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2022 CNATT Fashion Show

The 2022 CNATT Fashion Show took place between Christmas and New Years. The videos submitted by all 12 Designers were posted on YouTube and the CQHA community was invited to vote on their favourites to determine the winners.
 
A total of 150 votes were cast, and in a last minute surprise the event’s sponsor Show Horse Today announced that they were so impressed by the creativity and fun, that all entries would receive a full page ad in a 2023 issue of their publication!!!
 
Congratulations to all participants and a special shout out to Leslie Riley of team My Sleepy Valentine on winning the fashion designer contest!
 
Leslie Riley of Ontario, representing team My Sleepy Valentine was crowned the 2022 CNATT "Barn Fashion" Designer of the Year
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Noseband November

Noseband November – how tight is too tight?

By Lindsay Grice

Lindsay is an renowned Ontario riding coach, horse show judge. You may know her as a columnist or speaker, specializing in equine behavior and equitation science.

Standard equipment in English disciplines. Training equipment in western. While nosebands are designed to prevent bit evasion, in the horse business, we’re inclined to think, “If a little is good, more is better!
 
Equestrian Canada initiated “Noseband November” , following a noseband measuring project at horse shows last year. (See below for horse show rules and current research findings re nosebands).
 
The question upstream from noseband “restrictions” is -Are we masking bit evasion without asking WHY the horse might be resisting?
 
The International Society of Equitation Science responded to the dilemma of cranking nosebands in equine sport with studies and by designing a noseband gauge for horse show ring stewards:
 
“Some equestrian manuals and competition rule books propose that ‘two fingers’ be used as a spacer to guard against over-tightening, but fail to specify where they should be applied or, indeed, the size of the fingers.”
“When this device was used to check noseband tightness on 737 horses at a variety of national and international dressage and eventing competitions, 44% of nosebands were found to be too close to the horse’s face to accommodate the tip of the taper gauge under the noseband. By extrapolation, this revealed that we are routinely preventing swallowing, chewing, yawning and licking in the name of sport.” I.S.E.S.
 
The EC rule, amended last year reads:
Cruelty can be defined as causing pain or unnecessary discomfort to a horse. As examples, an act of cruelty can be but is not limited to any of the following:
a) nosebands used in such a way that they interfere with the horse’s breathing, or be tight enough to cause pain or discomfort
Although we cannot interview horses to ask them how it feels to have an over-tightened noseband, the research is convincing that it’s a significant welfare issue.
 
Here’s a summary:
Horses wearing tight nosebands, have demonstrated elevated physiological stress responses (Fenner et al., 2016; McGreevy, 2012), are prevented from performing normal oral behaviours such as chewing, licking, and tongue resalivation (Fenner et al., 2016; McGreevy, 2012), experience stress due to constant unrelenting pressure, may experience physiological damage to nasal bones (Crago et al., 2019), and commonly experience pressure that greatly exceeds that of a tourniquet, which in humans restricts arterial blood flow and causes significant pain and potential nerve damage (Casey et al., 2013).
 
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Canadian Horse Journal Winter 2022 Issue

Featuring the CQHA sponsored Quarter Horse Division.

SPECIAL FEATURES

  • The Queen’s Legacy: A Passion for Horses
  • The Peter Gray Dressage Symposium
  • Lunging Horses – Why Bother?
  • Do Riders Crave Control?
  • Pony Club: Incubating Canada’s High-Performance Riders
  • Canada’s Wild Horses: An Uncertain Future
  • Crossing Mongolia for Charity

 

HEALTH

  • Can Horses Use Tools?
  • Three Common Equine Skin Cancers

 

BOOK REVIEWS

  • The Geography of Belonging
  • Riders of a Certain Age
  • Essential Horse Speak

 

DEPARTMENTS

  • Alberta’s Equine Economic Impact Study
  • Horse Council BC News
  • Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association News
  • Canadian Quarter Horse Association News

 

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Equine Disease Surveillance in Canada

Equine disease surveillance in Canada

In Canada, equine industry organizations such as the Canadian Quarter Horse Association work closely with other partners including the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System, regional animal health networks (Western, Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic), governments, universities, veterinarians, laboratories and others to monitor diseases and share information.  

