Alberta Horse Trials Association

Getting a chance to visit somewhere warm and sunny and escaping a bit of the frigid Alberta winter is always a great thing, but having it include horses, eventing, and education makes it even better!

It was great to see a group of familiar Alberta faces as well as other Canadians at the 2023 United States Eventing Association Eventing Coaches Program (ECP) Symposium which took place on January 17-19 at beautiful Barnstaple South in Morriston, Florida. The Eventing Coaches Program was introduced in 2002, focusing on safety, continuing education, commitment to classical principles, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Coaches can be certified at 5 different levels depending on their riding and coaching experience, as well as horsemanship and practical knowledge.

In addition to workshops and assessments, another educational opportunity provided by this program is the annual ECP Symposium which is open to the general public as well as coaches. It was held over 3 days and provided the opportunity for coaches, riders, judges, and others involved in eventing to gather in an educational, collaborative, and interactive setting to explore skills, techniques, learning styles and philosophies related to the sport of eventing. It was great how the symposium focused on education of not just coaches, but riders and parents of riders as well.

A star studded line up of speakers and ECP faculty members, as well as many notable eventing coaches and riders from across the USA and Canada were in attendance. Each day had a different focus, Dressage on day 1, Stadium on day 2, and Cross Country on day 3.

A staple throughout the 3 days of the symposium was the new ECP Eventing Handbook By The Levels which was introduced in 2022. This incredible resource comprehensively lays out for Starter through Advanced, the purpose of each level, and rider and instructor expectations for each level. Each level is then broken down further by discipline, and then each discipline into 3 different categories:
• Position, Balance, Aids
• Rider Skills
• Exercises and Concepts

The handbook outlines a clear and structured progression through the levels which focuses on a strong foundation of basic principles, and mastery of skills before progressing to the next level. It is an extremely useful resource for coaches, riders, and parents. Attendees were encouraged to refer to the handbook throughout the symposium, and while creating the lesson plans, to ensure what was being discussed and laid out was appropriate to the level of each horse and rider.

Day 1 started out uncharacteristically crisp and frosty in the morning as we arrived and checked in and were assigned to our breakout groups. We were introduced to our host and faculty members, who included Karen O’Connor, Phyllis Dawson, Robin Walker, Mary D’Arcy, Bec Braitling, Jan Byyny, Emily Beshear and more. Guest speaker, dressage legend Peter Gray, started us off by discussing the new USEA dressage tests, many of the movements, as well as the nuances of training and judging dressage.

Then we divided up into our breakout groups for a brainstorming session about Managing Unrealistic Expectations between coaches and riders/parents, which is a common problem in many sports. There was much discussion about different approaches and ideas between the group members, and each group came up with 3 basic strategies or ways to help coaches, riders, and parents stay on the same page. All this information was taken away by the ECP faculty to review at a later date to help them find more ways to continue to assist coaches, and it was interesting to note that every single group listed the By The Levels Handbook as a helpful resource to assist with solving this problem. The Round Table: Harnessing the Power of Experience

By mid-morning the sun had started to thaw out our chills and we headed outside to watch the first riding session, a dressage rider being taught a demo lesson by ECP faculty member Mary D’Arcy.

After lunch we broke into our groups again and moved on to the interactive lesson portion of the day. Each group was assigned a faculty member for guidance, who rotated to a different group for each session, and in each of the sessions which covered riders from Beginner Novice through Advanced, a horse and rider were assigned to each group. The groups had the opportunity to ask questions of their assigned rider, and then observed their warm up, discussing and collaborating with their group and faculty member on what they were seeing, strengths and weaknesses, creating priorities for the pair, and referring to the By The Levels Handbook. The priorities were recorded onto a a flip chart for each group, along with possible exercises to use in the lesson, and then a lesson plan was developed. One group was chosen, and then the faculty member taught the lesson that their group had put together, and feedback, questions and comments were invited from everyone after the lesson. Many different approaches, ideas, and exercises came from the group members as they put their heads together, but the underlying theme of every single lesson was a strong foundation of the basics, focus on the training scale, and an appropriate progression through the lesson for horse and rider. One of the best parts of this interactive format, was that while one faculty member led the lesson, each faculty member assigned to the other groups remained with their group to quietly discuss and answer questions while each lesson took place.

