Equestrian Canada Statement on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Equestrian Canada (EC) is closely monitoring news from the World Health Organization, Canadian sport system partners, national and local authorities to help minimize the effects of coronavirus (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 community and employees.

We are counting on each and every member of the Canadian equestrian community to make responsible decisions based on the information available, the conditions in your geographic area and the recommendations from your local public health authorities.

Quick Links

Office Operations

Information for Canadian Equine Farms & Equestrian Facilities

Biosecurity

EC Events, Sanctioned Competitions & Team Selection

International Competition

Out-of-Country Individuals
For a list of important COVID-19 resources (facility operations, health, professional development, EC publications, external resources), visit our COVID-19 Resources page.
Want to help save Canadian working horses? Visit our COVID-19 Response page.

Office Operations

The EC office is temporarily closed and staff will be working remotely until further notice. A full listing of EC staff and contact information can be found on our website at www.equestrian.ca/about/contact.

Please expect delayed processing times for items sent via mail or courier, including FEI Passports.

Information for Canadian Equine Farms & Equestrian Facilities

Several municipal and provincial bodies have fined or are prepared to fine equestrian facilities that operate in violation of government directives. Please reach out to your local government authorities if you would like to discuss compliance or disciplinary measures such as fines or forced closure as they relate to any applicable states of emergency or government mandates.

Facility Operations
Due to federal, provincial/territorial and local government recommendations on the movement of individuals, as well as the current states of emergency declared by provinces/territories, EC and the Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations (PTSOs) recommend that all farms and facilities that host equestrian-related activities, including but not limited to boarding stables and lesson barns, cease public-facing and non-essential activities until greenlit by the aforementioned government authorities.

Individuals are to continue operating under the minimum standards of care outlined in the National Farm Animal Care Council Code of Practice to ensure the feeding, care and movement of equines.

Advocacy
EC is working diligently to understand and plan for the short- and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the equestrian industry. We are examining and advocating for possible mitigations of financial losses with the appropriate regulatory bodies while prioritizing the health and safety of our community above all else.

We need your input. Please participate in this survey with the goal of understanding the immediate and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on equine farms, equestrian facilities and related businesses.

Visit www.equestrian.ca/industry/about/covid-19-response for more information on EC’s advocacy efforts.

Biosecurity

Biosecurity refers to the set of principles and practices used to reduce the risks posed by pathogens. The National Farm and Facility Level Biosecurity Standard for the Equine Sector provides measures that horse owners and custodians may take to minimize the introduction of pathogens onto a property, contain the spread of pathogens within the property and/or limit their spread off the property.

Consider the following recommendations 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 unavailable and to ensure all information 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 system 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 recommended practices for biosecurity, please visit following resources:

EC Events, Sanctioned Competitions & Team Selection

For the current list of cancelled/postponed EC clinics and sanctioned competitions, click here.

Effective March 14, 2020, all in-person meetings, clinics, events and Rookie Rider activities are suspended until further notice. Virtual participation in these programs and events is encouraged where available.

All EC sanctioned competitions were suspended from March 16-June 30, 2020. As provinces/territories reopen, EC sanctioned competition, Learn to Ride/Drive programs and evaluations will be able to restart if permissible by regional and provincial health authorities. Please contact your PTSO for information about program status in your area.

In 2020, no hunter/jumper national points will count or be awarded due to the variability of competition access by region/province/territory, and there will be no EC Jumping national programs or finals.

For important return to competition resources, visit the COVID-19 Resources page.

EC will continue to monitor the state of the pandemic and asses the need for further extensions to the suspension timelines.

Team Selection
EC high performance and discipline staff continue to meet regularly and explore any necessary potential adjustments for team selection for team events and major games. EC will review all current nomination/selection criteria, implement alternate qualification pathways should they be required and communicate changes to criteria or documents once they become available.

International Competition

FEI Events
The Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) strongly recommends that organizers cancel all events until a reassessment of the situation can be made. For the status of FEI events, please check their online database.

Please visit the following webpages for more information from the FEI:

Tokyo 2020 Olympic/Paralympic Games
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic/Paralympic Games have been postponed to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Games and the international community. The new Olympic dates are July 23-Aug. 8, 2021; the Paralympic dates are Aug. 24-Sept. 5, 2021. View the full press release from the International Olympic Committee here.

EC recommends that athletes aiming for the Games refocus their training from competition preparation to the maintenance of equine health and wellness. Please refer to the below section, “Information for Canadian Equine Farms & Facilities”, which offers best practices for continuing equine care while suggesting appropriate contact and conduct guidelines for limiting the transmission of COVID-19.

Out-of-Country Individuals

EC strongly urges our Sport Licence Holders, representatives and affiliates who are currently outside of Canada to follow the travel directives and guidelines indicated by local healthcare authorities, as well as those established by the Government of Canada. Additionally, all individuals are encouraged to return to their home location.

If you are a Canadian abroad and have not already done so, please Register with the Government of Canada.

Return from the United States
If you are currently in the process of transporting equines from the United States to Canada, please fill out this form to help EC track its out-of-country individuals and to subscribe to e-mail updates concerning the return transportation of horses.

Please see the below important updates for Canadian equines being transported back to the United States:

You are encouraged to return home with your equines as soon as possible to avoid further travel complications and border closures.
Make sure that your equine’s EC Horse Recording or National Passport is active and available, particularly for equines who have been in the US for more than 60 days.
To expedite the export process while maintaining the procedural efficacy, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has agreed to temporarily accept digital veterinary signatures for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) endorsed health certificates. This will drastically improve turn-around time and reduce postage.
If your equine has been in the US for less than 60 days:
Equines that have been in the US for less than 60 days can return to Canada on their Canadian health certificate as indicated in the CFIA Automated Import Reference System (AIRS). It is important to refer to the AIRS to understand and complete the necessary import requirements. For help using the system, a short tutorial can be found here.
If your equines has been in the US for more than 60 days:
Equines that have been in the US for over 60 days must return to Canada with a US health certificate, as the status of these equines has automatically switched from Canadian to American.
Please review the following information to prepare for your upcoming border crossing:
CBSA – General information
CBSA – Plan your trip across the border
CFIA Guidance Document Repository – Export to the US
CFIA – Importing terrestrial animals to Canada