At the moment, these networks are paying attention to:

  • Equine infectious anemia (EIA), particularly in western Canada
  • Respiratory diseases (Influenza, Equine herpesvirus)
  • Antimicrobial use and resistance in horses
  • Vector borne diseases and climate change

Up to date information for horse owners includes:

  • The interactive Equine Diseases Dashboard
  • Infographics on EIA in Canada, including what you can do to protect your horses
  • Infographics on good practices for managing snotty noses and minor wounds

These are free and can all be found at: https://www.cahss.ca/cahss-networks/equine

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Health and Regulations for the Transport of Animals in Canada Update

Transportation Code

An update to the 2001 transportation Code has been underway since December 2018. This multi-species Code of
Practice, covering animals from 14 national on-farm Codes, has been a massive undertaking. Additionally:

  • It has had to take into consideration robust federal regulations governing the transportation of animals in
    Canada (Health of Animals Regulations (HAR) Part XII: Transport of Animals), the long-awaited update of which
    was published in February 2019 along with an “evergreen” Interpretive Guidance for Regulated Parties.
  • The COVID 19 pandemic hit in 2020 halting all in-person meetings and requiring the nine Working Groups and
    the Code Development Committee to meet exclusively online. This was a huge learning curve for many and
    impeded the relationship-building opportunities and open dialogue that in-person meetings offer.
  • It is the first Code using NFACC’s Code development process that is not intended for on-farm use, and included
    the care of animals during transportation as well as when offloaded at specific types of intermediary sites.
  • It was initiated by NFACC versus a national stakeholder group representing transporters and other primary
    stakeholders, which has led to additional challenges in following the Code development process.

At the outset it was recognized that this complex Code required all the time afforded under the Canadian Agricultural
Partnership’s (CAP) AgriAssurance Program time allowance. Unfortunately, over the last several months it has become
apparent that a finalized transportation Code is not achievable by the CAP program end date of March 31, 2023. Initially,
attention was focused on finding alternative means for completing this Code. However, in recent months further
challenges surrounding the lack of national lead organizations have led to concerns with proceeding to update the
transportation Code. It has become prudent to take stock of the issues being raised and consider alternative approaches
for addressing humane transportation of livestock and poultry.

After deliberations with varied perspectives being brought forward, the NFACC board agreed, and secured support from
our project funders, to pursue a Risk Assessment (RA) coupled with a Collaboration Planning Exercise (CPE). It was
further agreed that RA & CPE are the soundest approach to:

  • Make best use of the time remaining under the current project to identify a path forward,
  • Ensure that we make best use of the time and funding already invested,
  • Ensure that we make best use of content developed to date through the project,
  • Unite the diverse interests around humane transportation into an achievable and cohesive plan,
  • Ensure that any decisions are consistent with NFACC’s mission and processes (and risk tolerances),
  • Ensure that we identify a viable path forward for the future.

Additionally, transporters and intermediary site operators are key stakeholders who need to be more formally
involved/engaged in a way that facilitates sector-wide inclusively. Hence, the remainder of the project will focus on
conducting a RA and CPE with the goal of determining viable options that can be operationalized with the broad support
of stakeholders.


Thank you to the many people who have participated in working groups and committees. There is a wealth of
information in the work already produced under this project activity and a strong desire has been expressed to make
best use of the content that has been developed to date. Both the RA and CPE are expected to provide possible
approaches for further consideration (e.g., incorporating transportation within commodity-specific Codes of Practice).

It should also be noted that while updating the transportation Code by March 2023 is not possible, much has already
been accomplished through this project. Aside from progress on various drafts of the transportation Code:

  • The transportation sections of 11 on-farm Codes were aligned with the new Health of Animals Regulations, an
    effort that required a significant investment of resources from 2019 until early 2022. The transportation Code
    team undertook this massive effort and worked with national livestock and poultry groups and CFIA.
  • A substantial update to the Environmental Scan of Regulatory and Operational Considerations report was
    undertaken in 2019, which included incorporating significant updates from both the Health of Animals
    Regulations and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations.
  • A survey at the outset of the project captured top-of-mind concerns related to humane transportation with a
    report produced.

Previous progress reports are available here.

For information on the steps of the Code development process and progress of the Codes being updated follow this link.


Funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriAssurance Program, a federal, provincial, territorial initiative.

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From the Desk of the 2021 Congress Queen

This past week has been a whirlwind to say the least! I wake up everyday and still cannot believe that I have this incredible opportunity to represent the All American Quarter Horse Congress as their 2021 Congress Queen! 
 