USEA ECP Symposium Day 1 Recap

Day 2 started out with another guest speaker, clinical and sports psychologist, Dr. Paul Haefner, who is also a rider himself. He discussed emotional behavior in riders, and his in depth presentation really helped everyone understand the difference between negative and positive emotional behavior, self regulation, and different skills and strategies that can be used to help improve them.

We then headed outside and the faculty members gave a talk on all the different facets of show jumping, including the 5 rider responsibilities: direction, speed, balance, rhythm and tempo. We were encouraged to keep these in mind as we formulated the lesson plans for the show jumping sessions that carried on through the afternoon. Again we broke into our groups and faculty leaders rotated through again as we were assigned horse and rider pairs and developed lesson plans on our flip charts. Appropriate exercises were chosen to link proper flatwork to the jumping, and to improve the performance of each horse and rider pair in a structured and progressive way. The importance of the rider responsibilities and proper basics shone through in each lesson taught even at the lowest levels.

We wrapped up the day with the ECP faculty members discussing the program’s application process, workshops, and the assessment process. They also covered the expectations of the program and gave advice on what makes a successful coaching assessment, and then we finished with a Q&A session where attendees were given the opportunity to ask further questions about the program.

USEA ECP Symposium Day 2 Recap

The third and final day started out with a gorgeous sunrise on the cross country course as Phyllis Dawson and Robin Walker led a demo by advanced rider Alex O’Neal, who demonstrated the different types of canters needed during different part of cross country riding, jumping, and schooling, as well as the different rider body positions.

Karen O’Connor then took over to discuss the basics of cross country riding, emphasizing that we must by very clear and systematic about everything. She discussed rider and body positioning for different parts of cross country, as well as different ways to hold the reins, and everything was demonstrated by the demo riders as she spoke. The riders then put these basics to work in some lengthening and shortening exercises, and some small jumps. To view part of Karen’s session, check out: USEA’s Tip Tuesday: Cross-Country Positions with Karen O’Connor from USEA on Vimeo.

From there Robin Walker and Emily Beshear took over and discussed how to coach horses and riders through negotiating different cross country obstacles such as ditches, banks and water, with a demonstration rider on a green horse.

Again we broke into our groups and created lesson plans for our assigned riders, with the chosen faculty leaders teaching the lesson, keeping in mind the basics of cross country that had been discussed earlier. Different elements of the cross country course, including terrain and mounds, were incorporated into each lesson to help each horse and rider improve different skills. It was exciting to have one of our own Albertans as a demo rider in one lesson, Reagan Noyes and her thoroughbred gelding, Scooby Dude. They got a lesson from Phyllis Dawson that focused mainly on the water complex, progressively adding in more technical elements to build confidence.

USEA ECP Symposium Day 3 Recap

Continuing education is so important, and the symposium is a place where coaches can gather together, learn and collaborate. It provides an opportunity for coaches to ensure that even though everyone has different teaching styles, that the proper foundation and basics are being taught consistently across the board and that everyone is on the same page. Everyone who attended, whether they were a coach, rider or parent, came away more educated, inspired, and with more tools in their tool kit.

For more information on the program visit: https://useventing.com/safety-education/eventing-coaches-program

Check out what those who attended had to say!

“I was fortunate to attend the ECP Symposium in Ocala both this winter and last year. I found both symposiums so informative and super fun! Although these symposiums are intended for coaches, as a rider I learned so much about eventing, riding, sports psychology, and horses at them. I found myself often thinking “how do they know I do, think, react like that”. As a parent it is great to see how the ECP program is developing to support and improve riding skills, horse knowledge/horsemanship, and eventing knowledge, with the ultimate goal of safety for both the horse and rider. The symposium included presentations and talks by industry specialists, round table discussions with ECP Certified Coaches, group brainstorming sessions, and question and answer sessions, as well as riding demonstrations with Certified coaches coaching riders and providing feedback to the symposium participants on the coaching methods they used.

