Endurance, Competitive Trail, Ride n Tie, Limited Distance and Set Speed events throughout Ontario
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
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
Stagg Newman began his endurance career in a CTR on a thoroughbred mare in 1979. Since then, Stagg has completed over 75 100-mile competitions of various types.
Because of his work as a telecommunication consultant, Stagg has lived in several states. Each place of residence offered a different terrain to condition his horse, Drubin. Newman believes that this helped to develop this horse’s athletic abilities. “He developed tough feet and good bone from the rocky terrain where he was raised in Pennsylvania. When he was 5 and 6 years old, he lived with us in New Jersey, near the coast. The many miles of mostly trotting on sandy trails helped to build ligaments and tendons. Then we moved to California where we did lots of mountain riding that gave him the strength and metabolic edge.” Today, the Newman’s and their horses live in the mountains of North Carolina. Behind their house is a 2,000-foot climb that Drubin, now retired, often runs free on while the Newman’s condition other horses.
Stagg has served as President of the American Endurance Ride Conference and chaired the AERC’s Educational Committee for many years. Stagg, along with his wife and several others, founded APEX, an educational non-profit for endurance riding, where he served as a board member and clinician. He is currently an FEI Judge and Steward.
Stagg has formed enduring partnerships with the Arabians that he has ridden in long distance competitions:
We have over 90 members signed up for the AGM so far – seats are filling up fast!! Purchase your tickets soon – support OCTRA, support your AGM and come out and have fun with your OCTRA peers. Non-members are welcome as this is a perfect opportunity to find out what OCTRA and long distance riding is all about.
Our 2016 AGM (February 25 & 26, 2017) includes:
Saturday, February 25th
Sunday, February 26th
Go to 2016 AGM to purchase via Paypal or to find instructions on other payment options.
The Worker Credit Awards are posted. All awards except High Point Novice Rider/Horse Team are posted. If you will receive an award and plan to attend the Awards Banquet to receive your award in person, but haven’t purchased your banquet ticket yet, here is a special New Years Eve incentive:
The deadline for Early Bird Registration prices has been extended to midnight tonight!!
Everything you need to know including registration and payment methods are on the 2016 AGM page.
See you there.
Saturday, April 8, 2017
9:00 am -7:00 pm.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.
The fee for all candidates yet to be determined.
OCTRA LAY JUDGE REQUIREMENTS: (Policy Statements – pg. 10)