Firstly, to the Ohio Quarter Horse Association, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve as the 2021 All American Quarter Horse Congress Queen. It is an opportunity that I do not take lightly. As I have said previously, past Queens had a major impact on me as a youth, inspiring me with their poise, graciousness, and knowledge of the breed. I hope to follow their amazing examples throughout my year!
 
To my fellow contestants, it was an honour to get to know you over the course of the Queen weekend. You are an incredible group of young women, and I can’t wait to follow along to see all your future achievements! I am so happy to have made 14 new friends along the way.
 
I have so many people to thank for their support on this incredible journey. To the Ontario Quarter Horse Assoc, thank you for allowing me to represent you as OQHA Queen these past two years. Despite the challenges we have all faced, it has truly been an amazing experience. To everyone who has passed along their support over the past week, know I have seen all your positive messages and that they mean the world! Please bear with me as I do my best to get back to you all, but I want everyone to know how touched I am by your kind words!
 
To my parents Jacqueline and Andrew Woods, thank you for your everlasting support of me in every area of my life, igniting my passion for Quarter Horses, and shaping me into the person I am today. I love you both so much.
 
To my trainers Rick Fleetwood and Robyn Storey (Rick Fleetwood Show Horses), thank you for your guidance, encouragement, and support. I have grown so much and gained a second family since working with you!
 
Janine Domingos and Jenna Woodley, thank you for your advice, guidance, and resources in helping me to prepare for this contest.
 
To Taylor Gumz thank you for your mentorship throughout this past year and for ensuring that I was outfitted for the Congress, I truly cannot thank you enough for all your guidance and support.
 
To my sponsors whose support allowed me to navigate all the hurdles I needed to pass in order to just make it to Columbus during these difficult times, I can’t thank you enough for your support and belief in me. Without you, this simply would not have been possible.
 
To everyone who took the time to interview me in preparation for Congress, your guidance and advice was so important in providing me the tools and confidence to be successful in that portion of the contest.
 
To the Queen Team: Jaymie Wells-Drury, Elaine Wells, Jessie Elsass , and Brittany Barker-Hostetler – thank you all for the countless hours of hard work needed to put on this contest and for helping me get acclimated this past week. I feel so blessed for all the support you have given me.
 
To Sarah Johnson, thank you for beautifully capturing the magic of this past week for all of us girls to look back on and cherish!
 
To the ladies in the awards office, thank you for welcoming me with open arms and teaching me the ropes. From making sure I am always fed to checking that my lipstick is always on point, you have been there every step of the way. This past week working with you all has been a blast!
 
And to my horse Betty, you did your job girl… thank you.
 
I am so excited for the year ahead. My experience so far at the Congress has been so rewarding. Seeing the culmination of years of hard work put in by exhibitors and their horses as they earn their Congress placings and speaking with the future of the industry, the youth, and learning about their goals. It has all been truly inspiring!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Canadian Results from the 2021 All American Quarter Horse Congress


Please note that all placings listed are as per the Ohio Quarter Horse Association’s Congress website listing the 2021 results.

In some cases not all information is listed on the results sheets for individual classes. If you know of a Canadian bred horse, exhibitor, or owner who has not been included on this list please email admin@cqha.ca with the details, and a member of the CQHA Media Team will address the oversight.

Photo Credits: Shane Rux Photography, InStride Edition, NSBA Way To Go, Tracey Patterson, Katy Jo Zuidema, Rianna Storey, & Jocelyn d’Entremont-McKenzie

 

Canadian Awards Tally

1 - Congress Queen Crown :: 7 - Congress Championships :: 16 - Reserve Congress Champions :: 14 - Top 5 Placings :: 42 - Top 20 Placings

Last updated: October 25, 2021

All American Quarter Horse Congress Queen – Miss Darcy Woods representing the Ontario Quarter Horse Association

Champion – NRHA Youth Reining 13 & Under, Whizenboonsmal bred by David Dorland of Sudbury, Ontario. Owned & shown by Madison Hayden Rafacz of Citra, Florida.

