APRIL 2020 THE RIDER /3


Equestrian Canada Statement on Coronavirus (COVID-19)


Last Updated: March 17, 2020 Equestrian Canada (EC) is


closely monitoring news from the World Health Organization, Cana- dian sport system partners, na- tional and local authorities to help minimize the effects of coron- avirus (COVID-19). Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we endeavour to provide the best possible level of service while simultaneously protecting the health and wellbeing of our com- munity and employees.


Office Operations Effective March 16, 2020,


the Equestrian Canada (EC) office will be temporarily closed and staff will be working remotely. The return to office date is set for April 6, 2020; however, given daily changes to the status of the COVID-19 outbreak, there may be adjustments to this schedule. During this time, day-to-day


business operations will continue as normal, except for those requir- ing in-office activities, in-person meetings or travel. Please expect delayed processing times for items sent via mail or courier, including FEI Passports. There will be no coverage of competitions during this time, whether via press release or social media. EC staff will remain accessi-


ble via phone and email during of- fice hours. A full listing of EC staff and contact information can be found on our website at www.equestrian.ca/about/contact.


EC Events, Sanctioned Compe- titions & Team Selection For the current list of can-


celled/postponed EC clinics and sanctioned competitions, click here .


Effective March 14, 2020,


All EC run in-person events, clin- ics and activities will be sus- pended for four weeks (until April 12, 2020). After two weeks, a re- view will take place to assess whether the suspension will be ex- tended or if activities may resume. We are counting on each and


every member of the Canadian equestrian community to make re- sponsible decisions based on the information available, the condi- tions in your geographic area and the recommendations from your local public health authorities.


EC Sanctioned Competitions All EC sanctioned competi-


tions are suspended for four weeks (until April 12, 2020). After two weeks, a review will take place to assess whether the suspension will be extended or if competitions may resume. For competitions that do run, there will be no accumula- tion of points, scores, qualification or rankings towards any EC awards program or team selection, and there will be no posting of re- sults starting March 16, 2020. EC also strongly recom-


mends that equestrians refrain from participating in or attending competition for four weeks.


Team Selection EC high performance and


discipline staff will continue to meet regularly and explore any necessary potential adjustments for team selection for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic/Paralymic Games and the North American Youth Championships. EC will review all current nomination/selection criteria, implement alternate qual- ification pathways should they be


required and communicate


changes to criteria or documents once they become available.


Out-of-Country Individuals EC strongly urges our Sport


Licence Holders, representatives and affiliates who are currently outside of Canada to follow the guidelines and recommendations indicated by local healthcare au- thorities, as well as those estab- lished by the Government of Canada. Additionally, all individ- uals are encouraged to return to their home location. If you have not already done


so, EC recommends that all Cana- dians abroad register with the Government of Canada here.


Return from the United States EC is working closely with


the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and United States Department


of Agriculture


(USDA) to expedite the return process for horses. If you are currently in the


process of transporting your horses from the United States to Canada, please fill out the below form to help EC track its out-of- country individuals and to sub- scribe


to e-mail updates


concerning the return transporta- tion of horses.


International Competitions In terms of international


competition, we strongly recom- mend refraining from international travel to countries that have been identified as having high out- breaks of the coronavirus for the foreseeable future. EC is


communicating


closely with the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) to monitor competition status around the world. The FEI strongly rec- ommends that organizers should cancel all events for the next four weeks until a reassessment of the situation can be made. For the sta- tus of FEI events, please check their online database and read the statement below. The FEI is following the


matter closely and is in regular contact with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The IOC is collaborating directly with the World Health Or- ganisation (WHO) and IOC Med- ical and Scientific Commission Games Group public health ex- perts, as well as the relevant sport and government authorities. In ad- dition, the FEI has issued the fol- lowing advisory regarding the Coronavirus which can be found here.


