Ontario Competitive Trail Riding Association

Saturday, April 8, 2017
9:00 am -7:00 pm.

Registration Fees: 

• $100 for full participation and exam
• $45 to audit/observe
• $20 for vet students

Registration Deadline:  March 20th, 2017

Dawn and Howard Kadish Farm
19556 Mississauga Rd.
Caledon, Ontario.

Dr. Sarah Tiller and Dr. Bri Henderson, Co-Chairs of the OCTRA Veterinary Committee, are holding a Lay-Judge Clinic to take place Saturday, April 8, 2017, all day 9:00am -7:00pm. There has not been a Lay-Judge clinic for quite a long time. Interested candidates should e-mail Dr. Sarah Tiller [ sarahtiller@live.com ] directly for inquiries.

Hot meal and refreshments will be provided. 

OCTRA LAY JUDGE REQUIREMENTS: (OCTRA Policy Statements – pg. 10)

1. In order to apply to work towards their Lay Judge status participants must:
   • Have been a member of OCTRA for at least two years
   • Have completed at least two OCTRA sanctioned rides as a rider
   • OCTRA is looking for seasoned OCTRA members to apply as Lay Judges
2. Qualify to apprentice at OCTRA events:
   • Contact Committee Chair to initiate process
   • Study the OCTRA Rule Book and be familiar with all OCTRA competition rules
   • Attend a Lay Judge Clinic arranged by Committee Chair
   • At end of clinic, write the Lay Judge Exam and pass (with a minimum grade of 80%)
3. Apprentice at OCTRA sanctioned events for a minimum of:
   • Two Endurance Rides
   • Two CTRs
   • Two Set Speeds (if Set Speed apprenticeship is not part of the Endurance Rides)
   • One Ride ‘n Tie (if available)
4. During a season where one of the OCTRA disciplines is not available:
   • Participants must apprentice at two each of the available disciplines (excluding Ride ‘n Tie).
   • Participants will be qualified as a Junior Lay Judge in the disciplines successfully apprenticed (if approved by two accredited OCTRA Veterinary Control Judges)
   • The Junior Lay Judge is required to fulfill his/her missing requirements in the next season the “missing” discipline is available.
5. For final accreditation as a Lay Judge, the approval, in writing, of two OCTRA accredited Veterinary Control Judges must be sent to the Committee Chair (with a copy to the participant).
6. Upon completion, the successful participants will receive an OCTRA Lay Judge Certificate.
7. If a participant fulfills all the ride requirements as listed in sections (iii) and (iv) above without receiving the approval of two OCTRA accredited Veterinary Control Judges:
   • The participant will continue apprenticing at OCTRA events as per the vet(s) instructions until they receive the required vet approvals
   • The participant will forgo becoming a Lay Judge if he/she is deemed unsuitable for the position by the Veterinary Committee.

FYI
For many years OCTRA has been well served by member Rob Wright’s web hosting company WEEHOST Inc. where our website has been housed. OCTRA was informed in the fall that Rob is closing his web hosting company effective March 2017.  Thanks, Rob, for all the support and late nights.

On January 19, 2017 our website and databases were migrated to HostPapa servers in Toronto.

David Morgan
OCTRA Webmaster | dB Admin

OCTRA AGM 2016
Enduring Partnerships
Selecting, Developing and Competing for 10+ years with the same horse

A Clinic with Stagg Newman

What is the difference between international endurance competition at the world championship level and the American endurance tradition started by the Tevis Ride and carried on today by AERC and other sanctioning bodies, including OCTRA?

Stagg Newman asserts that the FEI now holds most World Championship races over flat, fast courses more comparable to desert riding and the traditions of tribesman and cavalry troops of the desert rather than the American tradition of organizing rides over rugged terrain for rugged independent individuals.

In professional endurance stables, often 50 to 200 top prospects are bred or acquired and conditioned, with the best few, that sustain the rigors of this training, competing in the championship rides. Horses are raced selectively and to win. If a horse is far behind the medal winners and/or out of the money, it is considered honorable to stop the horse rather than having it continue the full distance. In contrast, the American tradition is typified by an individual or family having one or a small number of horses with the riders aspiring to a partnership with the horses spanning many years. Organizations such as the AERC and OCTRA recognize this human/equine partnership through life-time mileage recognition and awards along the way.

Stagg Newman’s clinic will educate participants to the different approaches of creating this long-term partnership and to provide a source of guidance for those who want to develop this relationship with their horse for many years of competition. An outline of basic ideas on how to select, develop and compete a horse for 10 or more years will be shared and discussed with clinic participants. Topics covered will include the selection of a suitable equine partner as well as the careful development and management of this horse partner to ensure many enjoyable years of competition.

The clinic will be held during OCTRA’s AGM Awards & Banquet. For more information and to reserve a spot please go to OCTRA AGM 2016