Champion – NRHA Non Pro Reining Primetime Stakes, Its All Gun owned by Equine Plus Shown and bred by Andre De Bellefeuille – Saint-Basile-Le-Grand, PQ, CA

Champion – Queen Contest Interview – Miss Darcy Woods representing the Ontario Quarter Horse Association

Champion – Queen Contest Written Test – Miss Darcy Woods representing the Ontario Quarter Horse Association

Champion – 2 yr old Open Western Pleasure Stakes NSBA, Look Ma I Madeit, shown by Gil Galyean, and owned by Cory Seebach & Candice Hall of Black Creek, BC

Champion – Level 1 Western Riding 14-18, Canadian bred Hez Pretty Extreme, breeder Bill Rinzema, Keene, ON owned by by Heather Keller and shown by Tatum Keller, El Reno, OK

Champion –  Coughlin NSBA Maiden 2 yr old Western Pleasure Futurity, The Whos Who shown by Canadian Danny Desmond and owned by Wayne & Judy Davis of Reddick, FL

Res Champion – Youth Reining 13 & Under, Whizenboonsmal bred by David Dorland of Sudbury, Ontario. Owned & shown by Madison Hayden Rafacz of Citra, Florida.

Res Champion – NRHA Non Pro Reining Level 4 Stakes, Its All Gun owned by Equine Plus Shown and bred by Andre De Bellefeuille – Saint-Basile-Le-Grand, PQ, CA.

Res Champion – NRHA Non Pro Reining Level 3 Stakes, Its All Gun owned by Equine Plus Shown and bred by Andre De Bellefeuille – Saint-Basile-Le-Grand, PQ, CA.

Res Champion – NRHA Non Pro Reining Level 2 Stakes, Its All Gun owned by Equine Plus Shown and bred by Andre De Bellefeuille – Saint-Basile-Le-Grand, PQ, CA

Res Champion – NRHA Open Reining Level 2 Futurity, Wannaflashya, owned by Martin Audet shown by Barbara Bouchard – Notre Dame De Lourdes, QC, CA.

Res Champion – Youth Ranch Rail, Whizenboonsmal bred by David Dorland of Sudbury, Ontario. Owned & shown by Madison Hayden Rafacz of Citra, Florida.

Res Champion – NSBA Youth Ranch Rail, Whizenboonsmal bred by David Dorland of Sudbury, Ontario. Owned & shown by Madison Hayden Rafacz of Citra, Florida.

Res Champion – Congress Super Sale 2yr old Open Western Pleasure Stakes, Moonshine N Martinis, shown by Canadian Patrick Heeley and owned by Sarah Heeley of Van Meter IA

Res Champion – Congress Super Sale 2yr old Non Pro Western Pleasure Stakes Willy Makesya Wonder, owned & shown by Monica Collins or Hamilton, ON

Res Champion, $10,000 Maturity Limited Horse Open Western Pleasure Staked, Canadian bred Sleep In The Moonlite breeder William Cox of Uxbridge, ON shon by Gil Galyean & ownd by Brody Galyean, Purcell, OK

Res Champion – Level 1 Western Riding 14-18, Canadian bred Dunit On The Range, breeder Tracy Rinzema, Keene, ON owned by Round Meadow Ranch and shown by Lillian Woodruff of Atlanta GA

Res Champion – Congress 3yr old NSBA Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle Futurity, Rock N Motion, owned & shown by Sarah Nimigan of Paris, ON

Res Champion  –  Amateur Western Pleasure, Best Brew at the Bar, owned & shown by Sarah Nimigan if Paris, ON

Res Champion  – NSBA Amateur Western Pleasure, Best Brew at the Bar, owned & shown by Sarah Nimigan if Paris, ON

Res Champion – 3yr Old NSBA Open Trail Stakes, Creepin At The Bar, shown by Canadian Robin Frid, owned by Jaclyn White of Argile, TX

Reserve Champion  – SBB Maiden 2 yr old Limited Open Western
Pleasure, Double The Potential, shown by Canadian Dari Rapley and owned by Paul
& Jo Anne Straus of St Clements, ON

3rd – Youth Ranch Trail, Miss Catnic, owned and shown by Jordan Martin of Chalk River, ON

3rd – NRHA Open Reining Level 3 Futurity, Wannaflashya, owned by Martin Audet shown by Barbara Bouchard – Notre Dame De Lourdes, QC, CA.

