Equestrian Canada (EC) is pleased to announce a new engagement events initiative structured around hosting series and summits on alternating years to provide increased value and meaningful development opportunities to stakeholders.
Following a pilot version of the EC Convention in 2019, which saw the longstanding event move to a fall timeframe – hosted at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON – EC embarked on an in-depth debrief and evaluation of its landmark event. Analysis of Convention data from the past five-year period underlined declining participation, scheduling conflicts, minimal success with fundraising initiatives, and increasing costs to the organization.
“It’s time for the Convention to evolve to better fit the needs and expectations of the industry and the organization, improve cost efficiency, and increase the reach from coast-to-coast,” explained Yves Hamelin, EC Interim CEO. “Through the development of a five-year plan, we have mapped out a path forward that will provide increased engagement opportunities across the country through a blend of targeted series around key initiatives, and standalone gatherings of governance, industry, and affiliates.”
Five-Year Engagement Events Plan
The five-year engagement events plan is structured around hosting series and summits on alternating years.
Series
- Multiple events hosted throughout the year at locations across the country.
- Focused on providing key information and soliciting feedback on specific programs and initiatives.
- Encourages strengthening the chain of communication from coast-to-coast and supports advancement of key strategic initiatives, including sport development, the athlete pathway and industry.
Summit
- A single gathering targeted at EC governance, industry and affiliated associations.
- Focused on transferring information, seeking input, and face-to-face collaboration to align EC’s strategic direction with all stakeholders.
- Encourages relationship development, information sharing, and setting strategic directions and future projections.
- Provides opportunities to learn from and network with world-class Canadian and international presenters, mentors and experts.
Timeline
The timeline has been constructed to align efficiently with the major games cycle to ensure sufficient capacity and resources can be allocated to the EC engagement events. The Series will fall on Olympic/Paralympic and FEI World Championships years, while the Summits are scheduled for the non-Games and Pan American Games years to allow more bandwidth for the heavier logistics of hosting a Summit.
Watch for more information to come on EC engagement events, including details on upcoming 2020 EC Series events!
Questions? Comments?
For questions and comments regarding EC engagement events, please contact:
Jessie Christie
EC Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
jchristie@equestrian.ca
1-866-282-8395 x 133
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