HCBC Annual Report 2023 by Horse Council BC

Message From Our Board Chair

Board and Industry Reports

2023 Coaching Highlights

2023 Competition Highlights

BC Equestrian Trails Fund

Horseplay™ Program

Treasurer’s Report for 2023

Fall 2023 Membership Survey

Message From Our Board Chair

What a year 2023 has been. I’d like to start off by taking this time to thank all of the volunteers that have worked tirelessly over the year to support HCBC’s programming and activities throughout the province. We could not have accomplished everything without you and your continued support.

Last year we saw the final stages of the Bylaw Review process come to completion, along with an updated Strategic Plan for 2024-2027. As a last piece to the Governance updates, we will be returning to holding our AGM in the springtime to better align with our year end accounting process and government reporting requirements.

We continue to see incremental membership growth and the financial health of our association remains strong. This year saw the creation of a new staff role within the Horse Council. The Coordinator, Member Outreach & Engagement was tasked with directly outreaching to clubs and affiliates to hear their concerns, connect them with resources, and to advocate for programs and services to ensure their sustainability. The response to this new role has been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to incorporating the feedback into our programming and services for the future.

As always, a large portion of our work supports our government and stakeholder relations activities throughout the province. As the voice of equine interests to the government and the broader agricultural sector it is important that we are at the table advocating for your interests as equine owners. During 2023 we have been engaging at the provincial level

with the Ministries of Agriculture and Food, Transportation and Infrastructure, Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, and Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. Additionally, we worked closely with viaSport, Sport BC, the BC Outdoor Recreation Council, the Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada, and Equestrian Canada to move issues of importance forward on behalf of HCBC’s members.

2023 saw a lot of positive change at HCBC that has been exciting to see. I’d like to thank my fellow Board Members for their hard work and enthusiasm and finally, the HCBC staff for all of their hard work in keeping everything moving forward.

Looking forward to a great 2024!

Karen Swantje HCBC Board Chair

Board and Industry Reports

Livestock Emergency Response Course saw another successful year of training for fire personnel, and rescue response volunteers. Calamity (articulating equine mannequin) helped train the communities of Grand Forks, District of Chetwynd, Blackpool Little Fort, East Kootenays and Golden BC.

Livestock evacuations and disaster management plans continue to evolve with ongoing collaboration amongst stakeholders. BC Agricultural Council received funding to develop and deliver a comprehensive emergency action plan that includes have trained Agricultural liaisons embedded in Emergency Operation Centers as needed. This will bring a much better system for communicating and assisting livestock owners.

HCBC Emergency Planning Resources

Free resources are available online to help horse owners and caregivers understand what they need to do before, during and after an emergency strikes. Materials developed by experts that understand the nuances and challenges of caring for livestock during disaster.

To access helpful emergency planning PDFs and our Emergency Preparedness Modules, please follow the link to our website: https://hcbc.ca/equine-welfare/disasterevacuation-resources/

Committee work based around welfare and quality education continues with Canadian Animal Surveillance System – Equine Group, Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada, National Farm Animal Car Council, BC Agriculture Council, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

2023 Coaching Highlights

• We evaluated 12 new coaches, 11 English and 1 Drive. The Drive evaluation is the first one HCBC has conducted in close to 20 years! We now have 3 Certified Drive Instructors in BC.

• The Learn to Ride/Drive programs continue to be popular, with 306 participants processed in 2023.

• The Western Provinces joined to create a Region 1 Cohort for Instructor and Competition Coach candidates, which was successful and will continue in 2024.

• 75 candidates registered for the CHAR (Coaches Handbook of Resources) program, two of whom are now certified.

• Equestrian Canada (EC) Coach Licensing moved forward with 309 Certified Coaches and Instructors in BC, of which 152 hold Licensed status.

• Multiple training sessions were held, including Coach Evaluator training, English Rider evaluator training, and Para Coach training sessions.

Education

• Worked with Momentum to create online courses for HCBC members.

• Held a well-attended four-part webinar series on TraumaBased Coaching.

• 19 education events reached over 1,200 members through webinars and live events.

• Drafted the Code of Conduct and Terms of Reference for HCBC.

Multiple training sessions were held in 2023, including Coach Evaluator training, English Rider evaluator training, and Para Coach training sessions.

BC Equestrian Trails Fund (BCETF)

Horse Council BC is pleased to support equestrian trail and campsite building through funding and other resources.

$31,744

Total funding approved for 2023

Projects funded included:

• Shuswap Chapter: Seed Orchard Trail

• Yarrow Chapter: Headwaters Campground

• Robson Valley Chapter: Belle Mountain Project

• Island 22 Parks Society: Park Maintenance

Horseplay ™ Program

Horseplay is a recreational program to encourage members to learn, practice good horsemanship, and have fun. The program replaces the former Ride and Drive program and is now fully digital through the Horseplay app or webpage. Members can earn entries into prize draws by recording the time spent on horse-related activities.

Treasurer’s Report for 2023

Horse Council BC remains in a strong financial position, with membership exceeding 25,000 for the first time. We distributed just under $79,000 in grants to support trails, horse camps, educational events, and infrastructure projects.

While we anticipated a deficit, we were able to reduce the projected loss significantly. Heading into 2024, HCBC will continue to provide support to the equestrian community using our strong financial standing.

Fall 2023 Membership Survey

A SUMMARY OF OUR 2023 MEMBERSHIP-WIDE COMMUNICATIONS-BASED SURVEY RESULTS

In the fall of 2023, Horse Council BC conducted a membership-wide survey, focusing on communication and engagement within our equestrian community. This survey aimed to gather valuable insights from our members about their experiences, preferences, and needs. The feedback received will guide our future initiatives, ensuring that we continue to support and enhance the equestrian lifestyle across British Columbia.

62 % of respondents identify as trail riders.

23 % of respondents use the trail database

37% volunteer to do trail maintenance

Recommended Engagement Strategies

Example Member Feedback:

“Educational topics like safety, equine nutrition, highlights from around the province such as club projects, and introducing and/or featuring staff.”

34 % go on vacation with their horse.

Respondents suggested avenues for encouraging participation in the equestrian lifestyle, such as grassroots initiatives and featuring educational topics like safety and equine nutrition.

“I’m interested in horse welfare, including nutrition and supplements, trails, and things you can do with your horse, as well as stories of humans and horses that are unique and inspiring.”

Most Utilized HCBC Programs/Services:

Stronger Communication of Value

“Strengthen personalized communication: Understand the interests and needs of members, and provide more targeted services and information through customized communication methods and content.”