Ottawa, Ontario — Equine Canada is pleased to announce they are accepting nominations until November 30, 2007 for the prestigious Equine Canada National Awards, to be presented at the Annual Awards Gala Saturday, February 9, 2008 at the Westin Calgary Hotel in Calgary, AB as part of the Equine Canada Annual Convention.
The Awards Gala is a fantastic evening that will acknowledge the accomplishments of Canadian equestrians over the past year. Guests will enjoy a full plated meal during the awards presentation, followed by great music and dancing.
As our competition season begins to draw to a close, we would like to remind everyone of the criteria of our prestigious Equine Canada awards as well as introduce you to the new EC Lifetime Achievement Award.
DOCTOR GEORGE JACOBSEN TROPHY
EC Equestrian of the Year
In 1995 EC announced the creation of this trophy in honour of Doctor George Jacobson, D.Sc., O.C., F.A.I.N.A., P. Eng. The EC Equestrian of the Year Award is given annually to the equestrian who has demonstrated superior sportsmanship, dedication and the pursuit of excellence in equestrian competition for the current year. Each winner holds the trophy for one year and receives a plaque.
To be nominated, the candidate must hold a valid EC competitive license. Some proof of Canadian Citizenship or Landed Immigrant status may be requested.
2006 Winner: Erynn Ballard
GILLIAN WILSON TROPHY
EC Junior Equestrian of the Year
This trophy was created in 1993, in honour of Gillian Wilson, the Technical Director of the Canadian Equestrian Federation (now Equine Canada) from 1977 until her retirement on December 31, 1992. The EC Junior Equestrian of the Year Award is given annually to a Junior Competitor who has made outstanding contributions to equestrian competition and ,exemplified exceptional talent, sportsmanship, and dedication to the sport. Each winner holds the trophy for one year, retains a plaque and receives $1,000.
Eligible candidates must hold a valid EC Junior competitive license, have Canadian Citizenship or Landed Immigrant Status. Candidates must also have paid their EC competitive license fees at the start of the year, before their first competition, willingly abide by EC rules, be polite to all officials, and show talent as a rider or driver. In addition, candidates must have competed successfully, not necessarily winning, but demonstrating improvement throughout the year, as well as accept winning and losing gracefully, and show concern and kindness to their horse or pony at all times.
2006 Winner: Taylor Bland
EQUINE CANADA VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes annually an outstanding volunteer who has contributed to equestrian sport and Equine Canada. Volunteer services may include years of participation, administration, contribution, innovation or the advancement through media coverage. This Award is presented to an individual who has dedicated themselves to the ideals of EC, who has worked tirelessly for the improvement of the organization and who has had a notable impact on the sport.
All nominations will be considered under the following criteria. The nominee must be active in the current year as an equestrian volunteer, in any capacity, at the national level and hold a valid EC membership, either through a Provincial Federation or EC-recognized member association, and have, through their volunteer activities, made a special and significant contribution to equestrian sport.
2006 Winner: Mark Samuel
SUSAN JANE ANSTEY MEDIA AWARD
Susan Jane Anstey was a valiant champion of Canada’s development in international sport. As a long-time supporter of the Canadian Equestrian Team, Susan Jane recognized that the ride to the podium for Canadian competitors begins in the barns and paddocks at home. Amongst her many volunteer and industry sponsorship contributions, she chaired the task force that resulted in the creation of Jump Canada, and established the Horse Sport Young Riders Scholarship Fund in 1998 to recognize the top Canadian performers at the annual North American Young Riders’ Championship in the three Olympic disciplines. As that rare combination of publisher and working journalist, Susan Jane provided a dedicated Canadian journalistic presence at World Equestrian Games and Olympic Competitions from 1984 through to Greece in 2004. Through her work with the FEI Media Advisory Committee and her leadership of the International Alliance of Equine Journalists, Susan Jane built a bridge that linked Canadian horse sport to the rest of the world. Through publications such as Horse Sport, Horse-Canada and Canadian Thoroughbred, Susan Jane provided a national voice for the Canadian equestrian community, and a forum for a national dialogue on the issues that have affected and defined our sport. In memory of Susan Jane, and in recognition of her invaluable contributions to Canadian equine interests, Equine Canada will present the Susan Jane Anstey Media Award to an exceptional individual who has delivered outstanding media coverage that served to enhance the image of Canadian equine interests to the Canadian public. This award promises to become one of Equine Canada’s most prestigious awards and will mirror the same class and dignity that Susan Jane brought to the equine industry and those she knew and loved.
Nominations for this prestigious award will be considered under the following criteria:
1. Entries are open to works in all areas of equestrian interests.
2. Consideration will be granted to individuals only
3. Types of media under consideration includes individual work or contributions to Print Media Publications, Internet, Television Broadcast; and Photography.
4. Recognized submissions can be one specific story or event, an on-going story or event; or an overall outstanding effort for the year.
5. Entries must clearly demonstrate a clear focus of enhancing the image of equestrian interests to the Canadian public.
6. All submissions must have been published or aired for the first time between December 1, 2006, and October 31, 2007.
7. Print and photography submissions must have been published in a viable publication, paid-circulation, member-based, non-profit, or similar, or on the Internet at a site that is a same-name affiliate of a print or broadcast news organization.
8. Television entries must have aired in at least one broadcast in Canada, or otherwise have been made available to Canadian households through public television, satellite or cable.
9. All entries must be submitted with an Official Entry Form for the 2007 Susan Jane Anstey Media Award.
10. Entries must originate with the author (article), editor (publication of the year, website), producer or reporter (broadcast submissions), or photographer. All entries must include a brief cover letter, signed by the author (or other, as outlined above) stating his/her desire to enter his/her materials, with accompanying contact information. In cases where two or more people are submitting their work jointly, all parties submitting must sign the cover letter. Editors or managers may submit print materials on behalf of authors, provided such submissions include the cover letter described above, signed by the actual author. All other third-party submissions will be rejected.
11. The Equine Canada Awards Committee reserves the right to determine the eligibility of all entries, and to disqualify entries, if necessary.
12. The Equine Canada Awards Committee also reserves the right not to bestow the award based on the quantity or the quality of submissions.
2006 Winner: Francis Litzinger (CBC Country Canada)
EQUINE CANADA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (NEW!)
Equine Canada is proud to open for nominations the Equine Canada Lifetime Achievement Award. This Award recognizes an individual whose contributions to the Canadian equestrian (equine) community are considered exceptional by their peers and whose long-term service and dedication have contributed directly to the ongoing growth and development of Canadian equine sport and industry.
Please note that the Equine Canada Lifetime Achievement Award will not be awarded posthumously. This prestigious award will be reserved for individuals of the highest exception and therefore will be awarded when warranted and not necessarily awarded on an annual basis.
Award criteria and Official Nomination Forms can be found by following the 2007 EC Annual Awards Gala icon on the Equine Canada website, www.equinecanada.ca. Equine Canada is pleased to offer the option of filling in the nomination form online. Alternatively, the forms can be printed and sent to The Awards Committee c/o Cheryl Tataryn, 2685 Queensview Drive, Suite 100, Ottawa, ON, K2B 8K2, Fax: (613) 248-3484. The deadline for all nominations will be November 30, 2007
Please note that in the coming years the Equine Canada Awards Committee would like to present an Equine Canada Horse of the Year Award and is soliciting feedback for nomination criteria. If you have any suggestions on what would help recognize a future Equine Canada Horse of the Year, please email the Awards Committee c/o Cheryl Tataryn at ctataryn@equinecanada.ca with “Horse of the Year†in the subject line.
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