I found these symposiums SO informative and fun to attend. They are a great chance to learn from the leaders of Eventing and to meet and get to know other eventing coaches and participants. Everyone attending was more than happy to chat and give their thoughts and ideas to help each other. I can’t wait for Next Year for another few days of fun in the sun!” – Catherine David, Eventer & Parent of an Eventer

“I have been fortunate to attend many of the USEA Coaching Symposiums over the years. They had been organized, differently, in the past but I think that the current way the symposium is run is the most beneficial to coaches, as a whole.  

I found the candid discussions amongst the attendees regarding the pressure coaches are under whether its riders who want to move up before they are ready, the demands/unrealistic expectations from parents, the coaches in the industry who are not as educated as they could be, the microscope that the sport of Eventing is under because of negative public perception when there is poor riding exhibited and/or horse falls…this is so interesting when a group of coaches from across the US and a few Canadians are together and they share the same issues/concerns and the resulting discussions of how to cope.  I think the fellowship between the coaches is what helps create such a strong program.

I am not a coach.  I am someone who attends competitions and prefers to sit at the warmup, watching and listening to the coaches as they prepare their riders. I believe that we can not stop educating ourselves as increased education equals increased safety.  I am the AHTA Athlete Development Chairperson who is responsible for looking after the High Performance Program and who hires clinicians to teach the upper level riders. I use the topics that have been discussed at the symposium to help organize educational sessions in Alberta for the AHTA members and High Performance – topics that are relevant to ensuring we are developing competent coaches and riders.  And, hiring high performance clinicians who are very good at developing riders who are educated and competitive at their competition level. Most ECP educated coaches definitely fit this criteria. Many of the top US coaches and trainers are ECP certified so that speaks volumes for the quality of the program. People like Leslie Law, Karen O’Connor, David O’Connor, Phyllis Dawson, Peter Gray, Jonathon Holling, Bobby Costello, Allison Springer to name only a few…..the list of coaches is very long, who have gone through the Eventing Coaching Program. (The full list can be found on the US Eventing web site).

The ECP Coaching Manual is outstanding and I hope all Alberta coaches (and riders) take the opportunity to use this in their program. We do not have anything like this available in Canada.  (The manual has already been described in this blog so I am not going to repeat it here). 

Finally, spending a week in the sunshine in Ocala is a nice break from the winter weather.  Start saving the money to attend next year, whether you are a parent, coach or rider.” – Kathleen Ziegler, AHTA Athlete Development Chairperson

“This was the second year I have attended the ECP clinic, and every year I find it incredibly useful for my professional development and education. In particular, the ECP handbook is a source I use regularly in my program to help guide my students in their pursuit of their goals. Learning how to use the resource in a round table situation created opportunities to practice and learn from each other. Overall, having the opportunity to mingle, work, and discuss with other professionals in the industry was a real highlight from the clinic. I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in pursuing their coaching education to invest in the trip down to participate.” – Becky Staden – 2* Eventer, Trainer, and Equestrian Canada Coach

“The 3 days of the symposium were hands down some of the most educational days of my entire life. Just the fact that so many coaches traveled from all over the USA and many from out of the country speaks volumes to the quality and value the program and symposium offers. I love the structure of the program, focusing first and foremost on safety, the basics and a proper foundation of fundamental skills, and then an appropriate progression of skills from there as riders move up the levels. The handbook is an incredible resource, it really is like a road map up through the levels and I strongly urge all coaches, riders and parents to get themselves a copy and utilize it in their programs.

The symposium had amazing speakers on several different topics, but the best part of it for me was the collaboration of coaches together in our groups creating the lesson plans for the demo riders. It was such a great opportunity to hear everyone’s ideas and opinions, and so helpful to myself as a coach to see that even though we all have different teaching styles, the basis of WHAT was being taught was consistent across the board. If you don’t have proper basics and a correct foundation, you don’t have anything really at all. It was also amazing to pick the brains of the faculty members during the lessons, when else are you going to get to ask Karen O’Connor her opinion on what we were seeing or what other exercises she might use in a lesson? I loved that the group brainstorming exercise and creating of the lesson plans on flip charts wasn’t only just to benefit those who attended, I really appreciated the fact that the program took each and every one of those flipchart pages back to review later to find different ways to improve the program and support coaches in the future. It was really refreshing to see the passion and such a strong level of commitment to supporting the coaches and bettering the program.