In addition, the IOC has ad-


vised us that countermeasures against infectious diseases consti- tute an important part of Tokyo 2020’s plans to host a safe and se- cure Games. Tokyo 2020 will con- tinue to collaborate with all relevant organisations which care- fully monitor any incidence of in- fectious diseases and will review any countermeasures that may be necessary with all relevant organ- isations. In addition, the IOC is in contact with the World Health Or- ganisation, as well as its own med- ical experts. Please visit the following


webpages for more information from the FEI:


FEI Coronavirus (Covid-19) Advisory


FEI recommends cancella-


tion of FEI Events due to Coron- avirus


Additional Guidelines EC strongly encourages ad-


herence to provincial/territorial public health recommendations re- garding the running of activities and/or lessons at equestrian facil- ities. Agencies are moving quickly to require the cancellation of all recreational activities. If continu- ing to offer programming, all fa- cility owners, operators and coaches should contact your insur- ance provider(s) – including Henry Equestrian as the official insurance provider of EC Sport Li- cence Holders – to determine the scope of your coverage.


Biosecurity EC encourages the continued


use of biosecurity best practices to ensure the health and safety of hu- mans and equines alike. Biosecurity refers to the set


of principles and practices used to reduce the risks posed by pathogens. The National Farm and Facility Level Biosecurity Stan- dard for the Equine Sector pro- vides measures that horse owners and custodians may take to mini- mize the introduction of pathogens onto a property, contain the spread of pathogens within the property and/or limit their spread off the property. It it important for facility


owners, managers and custodians to review their farm- and facility- specific biosecurity plan for both humans and equines (see Section 3 of the National Farm and Facil- ity Level Biosecurity Standard for the Equine Sector), including the potential for a farm or facility owner, manager or caretaker to fall ill or become quarantined. Consider the following recom- mendations should key persons within a facility fall ill or become quarantined: • Update current daily routines and management procedures in an available format should the central facility management person be un- available and to ensure all infor- mation is readily available for temporary replacement person(s); • Review current essential needs inventory for a two- to three-week period, including hay, shavings, feed and equine medication; • Establish a communication sys- tem for all owners, riders, and third-party service providers to understand daily prevention and biosecurity procedures; including signage; and, • Consider a contingency plan for the delivery of essential goods should the facility or household be quarantined (identification of a neutral drop off point). For information on COVID-


19 as it relates to equines and rec- ommended


practices for


biosecurity, please visit following resources: • EC Horse Health and Welfare Webpage • National Farm and Facility Level Biosecurity Standard for the Equine Sector • Canadian Federation of Agricul- ture List of Resources on COVID- 19 • World Organisation for Animal Health Questions and Answers on COVID-19 • COVID-19: Caring for your horse during a pandemic - Ontario Animal Health Network


To Whom This May Concern, As a social responsibility to help prevent


the spread of COVID-19, I am unfortunately an- nouncing the cancellation of the 2020 Can-Am Equine Expo that was to take place on April 3-5 at the Markham Fairgrounds. This very difficult decision was made by myself and partners con- sidering the safety and well-being of our cus- tomers, vendors and animals. I realize that many were looking forward to


the annual event, and along with our staff will be disappointed. We will be refunding all tickets that were purchased and refunding vendors monies through this difficult time. Our intent is to try and re-book many of these clinicians and entertainers for 2021 and build to assure an even more exciting show next year. We hope that we see many of you at our


upcoming planned events this summer. For those needing their entertainment fix he Ross Millar Entertainment Group introduces the NEW! Coors Pro Xtreme Bull Freestyle this spring. The RAM Rodeo Tour & Case IH Ultimate Rodeo Tour will be bringing the action-packed sport of


