Now more than ever the equine community is bursting with new opportunities. The University of Guelph, in partnership with Equine Guelph, Ontario Equestrian and Equestrian Canada, will discuss these opportunities during the sixth annual Equine Industry Symposium.

Sessions will be held virtually on the evenings of November 22-24 from 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. EST. Register for free by clicking here to receive the zoom links.

The themes of public trust and social license to operate will be discussed on opening night, Monday, Nov. 22. Guest speakers include Julie Fiedler, a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne, Australia, studying social license in the equine industry, Sabrina Breifer from the Swiss National Stud discussing equine husbandry practices in Switzerlandm and Jody Hartstone, a dressage rider from New Zealand, looking at social license from the lens of international competition. From Alberta, Jackie Wepruk will be highlighting comparisons between the social license to operate for equestrians and those involved in dog sledding. Jessica Buckley, Senior Vice President, Standardbred and Thoroughbred Racing at Woodbine Entertainment, will be discussing social license in horse racing.

The second night, Tuesday, November 23, will revolve around inclusivity in the equine community. This night will be moderated by Akaash Maharaj, introducing the demographics of Canada and the equine industry. Maharaj is a triple gold medalist at the International Championship of Equestrian Skill-at-Arms, and current Ambassador-at-Large for the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption. Lorna Cameron and Linda Greening, Senior Lecturers at Hartpury University in the UK, will deliberate about Hartpury’s outreach program focusing on the inclusivity of underrepresented student groups in Equine Higher Education. Simone Williams, an award-winning trainer, rider and past assistant coach of Canada’s Paralympic Dressage team, will be discussing inclusivity for para riders. The opportunity for breakout room discussions will focus on barriers and potential solutions to increasing accessibility to horses and equestrian pursuits.

On Wednesday, November 24, the discussions will delve into the topic of career opportunities, moderated by Christine Ruepke, current director of Equestrian Breed and Sport at The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Natalie Keller Reinert will speak about her experiences as an equestrian fiction author. Kathryn Lefrancois, a University of Guelph Bachelor of Bio-Resource Management graduate, will present her career in sports therapy at Vétérinaire Ambulatoire EquiVet Inc. Nina Ekholm Fry will discuss careers in Equine Assisted Services and being an educator for EAS professionals, and from Equestrian Canada and Ontario Equestrian, Lindsay Nakonechny and Brandon Hall will discuss wide career opportunities.

This symposium is organized and hosted by the students in the Bachelor of Bio-Resource Management, Equine Management degree program at the University of Guelph. Durham radio is the official media sponsor. Listen to KX94.7FM for updates on the symposium.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to vote for their favourite charities with the top choices receiving a donation from the Equine Industry Symposium on behalf of the presenters.

To learn more about the 2021 Equine Industry Symposium, email [email protected] or follow @equinesymposium on Instagram or Facebook.

(With files from Equine Guelph)