3rd – Senior Western Pleasure, Best Brew at the Bar, shown by Timothy Zuidema, and owned by Sarah Nimigan if Paris, ON

3rd – NSBA Senior Western Pleasure, Best Brew at the Bar, shown by Timothy Zuidema, and owned by Sarah Nimigan if Paris, ON

4th – NRHA Open Reining Level 2 Futurity, Wannaflashya, owned by Martin Audet shown by Barbara Bouchard – Notre Dame De Lourdes, QC, CA.

4th – NRHA Open Reining Level 2 Futurity, Shiners Hot Cash owned by Serge Primeau

Shown by Barbara Bouchard – Notre Dame De Lourdes, QC, CA.

4th NSBA Youth Ranch Riding l3 & under, Whizenboonsmal bred by David Dorland of Sudbury, Ontario. Owned & shown by Madison Hayden Rafacz of Citra, Florida.

4thMaturity Western Pleasure Futurity NSBA Limited Open, Best Brew at the Bar, shown by Timothy Zuidema, and owned by Sarah Nimigan if Paris, ON

5th – Amateur Ranch Riding, So Simple So Good, bred by Al Cobham Port Hope, ON owned and shown by Rianna Storey Cambridge, ON

5th Jr Hunter Under Saddle, Armageddon, owned by Barbra Jo Mitchell of Ft Worth TX shown by Canadian Alyse Roberts of Purcell, Oklahoma

5th Level 1 Hunter Under Saddle, Southern Couture, owned by Amanda Head of Yukon OK shown by Canadian Alyse Roberts of Purcell, Oklahoma

5th NSBA Level 1 Hunter Under Saddle, Southern Couture, owned by Amanda Head of Yukon OK shown by Canadian Alyse Roberts of Purcell, Oklahoma

5th  – NSBA Maturity Non Pro Western Pleasure Stakes , Best Brew at the Bar, owned & shown by Sarah Nimigan if Paris, ON

6th – Amateur Ranch Trail, So Simple So Good, bred by Al Cobham Port Hope, owned and shown by Rianna Storey Cambridge, ON

5th – SBB 3 yr old NSBA Limited Open Western Pleasure Futurity, Guess Whoo, shown by Brian Bell, owned by Scott & Linda Berwick of Clarence Creek, ON

6th– Congress Super Sale 3ry old open Western Pleasure Stakes, Implacabile, owned by Angela Burgress, and shown by Canadian Danny Desmond of Bangor, PA

6th  – Senior Western Riding, Canadian bred Dunit On The Range, breeder Bill Rinzema, Keene, ON owned by Round MeadowRanch of Atlanta GA, shown by Clint Ainesworth

6th – Youth Western Pleasure 12-14, KM Sudden Asset, owned & shown by Kaidyn Goodwin of Tusket, NS

6th – NSBA Youth Western Pleasure 12-14 , KM Sudden Asset, owned & shown by Kaidyn Goodwin of Tusket, NS

6th – 3 yr old NSBA Limited Open Western Pleasure Futurity, Guess Whoo, shown by Brian Bell, owned by Scott & Linda Berwick of Clarence Creek, ON

7th – NRHA Open Reining Level 2 Futurity, Shiners Hot Cash owned by Serge Primeau, Shown by Barbara Bouchard – Notre Dame De Lourdes, QC, CA.

7th – Congress Super Sale 3yr old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes, Willy Huntin A Win, shown by Tracey Patterson, owned by Amber Zabel of Caledon, ON

7th Open Western Longe Line NSBA Stakes, Take My Heart Away, shown by Anthony Leir, and owned by Rod Jeffries of Shannonville, ON

7th– Congress 3yr old NSBA Limited Open Hunter Under Saddle Futurity, Rock N Motion, shown by Stephanie Armellini, owned by Sarah Nimigan of Paris, ON

7th– Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation, Canadian bred Cruisen For Hotties, bred by Janna Imrieof Ontario, owned and shown by Danica Weber of Dousman, WI

7th – Level 1 NSBA Amateur Trail, More Radiant owned & shown by Craig Cunningham of Burlington, ON

7th – Level 1 Youth Western Pleasure 13 & under, Lazy N Happy, owned & shown by Erin Duquette of Glencoe, ON

7th – Level 1 NSBA Youth Western Pleasure 13 & under, Lazy N Happy, owned & shown by Erin Duquette of Glencoe, ON

8th Non Pro Western Longe Line, Aintnothinboutyou, owned & shown by Rachel Devet of Ponoka, AB

