You are invited to volunteer and we hope you will consider! If you are interested, here's what you need to know:

• All volunteers must be over the age of 18 and not have a criminal record
• There are many past experienced volunteers and casino staff available to ensure you are comfortable and enjoy this experience
• The dining room and deli are available for volunteers and costs are covered; if volunteers require special food, we notify the casino ahead of time
• AEF Key Casino positions have been filled (GM, Banker, etc)
• We are in need of additional volunteers in the Calgary area that are willing to be 1) Cashiers, 2) Chip Runners, 3) Count Room and 4) to be on call in the event someone is unable to attend at the last minute.
• Please complete, sign and date an AEF Casino volunteer worker application; send to our office via fax or email.
• Be sure to indicate which position you are interested in working and the times preferred (shifts are from either 10:30 am - 7:30 pm or 6:00 pm - close), count room is 10 pm until closing.
• Volunteers are accepted on a first come, first serve basis upon available shifts

If you would like to volunteer for both days, please write this on your application (any volunteer working both days, must work the same position, e.g. you cannot work as a cashier one day and chip runner the next).

The AEF will pay for hotel and meals (volunteers will need to make their own accommodation arrangements). Best Western on MacLeod Trail 3630 MacLeod Trail S. 403-287-3900 is offering a special rate for AEF Casino Volunteers and includes a complementary hot/cold breakfast, free parking, free internet and a fitness centre. When you make your booking, please ask them to mention you will be volunteering at Elbow River Casino for the Alberta Equestrian Federation.   If you choose not to book with the Best Western, there are multiple hotels along MacLeod Trail as well as downtown Calgary. Elbow River Casino address is 218 18 Avenue SE Calgary, if anyone would like to Google the address and see what other options are available to them.

We will confirm your participation at the AEF Casino and provide you with a schedule, expense form and other details you will need prior to the Casino. We will confirm as soon as possible.

The AEF uses Casino funding to help fund our programs and allows to us to provide and deliver services to members, we do hope you will consider volunteering to help support the AEF and our members.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Norma Cnudde at memberships@albertaequestrian.com

Click here to download and complete the Casino Volunteer form 

Are you 7-15 year old or do you know an AEF member who is 7-15 years old and Want a chance to win a Camcorder, a digital camera or an ipod!?

Dust off those boots, get outside and

have some fun with a horse. You could

win some great prizes for doing just that.

We want you to spend less time in front

of the TV and computer and spend more

time outside being active.

Less Screen Time and More Horse Time = Great Prizes! It's that easy!

This creative program has stirred up a lot of interest and enthusiasm over

the years. AEF members from all over Alberta aged 7-15 are leaving the

TV and computer behind and getting out and spending more time with their

horse. Not surprisingly we receive a lot of support from parents too! Young

members keep track of how they are spending their time this year from

April 1st until September 30th of each year and win great prizes. You don't

even have to own a horse to participate! If you are 7-15 years old and

want to Live Outside the Box!

NEW FOR 2013: This year the Alberta Equestrian Federation is pleased

to be able to offer 3 draws for those who continually submit their hours

towards the program. Draws will be held on May 31, July 31 and

September 31 for a $25 itunes card each time! Participants will be

automatically entered into these draws as long as they submit their hours

on a monthly basis before the draw date with a photo of themselves and

their equine friends.

Prizes are awarded for the top 3 in each category:

Highest Horse Time Hours

Lowest Screen Time Hours

Highest Hours of Outdoor Activities (ie. soccer, basketball, baseball

ect)

First place prize winners recieve:

Active High Definitation Digital Waterproof and Shockproof Camcorder   

Second place prize winners receive:

Fujifilm Digital Camera  

Third place prize winners receive:

Apple Ipod Shuffle   

Sign up today and receive a log book and zipper pull! 

Click here for more information

Click here to download the 2013 registration form 

The NCCP/EC Equestrian Theory Course is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for Instructor/Coach candidates, and is also a great way for already certified coaches to gain hour for hour coaching update hours.

If you are wanting to brush up your Lesson Planning Skills, or even your mentoring for Lesson Planning Skills then this is the course for you! Maybe you want to learn more about Making Ethical Decisions in your environment, or touch base on Equestrian Teaching and Learning? This course offers all of these great topics as well as Analyzing Beginner Equestrian Performance.

This course is not discipline specific so everyone is welcome regardless if they are  a coach, want to be or are not at all!

