Ottawa, Ontario --- Para-Equestrian Canada, in partnership with Sport Canada, encourages the participation of riders with a disability to participate in competition through a grant program.

As part of this project, therapeutic riding centres offering new competitive opportunities or increase their existing competition program to riders with a disability are eligible to receive a grant of up to $500.

After the first series of the 2013 season came to a close, a total of three grants of $500 each were awarded to the following centres:

1.    TEAD (The Equestrian Association for the Disabled), Mount Hope, ON

2.    Mission Therapeutic Riding, Mission, BC, and

3.    Ambleside Farm, Victoria, BC.

The grant program, introduced in 2008, has awarded more than 54 grants over the past five years to Canada's therapeutic riding centres. Some examples of how the grants have assisted with the introduction of riders to para-equestrian sport include: support for visually and hearing-impaired riders, funding for a fun school show, subsidies for riders to participate in competition, and a new computer to assist with the video competition submission process.

The deadline to submit an application for the second series in 2013 is July 15, 2013.  Centres interested in applying may do so by visiting the Para-Equestrian website at www.equinecanada.ca/para-equestrian.

If you have any questions related to this project or any other Para-Equestrian Canada initiatives, please contact Para-Equestrian Canada at para-equestrian@equinecanada.caor 613-248-3433 ext. 143.

Hi-Pro Feeds is the official animal feed sponsor of the Canadian Para-Equestrian Team. For nearly 40 years, Hi-Pro Feeds been proudly serving the livestock feeding and ranching industries. With its ProForm Equine Feed line, Hi-Pro easily meets the needs of the Canadian equine, whether high performance or recreational mount. Hi-Pro Feeds operates facilities in Canada through a framework of plants, dealers and loyal customers. For more information, please visit www.hiprofeeds.com.

Para-Equestrian Canada is the Equine Canada committee responsible for developing programs for athletes with a physical disability, and implementing the Para-Dressage high performance program. Para-Equestrian is one of Canada's most successful international disciplines, achieving an individual gold medal and an individual silver medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games, as well as two individual bronze medals at the 2004 Paralympic Games.

Para-Equestrian sport provides riders with a physical disability the opportunity to compete against other riders with similar abilities. Riders are given a "Grade" based on their functional ability, and are judged on their riding skill against other athletes of the same Grade.  There are five grades of competitions in dressage, with Grade IA representing the more severely impaired riders, and Grade IV representing the least severely impaired riders. Many Para-Equestrian athletes also compete alongside able-bodied competitors in Equine Canada competitions. At the grass roots level, Para-Equestrian encompasses a number of different disciplines, while the international stream focuses only on Para-Dressage.  For more information, please visit www.equinecanada.ca/para-equestrian.