I came away with so many new ideas and tools that I am excited to share and implement into my own teaching, and the whole symposium was incredibly inspiring. I want to find more ways to help support and inspire coaches and riders to keep learning and educating themselves here in Alberta personally, as well as through the AHTA. I want to thank Kathleen Ziegler for the opportunity to attend the symposium, I feel like it was a huge game changer for me as a coach. Stepping outside our bubble and continuing to learn and grow is crucial for coaches as well as riders, I highly encourage everyone to to attend this symposium if you get a chance, and I am so incredibly grateful that I got the opportunity to attend. – Jessica Kerschbaumer – Intermediate Eventer, Equestrian Canada Coach & AHTA President

“My main take away was how wonderful and useful the handbook is as a coach. It allows me to have something to refer to when a student or parent has questions about a possible move up or what is required for the level. It was so fun to watch all the different coaches do their thing, and I feel so much gratitude that I was able to attend.” – Sara Sellmer –  BC 4* Eventer, Trainer, Coach

“I had the opportunity to attend the ECP this year for the first time and found it incredibly educational. To see how many people have travelled across the country in order to increase their understanding in coaching and riding was inspiring. It was great to meet and converse with top level riders and coaches all focused on bettering themselves as horseman. As a younger person in the industry, I definitely like to hear all the different opinions and see different styles of riding applied in a way to better develop their horse. You’re able to pick and choose what might work best for you rather than such strict guidelines we seem to get set in. I can definitely say after meeting a few of them at the ECP clinic I’ve looked for them out at events and watch how they’ve applied what was said in the clinic to the real world and how it all works out. It’s great to be able to understand and apply bits and pieces of what were said to my own coaching and riding. Truly a great learning opportunity. Definitely excited for next year!” – Caitlyn Sutherland – 2* Young Rider

In 2023, minimum Coach Status requirements will be enforced at all EC-sanctioned events. Recognizing some coaches will not have completed their EC Coach Status requirements when enforcement begins, the EC Board approved Temporary Coach Status (TCS) for the 2023 show season. Temporary Coach Status (TCS) will come into effect on July 1, 2023. 

•  From January 1 through June 30, 2023, Canadian coaches will be permitted to participate in EC-sanctioned events regardless of EC Coach Status.
• The mid-year implementation of TCS provides coaches with a window of time to achieve EC Licensed Coach status between the date of announcement and the date of implementation.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Why is EC implementing Temporary Coach Status? TCS enables those working toward earning EC coach status to continue coaching athletes at EC-sanctioned events. TCS acknowledges the efforts and dedication of the many coaches who have already earned EC Coach Status; monies collected through TCS will fund educational opportunities for those holding EC Registered and EC Licensed Coach status.

Who is required to pay Temporary Coach Status fees?

TCS applies to Canadian-residents coaching one or more athletes at any EC-sanctioned event and who do not meet minimum EC Coach Status requirements as listed below:
How much will Temporary Coach Status cost?

The fee is determined by the event sanctioning level and the individual coach’s EC Coach Status. TCS is valid for one (1) EC-sanctioned event only. The TCS fee will increase annually until it is retired at the end of 2025.
How is Temporary Coach Status obtained? 

Coaches complete a TCS Form and submit this to the show office with appropriate payment. The show office will not issue numbers to athletes of any coach with insufficient coaching status until the TCS form and fee has been submitted.

• The TCS Form will be available online; coaches are encouraged to complete and print the form before arriving at the show office to expedite processing.
• TCS Forms submitted without payment are incomplete.

The TCS fee may not be added to a trainer split or applied to one or more athletes’ show bill without written consent from those included on the split and/or bill(s). This fee is to be incurred by the coach and not the athlete(s).

I am self-coached. Does this apply to me? 

If you are over the age of 18, you may declare yourself as self-coached on any EC entry form and you will be exempted from the TCS fee. No athlete under 18 is permitted to declare themselves self-coached for safety and liability reasons.

I only coach my child or another member of my immediate family. Am I still required to apply for TCS? 