8th – Open Level 1 Western Pleasure, Luna Moon, shown by Angie Rigdon Cannizzaro, and owned by Scott & Linda Berwick of Clarence Creek, ON

8th– Amateur Performance Halter Mares, Lite Sleeper, owned & shown by Jody O’Neill of Caistor Center, ON

8th – Level 1 Amateur Trail, More Radiant owned & shown by Craig Cunningham of Burlington, ON

8th – NSBA Youth Hunter Under Saddle 15-18, Sleepy Monn, owned by Klaus Zabel and shown by Amber Zabel of Caledon, ON

9th – Ltd. Open Performance Mares, Lite Sleeper, shown by Rick Fleetwood, owned by Jody O’Neill, Caistor Center, ON

9th – Youth Hunter Under Saddle 15-18, Sleepy Monn, owned by Klaus Zabel and shown by Amber Zabel of Caledon, ON

10th – Level 1 Youth Trail 14-18, KM Sudden Asset, owned & shown by Kaidyn Goodwin of Tusket, NS

11th – Sr Level 1 Trail, Get Chocolatize, owned and shown by Laurence Lavoie – Tremblay from Saint – Nicolas, QC

11th – 3yr old NSBA Open Western Pleasure SSB Futurity, Luna Moon, shown by Angie Cannizzaro and owned by Scott & Linda Berwick of Clarence Creek, ON

12th – NRHA Non Pro Reining Primetime Stakes, Stari Nite, owned by Equine Plus Shown and bred by Andre De Bellefeuille – Saint-Basile-Le-Grand, PQ, CA.

12th – Open Performance Mares, Lite Sleeper, shown by Rick Fleetwood, owned by Jody O’Neill, Caistor Center, ON

12th – 3yr old NSBA Open Western Pleasure SSB
Futurity, Guess Whoo, shown by Brain Ale and owned by Scott & Linda Berwick
of Clarence Creek, ON

12th – 2yr old NSBA Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle Stake, Lights N Sirens, owned and shown by Cassandra M onden of Thamesville, ON

13th – 2yr Old Open Western Pleasure NSBA Limited Stakes, No Doubt Chex Me Out, shown by Deseriw Reu, and owned by Shelby Devet of Lacombe AB

13th –Youth Trail 14-18, KM Sudden Asset, owned & shown by Kaidyn Goodwin of Tusket, NS

13th – Coughlin NSBA Maiden 2 yr old Western Pleasure Futurity, Willy Iresistable, shown by Canadian Patrick Heeley, owned by Scott Riden of Good Hope IL

13th – 3yr old NSBA Open Western Pleasure Futurity, Luna Moon, shown by Angie Cannizzaro and owned by Scott & Linda
Berwick of Clarence Creek, ON

14th – NRHA Open Reining Level 3 Futurity, Shiners Hot Cash owned by Serge Primeau Shown by Barbara Bouchard – Notre Dame De Lourdes, QC, CA.

14th – Jr Western Pleasure, Made Ya Look shown by Cody Conover and owned by Brent & Kate Bamford of Calgary, AB

14th – Maiden 2 yr old Limited Open Western Pleasure, Double The Potential, shown by Canadian Dari Rapley and owned by Paul & Jo Anne Straus of St Clements, ON

14th – NSBA Youth Hunter Under Saddle 12 – 14, Ur Gunna Love Me, owned & shown by Erin Duquette of Glencoe, ON.

14th – 3yr old NSBA Open Western Pleasure Futurity, Guess Whoo, shown by Brain Ale and owned by Scott & Linda Berwick
of Clarence Creek, ON

15th – Youth Ranch Trail, Whizenboonsmal bred by David Dorland of Sudbury, Ontario. Owned & shown by Madison Hayden Rafacz of Citra, Florida.

15th Non Pro Western Longe Line, Take My Heart Away, owned & shown by Rod Jeffries of Shannonville, ON

15th – Youth Hunter Under Saddle 12 – 14, Ur Gunna Love Me, owned & shown by Erin Duquette of Glencoe, ON.

16th – NRHA Open Reining Level 3 Futurity, Wannaflashya, owned by Martin Audet shown by Barbara Bouchard – Notre Dame De Lourdes, QC, CA.

