Equine Canada Holds Summit to Review High Performance Program

Photo via Wikimedia Commons Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Equine Canada has completed an extensive third-party review of its Eventing High Performance program and hosted a Rio Planning Summit following “the emergence of a number of different perspectives, opinions and concerns raised by the eventing community,” Equine Canada said in a statement.

A group of High Performance representatives were invited to attend the summit after the initial third-party review process, in which Learn2Peak and Pozitive Results Sport Strategies collected feedback from a variety of people connected to and involved with Canadian High Performance.

The need for a stronger High Performance plan ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro was a chief concern raised during the review process, Equine Canada said. With that in mind, the summit sought to develop recommendations for “selection, planning and team decisions,” which were then presented to Amie O’Shaughnessy, Equine Canada’s High Performance Director.

“Professional, athlete-centered and efficient performance programs are the base for sustainable success. It was evident changes were needed in the Eventing High Performance program to resolve issues and strengthen the program,” Amie said. “The summit was an essential step to building the performance culture and momentum needed for a stronger Eventing High Performance system.”

The following people attended the summit: Eva Havaris, Equine Canada CEO; Peter Gray, Canadian Eventing Committee Chair; professional riders Jessica Phoenix, Waylon Roberts, Holly Jacks-Smithers and Peter BarryJenn Holling, Eventing High Performance Chair; Charlotte Schickedanz, owner; Jorge Bernhard, Equine Canada board member; Peggy Hambly, Equine Canada board member and Canadian Eventing Committee member; Fleur Tipton, Equine Canada Manager of Eventing; Jessica Dilliott, Equine Canada Performance Analyst; and Clayton Fredericks, Canadian Eventing Team International Technical Advisor.

The summit also included a report on the current state of the program, and Equine Canada’s newly recruited Performance Analyst, Jessica Dilliott, helped facilitate a discussion on improving the team selection process and communication procedures. Clayton Fredericks also presented a High Performance plan through to the 2016 Olympic Games.

“We as riders have to let the past be the past and move forward to a common goal in mind and success at Rio,” Holly Jacks-Smither said. “We need to protect our athletes and help them be the absolute best they can be leading up to the Games. I feel like we have put things in place to do this.”

Peter Barry, who is both a High Performance athlete and owner, also had positive feedback for the summit: “We all, coming from different corners of eventing, worked together for two days to make Eventing High Performance a much more streamlined and efficient entity. The purpose is to allow our riders to be the best they can be in Rio and ultimately take their spot on the podium. I am convinced we are heading in the right direction.”

The resulting changes to Equine Canada’s High Performance program will be announced next month.

Click here to read more quotes from the summit attendees.

[Equine Canada Holds Summit to Review and Strengthen Eventing High Performance Program]