Official statement from Ontario Equestrian Tuesday March 17, 2020


To all members of the Eques- trian Community in Ontario: Since we issued our notice


yesterday (Monday, March 16) stating that we are suspending all Ontario Equestrian (OE) and Equestrian Canada (EC) Sanc- tioned competitions, clinics etc., The Ontario Government has enacted a Declaration of Emer- gency to Protect the Public. Among other things, this


declaration mandates that “All facilities providing indoor recreational programs” are re- quired to close immediately. We have sought legal ad-


vice on this matter and this has determined that RIDING FA- CILITIES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS DEFINITION. We, therefore, strongly urge that all


Riding Facilities in Ontario im- mediately close to the public and cease all lessons, camps, etc. until this State of Emer- gency is lifted. For greater certainty we


are recommending that only employees needed to take care of the facilities and our Equine Partners be allowed on the premises. We empathize especially


with the facility owners, ath- letes and coaches who are so deeply affected by this situa- tion. Ontario Equestrian is com- mitted to continue working alongside our partners to ensure that we are making informed decisions, in alignment with our values, while continuing to work towards the best possible outcome for all those involved in our sport and the broader


community. We will continue to closely monitor all COVID-19 developments in consultation with relevant public health au- thorities, other governing bod- ies and our provincial partners to provide updates as they be- come available. For your con- venience, we have provided the link to the Ontario Govern- ment’s official communications for Coronavirus (COVID-19. These are difficult and un-


precedented times as a world community. Please reach out to us if you need any further sup- port


–


info@ontarioequestrian.ca Sincerely,


The Board and Staff of Ontario Equestrian


Official statement from the Ontario Federation of Agriculture regarding office closure


Due to the recent coron-


avirus outbreak, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is joining the many busi- nesses, government offices and institutions that are standing united in a global shared battle against COVID-19 by imple- menting a mandatory work from home strategy for all em- ployees. OFA is taking the neces-


sary precautions to ensure the health and safety of our em- ployees, directors, families and members is a top priority. Effec- tive today, OFA’s head office in Guelph, Ontario will be closed until further notice. However, OFA business


operations will not be inter- rupted. OFA will maintain reg- ular business hours (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) during the closure and will continue to serve our 38,000 farm family members across the province. We are working across the organization to ensure all employees are well-equipped for working from home in order to continue to provide a high-level of service and support to our membership.


We intend to make a seamless transition to a work-from-home solution and do not expect to experience any service interrup- tions related to member re- quests, issues or inquiries. By implementing this


strategy, we hope to be able to do our part to limit the spread of COVID-19, reduce the risk of exposure and adhere to recom- mendations provided by On- tario’s chief medical officer of health. International experience demonstrates that social dis- tancing is the only effective method to control the spread of the virus, and it is in the best in- terests of our employees, our families and our communities. Ontario’s current health


environment is changing rap- idly and it has forced the organ- ization to be fluid and flexible. As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, we will monitor its progress closely and will provide further updates when necessary. In addition, the Canadian


Federation of Agriculture (CFA) president Mary Robin- son released an official state-


ment on Monday, March 16 up- dating the agriculture and food industry on actions CFA is tak- ing to help minimize the impact on farmers of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full release here:


www.cfa-


fca.ca/2020/03/16/message- from-cfa-president-covid-19/. For more information


about managing COVID-19 in the agriculture industry, the risk to the work environment and employee health and safety, read the special briefing pro- vided by the Canadian Agricul- tural Human Resources Council (CAHRC). It is available at: https://mailchi.mp/2b324298dd f5/emerging-labour-issues-spe- cial-update-for-cahrc-partners- fall-5175869?e=7413fc0574. If you have any questions,


comments or concerns regard- ing OFA business and opera- tions, please contact us at 1-800-668-3276. Thank you to all of our OFA members for your patience, support and un- derstanding during this chal- lenging time.


rodeo to a town near you this summer! Our fam- ily-fun educational show, HorsePower Live! will performing at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds on July 18 til August 20. For more de- tails of our events visit: rossmillargroup.com Thank you for understanding and hope to


see you out on the trail. Ross Millar, President


Can-Am All Breeds Equine Expo Cancelled


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