Yes, if you are a Canadian-resident and you are listed as the coach on the entry form for an EC-sanctioned event you must either meet the minimum EC coach status requirement OR obtain Temporary Coach Status. This applies whether you are coaching one athlete or multiple athletes at any given EC-sanctioned event.

I am a coach, but I am not a Canadian citizen. Does this fee apply to me? 

Currently, EC Coach Status requirements are only for those whose primary place of residence and coaching practices are within Canadian borders. Those whose primary place of residence is outside of Canada are considered International Coaches and are exempt from EC Coach Status requirements at this time.

Will TCS be available for a limited time?

TCS will be available at all EC-sanctioned events until January 31, 2025; after this date, only those holding EC Licensed Coach status will be permitted to coach at EC-sanctioned events.

New eventing dressage tests for 2023 have been released! They are now posted on the Equestrian Canada website here: https://www.equestrian.ca/sport/eventing/tests?fbclid=IwAR27Sk3NEKprkNTnEUSIPrmbfthVZ_Ex_2Dy7s_HRYpQ9byTHFs5-mrTW3g

EV-60 (Starter) and EV-75 (Pre-Entry) will use the EV-85 dressage tests.

This a fantastic article with a lot of great points! https://useventing.com/news-media/news/certification-an-important-and-impactful-choice-for-coaches-and-riders

Our coaching program in Canada is changing and evolving but there is still a lot of room for improvement, especially in the area of eventing. Currently there are no eventing or cross country requirements in the rider levels or coaching pathway until Eventing Competition Coach Specialist, which evaluates at the training/prelim levels. This has left a huge gap in the development of the lower levels of eventing.

The AHTA is among many supporting a pilot project that has been brought forward to the EC Eventing & Coaching committees which proposes to add optional cross country modules to the EC rider levels and coaching pathway. This would ensure that cross country skills have been demonstrated properly and safely throughout the rider levels and and create a systemic and progressive path for those who are pursuing their coaching certification specifically for eventing, as we all know that riding cross country is MUCH different than jumping stadium fences. These changes would greatly benefit our coaches, riders at the lower levels, help to improve safety, and benefit our sport of Eventing as a whole.

The EC coaching program is currently under review so we will hopefully see some changes coming soon! 

We would like to say a very big thank you to outgoing board member Liz Allum, who stepped down from the board of directors this year. She has put in a lot of hard work as Special Events director, especially organizing the first back in person AGM & Awards Banquet in several years!

We also say goodbye to our President Crissy Embury, who has resigned from her position as President, as well as from the board. With Crissy’s guidance the board accomplished many awesome things over the past few years, including creating many new important policies, as well as great initiatives that will benefit our sport for years to come! We want to thank both Crissy and Liz for their contribution and dedication over the years to the board, and our sport, and we wish them all the best in the future!

We are excited to welcome 2 new faces to the board of directors, Becky Staden and Renate Price! We assigned board positions at our meeting on November 19th, and are excited to introduce our 2023 AHTA Board Of Directors!

Jessica Kerschbaumer – President & Communications
Tanja Minder – Vice President
Kelsey Soldan – Secretary
Rebecca Burns – Treasurer
Kathleen Ziegler – Athlete Development Chair
Christine Baurenschmidt – Competitions & Safety Chair
Carly Moore – Stats Chair
Shelby Friesen – Special Events & Membership Chair
Sherri Flundra – Casino Chair
Becky Staden – Clinics Chair
Renate Price – Grassroots & Volunteer Chair
Ulrika Wikner – Director At Large

We look forward to serving our sport and our association!

Find the Board of Directors Contact info here: https://albertahorsetrials.com/index.php/board-of-directors/

We had 6 Young Riders head south to compete at the USEF Eventing Young Rider Championships at Tryon International 3 Day Event, Nov 9-13, 2022 in Mill Spring, North Carolina. They had a week long training camp with Team Coach Kyle Carter at Five Ring Stables in Citra, FL before heading to Tryon for the competition. Mother Nature threw a variety of weather at the competitor’s over the course of the competition. From hot, sun, to torrential downpours thanks to Hurricane, the riders had a lot more to contend with than just the competition. They had a wonderful experience and we are so proud of them!

