By: Teresa van Bryce, Manager, Horse Industry Association of Alberta
In recent months, we have been asked questions such as: “Who is the Horse Industry Association of Alberta? What do you do? Are you government? Are you affiliated with the Alberta Equestrian Federation?”
I thought that this month’s column would be a good opportunity to answer some of these questions.
The Horse Industry Association of Alberta (HIAA) represents the business aspect of Alberta’s equine community by way of key representation from many different sectors of the horse industry. Through the mandates of advocacy, education, and research, our goal is to complement other equine associations for the betterment and growth of Alberta’s horse industry.
HIAA was informally established in 1982 to act as an organizing body for the Horse Breeders & Owners Conference. By 1991, the growth of the conference necessitated the incorporation of the HIAA under the Alberta Societies Act as a non-profit organization.
In 2003, the board of directors of HIAA saw opportunities for the association to assist in the development and growth of the horse industry. A business plan, mission, and vision were established through a series of meetings and facilitated sessions, and funding was acquired for the first of a series of projects, the Alberta Horse Industry Profile, and Economic Impact Survey.
Through the survey, it was determined that an industry-wide marketing tool was needed for Alberta’s horse industry, and the association launched its second initiative: The Alberta Horse… all ways! DVD project.
In 2006, a new logo was developed, along with a branding plan for the association and the “Alberta Horses” brand. In conjunction with the 2006 Spruce Meadows Masters Media Day, the HIAA held a news conference to launch its new look and public awareness campaign.
The logo for the association incorporates four key elements: 1) the Alberta landscape, which is ideal for growing strong, healthy horses and excellent feed for horses; 2) three horses of different styles and colours, representing the diversity of breeds and activities in our industry; 3) motion, the forward movement of the horses representing the direction of the industry; and 4) the message, focusing firstly on “Alberta Horses,” the brand HIAA is establishing in the local, national, and international equine communities, and secondly, the name of the association in its supporting role.
The next major initiative for the association is a three-part project geared to benefit the commercial stables aspect of Alberta’s horse industry. A number of Getting Started with Horses seminars will be held in various locations across the province to provide an access point for bringing new people into the industry.
The second portion of this project is an economic study on the stable industry and we are seeking 15 stables to get involved. Participation in the study will provide stables with a professional financial evaluation of their stable at no cost.
The third and final segment of the project is continuing support for the newly formed Alberta Stables Association, including the January 2008 Stable Seminar, to be held in conjunction with the Horse Breeders & Owners Conference in Red Deer.
HIAA is a registered non-profit society who has benefited from a strong partnership with Alberta Agriculture’s Horse Industry Section (formerly the Horse Industry Branch), without being a government-funded organization.
HIAA is also partnering with the Alberta Equestrian Federation on key industry initiatives.
We are pleased to be part of the strong equine community that exists in Alberta. If you are interested in receiving more information on HIAA and its projects and initiatives, please visit our web site at www.albertahorseindustry.ca or contact the office at (403) 948-8521.
The Alberta Horse…
all ways!
Each month, as part of “Eye on the Industry”, we will feature an Alberta horse that has had an impact on Alberta’s horse industry. These may be champions of competition or champions in some less public way.
If you have or know of a horse that is a fine example of an “Alberta Horse,” tell us why, send us a photo, and each month we’ll feature one horse that stands out from the herd.
Colibri
On February 28, 1989, a tiny filly was born at the farm of Josef and Edda Selinger (JES Breeding) near Calgary. From a Holstein dam named Ladybird, due to her tiny stature, she became Colibri (French for hummingbird) and was registered as a Canadian Warmblood.
The Selinger’s missed her arrival by some hours and Joe is still amused at how this little Whippet-sized filly turned around and kicked at him – apparently her assessment of “the service at the inn” – when he showed up at 7 a.m.
Within six months she was as big as the other foals born that year – partly due to the fact that she availed herself of another mare’s milk supply, on top of her legitimate own – and has gone onto succeed well beyond her small beginnings.
She was the champion of her mare inspection and has since received her Elite Mare Award, the highest rating for a Canadian Warmblood mare. She is the dam of 12 Warmbloods, one of whom, Cita, was exported to Germany in 2004 and, in 2005, became the top five- and six-year-old jumper in Germany.
Warmbloods are regularly imported from Germany to Canada, but the reverse is rare and a sign of the quality the Selinger’s have been breeding into their horses since the 1960s.
Another offspring, Cera, was the top-scoring Canadian Warmblood at the Edmonton Northlands Horse Show in 2004, and a third was exported halfway across the world to Australia.
Colibri is now 18, and is bred to produce another potential champion in 2008. In the words of singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen, “From small things, big things one day come.”
