Welcome to Equestrian Bahamas
Join our community, as we support and encourage each other – learning, growing, and developing our sport through excellence! Whether you are a rider or parent, horse owner or trainer, sponsor or visitor, we hope you will find something of interest in our site.
Welcome back! It’s good to be back at the barn and back in the saddle. The new Equestrian season begins on October 1, 2020. We begin as always by encouraging riders and horse enthusiasts of every age and level to join or renew your membership in Equestrian Bahamas.
There’s no denying that things will look different this year – from the necessary safety protocols we follow at the barn, to the still-uncertain status of our horse shows. Due to the long layoff since the outbreak of COVID, we plan to have a truncated competition season, running from January-May 2021. In the interim, we will continue to emphasize fitness, horsemanship education, and technical development for riders and coaches in lieu of competition.
Please note that membership fees remain unchanged this year, as due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of EB voted unanimously to repeal the fee increase that had been approved at the 2019 AGM.
In keeping with the ‘new normal’ we are offering an online payment option. Membership payments may be made by cheque through your trainer (cheques should be made payable to Equestrian Bahamas), or by direct deposit. Please contact [email protected] for deposit details. If paying online, please note the name of the EB member on whose behalf the payment is being made. Please direct any further questions regarding membership payments to Mrs. Sabrina Wong at [email protected].
EB membership opens vistas of opportunity, exposure and education for members at every level. Our status as a National Federation of the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) and a Member Region of the US-based Interscholastic Equestrian Association affords our coaches and riders access to a wide range of educational opportunities, scholarships and technical development initiatives. Our engagement in international and local partnerships, particularly with the Bahamas Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Bahamas Olympic Committee, helps to make equestrian sport accessible to a broad spectrum of Bahamian youth.
Equestrian Bahamas is also committed to the welfare of the horse. Just as last year we helped to provide thousands of dollars in horse feed, barn and medical supplies and other equipment to assist the barns in Grand Bahama which were affected by Hurricane Dorian, this year we are able to offer our member barns in New Providence assistance to offset the costs of equine husbandry and upkeep during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In short, your membership fees support the development of our sport, the facilitation of training and competition, equine relief efforts and other social outreach programmes to bring the joy of equestrian sport to the wider community! We rely on your support!
I invite you to check out all that we do and explore the links to our partner organizations through our website at www.equestrianbahamas.org. We value your participation, and your voice, while your contribution helps to provide us with the resources we need to continue to promote and develop equestrian sport in The Bahamas. Thank you again for your support!
Cathy Ramsingh-Pierre, President
Equestrian Bahamas hopes that you and your loved ones remain safe and well in these challenging times. We remain dedicated to the safety and welfare of horses, athletes, trainers, staff, spectators and all those involved in the equine industry. As we find our way to the “new normal”, it is important to plan for the future. In this spirit of hope and progress, we would like to provide some important updates.
As we anticipate the gradual re-opening of lesson programs, we must do everything we can to mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19. Barns may take a different paths in their approaches to becoming fully operational, based on their needs and resources. We ask that you please respect and adhere to all barn-implemented policies regarding hygiene, apparel, scheduling, social distancing, etc., as these are guided by the applicable policies of world and domestic health authorities and supplemented with sport-specific considerations. Thank you for your co- operation in this regard.
The COVID-19 pandemic unceremoniously interrupted the 2019-2020 horse show season. Given the protracted nature of this interruption, the Equestrian Bahamas Horse Show Committee wishes to advise that the 2019-2020 horse show season has now officially ended. Further, members are advised of the following:
a) Point standings for all rated Hunter, Equitation and Jumper Divisions as of February 29, 2020, will be regarded as Final point standings for the 2019-2020 season.
b) Point standings for BIEL shows as of February 29, 2020, will be regarded as the final BIEL placings for the 2019-2020 season.
c) End of Year Awards for the 2019-2020 season in Hunter, Equitation and Jumper Divisions will be granted according to said point standings.
d) End of Year Awards for the 2019-2020 season in Hunter, Equitation and Jumper Divisions will be awarded separately from, but during the same ceremony as, the 2020-2021 End of Year Awards.
e) Annual Championships and Special Awards (such as the Bahamas Junior Classic Final, the BIEL Championship, and the Equestrian Bahamas Junior Sportsmanship Award) will not be awarded for the 2019-2020 show season.
f) No horse or rider will be allowed to carry or transfer division points, qualification status, or age eligibility for any prize, award or competition from the 2019-2020 season to the 2020-2021 season.
We regret any inconvenience to our members that this may cause, but we thank you for your consideration.
A final word of thanks must go out to all our barn managers, barn staff and other equine caregivers for their diligence during these past weeks. We appreciate you all!
The safety and welfare of our members and our horses must continue to be our top priority. In taking care of ourselves, our horses, and each other, we can all hope to be back in the saddle soon!
Warmest Regards,
Cathy Ramsingh-Pierre, President
Please be advised that due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Equestrian Bahamas and the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) have agreed to postpone the launch of The Bahamas as Region 13 of IEA Hunt Seat Zone 4 to the 2021-2022 show season.