CCI1*-L Team
Anna Nelson & John B Good, a 2009 bay Thoroughbred gelding by Alydeed out of Johns Magic, bred in Alberta by Bill and Kathy Ramage.
Mackenzie Hoffman & Creative Crossing, a 2014 bay Thoroughbred gelding, by Creative Cause out of Dover Crossing, bred by Heinz Joseph Steinmann.
Madeleine Shank & Sweet Georgia Brown, a 2010 chestnut Trakehner cross mare.
McKenzie Saker & Nova, a 2007 bay Thoroughbred mare by Royal Academy out of Garavogue, bred by Arrowwood Farm.

CCI2*-L Individual
Caitlyn Sutherland & EMS Florence, a 2010 gray Irish Sport Horse mare by Loch Cruise out of Kilshane Mansha, bred by Willie McElhinney.

CCI3*-L Individual
Mikayla Hoffman & Eli, a 2007 bay Thoroughbred gelding by Fisher Pond out of Heavenish, bred in Alberta by Doug Clement and Darlene Harder.

Team Coach: Kyle Carter
Chef D’Equipe: Kathleen Ziegler

We would like to congratulate Caitlyn Sutherland for finishing 11th in the CCIYR2*-L, and winning team silver for Team Canada with her fellow competitors from Quebec!

Our CCIJYR1*-L riders all tackled their very first FEI this past weekend, congratulations to Madeleine Shank for placing 10th, Anna Nelson placing 12th, and Mackenzie Hoffman placing 16th! Sadly McKenzie Saker was eliminated on cross country, but no doubt she will be back to fight another day. Our Team Alberta placed 4th in the team competition.

Our CCL3*-L individual Mikayla Hoffman had an amazing clear cross country round on Saturday over a tough course which caught out many more experienced pairs, and was sitting in bronze individual medal position, but sadly Eli did not pass the jog on Sunday.

Gabrielle Shank was also competing in the regular CCI1*-L with her Irish Sport Horse gelding Billy T. She had a double clear stadium and clear cross country with just some time to finish 25th in a large, competitive division. Congratulations to all the riders!

Thank you to Kyle and Jennifer Carter Eventing, Kathleen Ziegler, Equinavia (Horze), Fun Bonnets, Lesley McGill (Saddle Doctor), Equine Canada, Alberta Horse Trials Association, Alberta High Performance, and Canadian Eventing Development Foundation!

Congratulations to our 2022 Leaderboard Winners! 1st place received a SP Rhodes Engraved Anatomical Halter, Ribbon, & $100 credit to a 2023 event. 2nd place received a SP Rhodes Engraved Leadchain & Ribbon. 3rd place received a SP Rhodes Engraved Brush Set & Ribbon. 4th – 6th place received ribbons. 2022 AHTA Leaderboard

Extreme Tack Team Challenge – Thank you to Extreme Tack for sponsoring! 1st place teams received $25 Extreme Tack gift certificates & Ribbons. 2nd & 3rd place received ribbons. 2022 Extreme Tack Challenge Results

Coach of the Year Award (sponsored by AHTA) – Leah Breakey

Support the AHTA 2022 Young Riders Team!

https://www.32auctions.com/2022AHTAYoungRiders – Bidding is open now and the auction closes September 18th, 2022.

All proceeds from this silent auction will go to the 2022 AHTA Young Riders team to support them on their journey to Tryon, North Carolina to attend the 2022 USEF Young Rider Eventing Championships!

At the 2022 USEF Young Rider Eventing Championships, geographic areas representing the United States and Canada select young rider teams based on qualifications, results, and youth character. Young Riders compete in an Olympics type format as teams and individuals. Teams are carefully selected by selections committees to give our nation the best chance of success.

The Canadian Eventing Development Foundation and AHTA have partnered to help these U21 Riders.

Please consider purchasing a silent auction item, or making a cash donation. Sponsorship, Donations and Payments for items can be made online through 32Auctions, or by e-transfer to CEDFsponsorship@gmail.com or AHTApayments@gmail.com Please indicate in the comments that it is a Young Riders Donation.

Receipts can be provided for Individual or Corporate donations at your request.

Thank you all very much for your support!