19th – NRHA Open Reining Level 4 Futurity, Wannaflashya, owned by Martin Audet shown by Barbara Bouchard – Notre Dame De Lourdes, QC, CA 

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Canadian Horse Journal Fall 2021

Canadian Horse Journal is the Exclusive Print Media Partner of the Canadian Quarter Horse Association.
 
Look for CQHA NEWS as a featured department in every issue!
 

Publishers of original, award-winning, high-calibre news and investigative journalism for Canadian horse enthusiasts, covering horse ownership, riding and training, horse and property management, and horse care. Our titles include Canadian Horse Journal, Canada’s Equine Guide, HORSEJournals.com, The Hoofbeat E-Newsletter.

Horse Journals proudly serves all sectors of Canada’s horse community: the riders, drivers, coaches, trainers, breeders, farm and stable owners, and the various businesses that serve and support the horse industry. Horse Journals also offers classified ads for Horses for Sale, Trailers for Sale, equestrian business advertising, horse real estate listings and connects equine owners with relevant information about local services and events.

Canadian Horse Journal’s Autumn 2021 Issue

 

Check out this line-up of features…

• Competitive Mountain Trail — Looking for a new challenge? Try the sport that builds trust and helps create braver horses and riders.

• The Science of Schooling — Keys to effective training sessions, and five myths that can sidetrack schooling.

• The Mental Game — Develop the mental skills to build your confidence and make riding more fun.

• Drought Produces Hay Shortages — Low rainfall and high temperatures have impacted this year’s hay supplies, and horse owners are worried.

• The Chew Factor — What a hay analysis can tell us about chewing behaviour and expected feed intake.

• Equine Teeth: An Evolutionary Success Story — From canine teeth to Galvayne’s groove, there’s a lot going on inside the equine mouth.

• Getting Back to Better — What horse owners should know about rehabilitation and return to performance after colic surgery.

• The Burgeoning Business of Rehab — Equine rehabilitation and conditioning centres help horses return to health and achieve greater fitness.         

• Rehab for the Not-Quite-Right Horse — How to develop an exercise therapy program to give your horse the best chance of recovery.

• Sport Horse Performance Injections — The most commonly used equine injection therapies to address lameness and joint disease.

• How Does Your Beauty Sleep? — How well does your horse sleep? How much sleep does he need, and why is it important?

• How Do Horses Learn? — Why it is so important for equestrians to become educated about learning theory and its practical application.

• Equine Asthma and Pollution — Research confirms that horses suffer when air pollution levels rise.

• Heart Irregularities in Thoroughbred Racehorses — Studying atrial fibrillation, the most commonly recognized heart rhythm disturbance in athletic horses.

• Painful Eye Condition Studied — A genetic variant is associated with distichiasis in Friesian horses.

• Canadian Quarter Horse Association News

 

Order your copy or Subscribe Today!

Canadian Horse Journal – Autumn 2021

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Canadian Horse Journal – Summer 2021

Canadian Horse Journal is available in print on new stands and by subscription, Digital editions are also available.

SPECIAL FEATURES
  • Seven Deadly Sins of Haymaking
  • Help Your Barn Business Thrive
  • When Things Go Wrong in the Show Ring
  • Meet the Canadians Who Mastered the Maclay
  • Building Better Barn Cultures
  • Switching Coasts: Home is Where Your Horse Is
  • Traditions: Do They Help or Hinder?
HORSE HEALTH
  • Horses and Wildfire Smoke
  • Hot Weather Horse Care
  • Improvements in Equine Ranching
  • Hoof Care Tips & Myth Busters
  • Foot Injuries of the Equine Athlete
  • Moving Well by Breathing Well
DEPARTMENTS
  • Horse Council BC News
  • Manitoba Horse Council News
  • Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association News
  • The Hoofbeat

Canadian Horse Journal is the Exclusive Print Media Partner of the Canadian Quarter Horse Association.

Look for CQHA NEWS  featured in every issue! CQHA members enjoy a special subscription offer. 

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Nation Valley Ranch Vaulting Club & their Quarter Horse Unicorns

Author: Samantha Mirzaee, CQHA Media Team Member & Equestrain Photographer

© 2020 Samantha Mirzaee Photography - All Rights Reserved.
© 2020 Samantha Mirzaee Photography - All Rights Reserved.

In the early morning hours this past fall on a small beach in Iroquois, Ontario, I caught up with the National Valley Ranch Vaulting Club to photograph them showcasing their incredible talent.