Mrs. Erika Adderley-Coello and Mrs. Kimberly Johnson will remain Region President and Vice-President, respectively, for the current year. These appointments will continue into the 2021-2022 show season.
The postponement of our debut as an IEA Region is a disappointing development for our riders and coaches, but beyond anyone’s control. The BIEL/IEA clinics and competitions planned for the 2020-2021 competition year and the scheduling of judges and other competition officials have been impacted by current travel, quarantine and other health protocols.
Equestrian Bahamas remains committed to the safety and welfare of horses, athletes, trainers, staff, spectators and all those involved in our equine industry. We all look forward to returning to competitions when it is deemed safe to do so. However, any shows that take place will do so without the planned IEA component.
Equestrian Bahamas and the Interscholastic Equestrian Association continue to share a common mission of promoting equestrian sport to school-age riders and providing competitive and educational opportunities. We look forward to resuming our place in the IEA family next year!
As barns reopen and we return to riding, we remind you to do everything possible to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. Please continue to respect and adhere to all barn-implemented policies regarding hygiene, apparel, scheduling, social distancing, etc., as these are guided by the applicable policies of world and domestic health authorities and supplemented with sport-specific considerations.
Thank you for your co- operation in this regard.
Best wishes,
Cathy Ramsingh-Pierre, President
Wong Makes the Leap to Collegiate Equestrian Competition
Equestrian athlete Peyton Wong hasn’t allowed COVID-19 or the Freshman blues to get in the way of pursuing her training.
The Queens College graduate began her freshman year at the University of Tampa this fall and will ride for the UTampa Equestrian Team under trainer Karey McGee. Wong is a Business major, currently studying International Business and Marketing.
Millie Vlasov and Beaumont M/V are pure gold in St. Tropez!
Congratulations to Anna Camille Vlasov and her horse Beaumont M/V on their victory this weekend in the CSI 1* 1.30m Grand Prix competition at the Jumping du Golfe de St. Tropez HUBSIDE Event in St. Tropez, France!
A victory at the CSI 1* Grand Prix level marks a significant milestone for Equestrian Sport in The Bahamas. The success of our riders abroad reflects not only the talent and dedication of our athletes, but also the foundational quality and technical relevance of our local instructional programs.
Equestrian Bahamas remains committed to supporting Bahamian riders at every level of the sport. Congratulations again to Millie…we send our best wishes to her and to all our Bahamian riders who are doing great things abroad!
Watch Millie’s winning rounds
Read @ The Nassau Guardian…
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Equestrian Bahamas teams up with IEA to create history
It has been a year of achievements for Equestrian Bahamas, and this past summer, the federation achieved another milestone by expanding its youth scholastic riding program to partner with the United States-based Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA), becoming the first international affiliate in IEA’s history.
The show goes on for Bahamian riders abroad
Bahamian show jumpers abroad are seizing the opportunity to shine in the ring, as equestrian event organizers worldwide begin to establish a “new normal” for showground competition after months of event cancellations due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. For equestrians Marcus Davis, who trains in Canada, and Anna Camille Vlasov, who is currently based in France, it’s back to training and competing as usual.
Equestrians Address Diversity in Sports
Against the backdrop of civil unrest being played out across North America in recent weeks, questions about underlying ideals and values and systemic discrimination are being raised… not only regarding race, but also in gender and in other forms. Athletes in various sports have spoken out on this topic. Last week, Equestrian Bahamas participated in a virtual Zoom discussion about diversity and inclusion in horse sports which was hosted by Heels Down Magazine
Bahamas Interscholastic Equestrian League takes on a new look: Equestrian Bahamas and IEA forge partnership as Bahamas Joins IEA Zone 4
Equestrian Bahamas is proud to announce a partnership between the Bahamas Interscholastic Equestrian Association (BIEL) and the US-based Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA). As of the 2020-2021 show season, The Bahamas has been designated as Region 13 of Zone 4 of the IEA: the first international regional affiliate in that organization’s history!
FEI Highlights The Bahamas’ Bright Future
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EB Rider Certification
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2020 – 2021 EB Rated Horse Show Dates*
| Date | Location | Discipline |
|---|---|---|
| November 14-15, 2020 | Camperdown Equestrian Centre | tbd |
| December 5, 2020 | Mariposa Stables | tbd |
| January 23, 2021 | Mariposa Stables | tbd |
| February 6, 2021 | Camperdown Equestrian Centre | tbd |
| March 20-21, 2021 | Camperdown Equestrian Centre | tbd |
| April 24-25, 2021 | Camperdown Equestrian Centre | tbd |
| May 15, 2021 | Camperdown Equestrian Centre | tbd |
2020 – 2021 BIEL Horse Show Dates*
| Date | Location | Discipline |
|---|---|---|
| October 3-4, 2020 | Show and Clinic, Mariposa Stables | tbd |
| December 6, 2020 | Mariposa Stables | tbd |
| January 24, 2021 | Mariposa Stables | tbd |
| February 7, 2021 | Camperdown Equestrian Centre | tbd |
*Dates subject to change