The course is a 2 day classroom based course, delivered by our highly skilled Learning Facilitators. Participants receive NCCP credit for attending, a certificate for completion of the course, and get to take some great manuals home to always have for reference!

Our next offerings of this course will be:

When: Sunday, May 26 2013, during the ''Tournament of Dandelions'' show

Where: Murray Farm, New Sarepta, AB

Who: Clinicians Doug Orr (EC ''Senior'' & ADS ''Registered'' Combined Driving Technical Delegate) and Lorraine Hill (EC ''Senior'' Combined Driving Judge and EC ''Medium'' Dressage Judge)

Registration deadline: May 10 2013

Cost: TBA

This clinic is offered to  any AEF member who is interested in the discipline of Combined Driving.

Clinic topics will include:

• Role of Officials
• Interpreting and applying rules for Combined Driving
• Judging Dressage and cones
• Courses and obstacles
• Event scoring
• Event Scheduling
• Briefing volunteers

More information and registration form to follow.

Guelph, ON. - Due to an overwhelming positive response, Equine Guelph has opened registration for a second offering of their eWorkshop on colic prevention. Over 80 students from local and international background gained valuable knowledge over the course of 2 weeks in March to combat the number one killer of horses (other than old age!) with Equine Guelph's new eWorkshop on colic prevention. The second offering April 15 - 28, 2013 is filling up quickly.  

This affordable online short course is designed to help horse owners understand colic and take preventative measures by following good stable management practices. At a cost of only $75 plus HST, this eWorkshop could translate into thousands of dollars of savings by helping horse owners avoid the nightmare of colic.

Student, Natalie Price of Bowmanville, ON declares, "This course is a must for all horse owners as knowledge is the first and best defense against colic!"

Equine Guelph's Colic Prevention eWorkshop covers topics that will help horse caregivers reduce the risk of colic in horses by identifying risk factors, understanding different types of colic, detecting early signs and symptoms, assessing their management plans and developing preventative strategies.

Student, Kristeen Ungar of Ottawa, ON proclaims, "This colic prevention eWorkshop was jam-packed with useful information! It gave me an excellent opportunity to assess my horse's colic risk, look carefully at my management practices and make decisions about what I can realistically change in my specific situation. The guest experts were a great resource during week two."

Upon completion of the Colic Prevention eWorkshop, participants are eligible to receive a certificate from Equine Guelph. This two-week online course also qualifies for Equine Canada coaches updating credits.

Student, Jennifer Stefik, of Victoria, BC surmises, "Equine Guelph's eWorkshop gave me a clear and concise understanding of how to prevent colic in a simple, straight forward course."

Equine Guelph has declared 2013, "the Year of Colic Prevention!" beginning with the Colic Prevention eWorkshops. Equine Guelph is also launching a FREE online health care tool in May. The "Colic Risk Rater," will assess and calculate colic risk and provide useful feedback on management practices.

In addition to funding from Alltech and Standardbred Canada, investment in the colic prevention program has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). In Ontario, this program is delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council.  Partners include: Central Ontario Standardbred Association, Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Society of Ontario, Ontario Association of Equine Practitioners, Ontario Equestrian Federation, Ontario Harness Horse Association and the Ontario Veterinary College.

For more information about how to reduce the risk of colic using Equine Guelph's Colic Prevention Program, and to sign up for the April 15 - 28 Colic Prevention eWorkshop, visit EquineGuelph.ca/eworkshops/colic.php. 

Story by: Jackie Bellamy     

We will be running articles in all four editions of Alberta Bits with valuable information about the history of the AEF. The winter 2013 edition will have a list of 35 questions pertaining to the information from the articles ran throughout the year. Answer all 35 questions correctly and you will be entered to be one of 35 people to win their individual 2014 AEF Membership (value of $50)!

Note: No registration is necessary.  

With thanks to additional financial support from Capri Insurance, the AEF has been pleased to be able to offer an increased number of scholarships to AEF members annually.

 Click here to download and print a copy of the 2013 Application.

The Alberta Equestrian Federation (AEF) is a member driven, nonprofit Provincial organization responsible for organizing, coordinating, sanctioning and administering equine sport and recreation in Alberta since 1978. 

Membership is in excess of 13,000 individual members as well as over 200 member equine Provincial organizations and industry partners. The AEF is the only Equestrian Body recognized by Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation. As such, we are the only body to directly receive funding and to have a voice within the Alberta Government on behalf of all equestrians in Alberta.

Vision

The Voice of Equine Alberta.  The premier source for education, information and support for Alberta's entire equine community.

Mission