When I arrived on location, fog clung low over the water and the light from the rising sun was just starting to be visible. A solitary early morning dog walker curiously looked on as the rumbling sound of a truck and trailer announced the arrival of two very special horses followed closely by a group of talented young ladies.

So how does an equestrian decide to go from ‘traditional riding’ to vaulting which is often described as ‘gymnastics on horseback’?  To find out, I caught up with CQHA member, Jennifer Byvelds owner of the Capital Cowgirls Drill Team and owner of the National Valley Ranch in Chesterville, Ontario.

Getting Into Vaulting

Byvelds is an accomplished horsewoman, owner of the Capital Cowgirls Drill Team and owner of the National Valley Ranch in Chesterville, Ontario. Two years ago, she watched a clinic with a former Cavaila performer and invited them to come to her ranch to work on cossack trick riding. While buying cossack riding tack, she saw a vaulting surcingle for sale and bought it, “just to play with.”

A few months later she sold all her cossack tack and invested in more vaulting equipment! She  worked with the Cavalia performer and connected with an Ontario vaulting club outside of the Greater Toronto Area called Hoofprint vaulting. They helped Byvelds start a club in Ottawa and had her mentoring with them for the completion of her Vault Canada coaching certification.

The club officially launched in March 2020 and, like most activities around that time, were quickly shut down two weeks later due to Covid. When outdoor recreational activities reopened later that year however, the club re-started as strong as ever.

The Club 

For their inaugural year, the club had superb participation with about 25 vaulters and 10 that were interested in showing with ages ranging from 8 to 32. The competitive team practices roughly six times per month.

Vaulting is a great sport for building confidence, trust with your team members and your horse, and building your mental resilience because vaulting is a hugely mental game according to Byvelds. “The progress I saw this year with the vaulters blew my mind,” Byvelds says and she credits this to the atmosphere that the team created and the support that they gave each other.


Training always starts on the ground and moves are learned on barrel horses or an air horse (a life-like horse sized piece of training equipment). Once the vaulter masters the moves on the ground and they are balanced and smooth, they graduate to a real horse. Real horses are only used for roughly the last half of each practice which prevents them from being overworked.

Meeting Unicorns

Two of the horses Byvelds she uses for the Vaulting Club are Beau (Play Bay), a handsome bay quarter horse gelding and Willow (Strawberry Shortcake), a sweet grey quarter horse mare. These horses were complete professionals and from the minute they unloaded in the parking lot of the beach to the time they packed up to leave – you’d have thought they’d done it a million times before.

The horses that Byvelds lovingly refers to as ‘unicorns’ came into her life at a very special time. Six years ago she had a horrific riding accident. “My accident was a total fluke, I had a horse go down under me while galloping in a field and broke my back and neck. Even though it was an accident, I needed something super solid to get back on.”

After the accident she sold her green horses and, in her own words, “used the money to buy a unicorn….to rebuild my confidence… and that unicorn was Beau.”

Willow followed having initially been purchased for her daughter from a local ranch where she was known as the ‘ultimate safe school horse who adored children.’

According to Byvelds, one of the many great things about using quarter horses for vaulting is that they are small and sturdy which helps to build up students’ confidence before moving them to a larger horse. For this reason, all her students start on Beau and Willow. The club also uses a third horse owned by Circle J Ranch who, not surprisingly, is also a quarter horse and used for beginners.

When asked about her affinity for quarter horses, Byveld’s response was that they, “have the best temperaments! So easygoing and forgiving. LOVE THEIR minds.” Judging from the way Beau and Willow handled themselves that morning, I couldn’t agree more!

What’s Next for the vaulting team?

With the uncertainty that 2020 has brought all areas of the equestrian world, Byvelds and her team show no signs of slowing down. They’ve been diligently practicing and when gathering limitations have prevented in-person practice, they went virtual and practiced online.

With the commitment, dedication and camaraderie shared by all those on the team, I have no doubt 2021 will bring exciting things for this incredible group of people and horses.

© 2020 Samantha Mirzaee Photography - All Rights Reserved.
© 2020 Samantha Mirzaee Photography - All Rights Reserved.
© 2020 Samantha Mirzaee Photography - All Rights Reserved.
© 2020 Samantha Mirzaee Photography - All Rights Reserved.