is concussion awareness and protocols.

A fundamental step in ensuring athlete health and safety is through education.

All Senior EC Sport Licence holders (ages 19+) must complete two (2) Safe Sport training modules offered at NO COST via EC’s ECampus to EC members: Fostering Healthy Equestrian Environments AND EC Concussion Awareness. Course certificates for these modules are valid for a three-year period.

Upon joining OR renewing a 2023 Senior Sport Licence, individuals will have thirty (30) days to complete both online Safe Sport modules.

What happens if a Sport Licence holder fails to complete the Safe Sport training modules?

  • The Sport Licence holder will have their status changed to Not in Good Standing (NGS).
  • The Sport Licence holder is NOT permitted to coach, ride, or enter any horse for which they are the listed owner in EC-sanctioned events until the Not in Good Standing (NGS) status is removed.

What is the role of Competitions with respect to Safe Sport training?

  • Ensure ALL EC Sport Licence holders are in Good Standing if they wish to coach, ride, or enter a horse they own into any EC-sanctioned competition.
  • Permitting a NGS Sport Licence holder to coach, ride, or enter a horse for which they are the listed owner in an EC-sanctioned event will result in fines/penalties as per the EC Schedule of Fines & Penalty (EC Rules, Section A: General Regulations, Article A801.11).
  • EC points NOT awarded if a rider and/or horse owner is listed as NGS at the time of the event.

Please be kind to your Competition Organizer & Secretary and make their lives easier by ensuring you have completed the training and have all your required licences! If you need any help accessing the training or don’t know where to go, please contact sportlicences@equestrian.ca and we will be happy to point you in the right direction!

For more information about the Concussion-related Accidents & Return to Sport Rule visit www.equestrian.ca/programs-services/rules/concussion-awareness.

For more information about Safe Sport visit Safe Sport (equestrian.ca)

For a list of athletes that are in violation of EC Rules or policies on the Not in Good Standing list, visit Disciplinary Sanctions (equestrian.ca)

EC Coach Status Requirements for 2023

Effective July 1, 2023, Canadian residents coaching athletes at EC-sanctioned competitions must meet minimum Coach Status requirements as outlined in this Event Sanctioning table.

Athletes that chose to self-coach at EC-sanctioned competitions may continue to declare themselves by specifying their own name as coach on their entry form with no additional fees or statuses required.

Athletes of any age can declare themselves as self-coached.

Desk Of: Helpful Hints for Competition Season 2023

Minimum Coach Status requirements will be enforced at all EC-sanctioned events.

For coaches who do not meet the minimum requirements by July 1, Temporary Coach Status (TCS) and associated fees will be applicable as outlined in this informational document and in the Temporary Coach Status Fee chart here.

Self-coached athletes do not need to purchase a TCS

Desk Of: Helpful Hints for Competition Season 2023

Need to obtain your coach status or upgrade before show season? Reach out to coaching@equestrian.ca and we will be happy to assist you!

National Rankings Updates

For 2023, we have expanded the rankings to include all EC Rated Hunter/Jumper divisions.

All eligible Hunter/Jumper competitors at Gold Competitions in rated divisions may earn National Rankings points! For more details on eligibility and to track your standings, visit our National Rankings page. Be sure to keep an eye on the page to ensure you are getting your well-deserved points, especially if you are looking to attend the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in November.

Behind the scenes we are working on developing the National Rankings to include Eventing and Dressage results in the coming seasons. 

Desk Of: Helpful Hints for Competition Season 2023

Have any questions about your points or results? You can always direct inquiries to results@equestrian.ca

REMINDER…

Don’t forget to buy/renew your sport licence or horse recording if you are planning on competing at the bronze, silver, gold or platinum/FEI level! For up to date pricing for 2023, please view the 2023 Schedule of Fees

And as always, be sure to review our Rules to ensure you have everything you need before stepping into the ring.

Everyone at EC is wishing you and your horse/s a very fulfilling and successful competition season!