Alberta Horse Trials Association

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!