Membership of Manitoba Horse Council's (MHC) club network is for provincial, regional, and local equine organizations which engage in the promotion and development of equestrian sport and recreation activities in Manitoba and which meet the following criteria:
1. Have a minimum of 10 members;
2. Are not-for-profit, volunteer based and democratic;
3. Have a written constitution;
4. Hold regular meetings;
5. Hold elections of directors and officers;
6. Maintain financial records which are available on request to MHC.
7. Agrees to Dispute Resolution as mandated by Sport Manitoba;
8. Agrees to Safe Sport policies and principles for competition as mandated by national sporting body.
Equine clubs are the foundation of Manitoba Horse Council and receive one vote on any issue at the MHC Annual General Meeting and/or Council of Clubs meetings. Some items subject to voted approval of MHC member Clubs include:
• Provincial or local issues
• National issues requiring a Provincial vote
• Election of MHC Board of Directors
• Approval of MHC By-Law changes
Benefits to a club are numerous, but the #1 bonus is eligibility to apply for preferential rates for insurance liability coverage for events such as shows and clinics.
Clubs can also apply for grants and clinic support. For instance, there is an annual distribution of Sport Manitoba Program Support funding (previously Lottery funds) to aid clubs with the cost of competitions, clinics or operating costs among other things.
Clubs also have preferential access to booking event space at MHC's equestrian facility in Birds Hill Park; Sport Manitoba meeting rooms and printing services are also available, at no cost/low cost.
Each club also has a link and short write-up on MHC's website, to assist in attracting new membership. Events can be posted directly on MHC's web calendar and if your events are noted on Facebook, they will be circulated to MHC page followers.
As an insurance prerequisite, individual club members are required to have appropriate membership of MHC, which is a security factor in case of untoward happenings at a Club show, for instance, an accident requiring an ambulance to be called, a liability issue if a horse damages a person or property etc.
More detailed information about equine Club membership can be found here:
As part of the Club application, MHC requires contact information for the Club's Executive.
2021 Club Application & Executive Listing
Insurance is a technical topic and there are many questions which can be asked, too many to enter here. Detailed information on the insurance package from Capri Insurance includes a club application form. This application is to be sent directly to Capri Insurance with the correct premium (including PST), not Manitoba Horse Council.
The Director's and Officer's Liability Insurance is an option for MHC clubs, and is a policy which responds to law suits which result from a bodily injury or property damage in which the complainant feels that the club bears some responsibility. Examples of claims could be; negligence of account procedures and mishandling of funds; personal benefit by a Director; jeopardizing tax-exempt status; interest that should have been collected and distributed; failure to adopt and implement appropriate safety and operational procedures at a facility causing the facility to be shut down by regulators, etc.
Director's and Officer's Fact Sheet and Application
All MHC Clubs in good standing can apply for Program Support funding, managed by Sport Manitoba and MHC. Two grants are offered each year; the first covers January - June, the second is July - December, with the aim that grants are paid out within the same financial year.
Grant application for January 1 - July 31: deadline for application January 31, 2021
If your club is not currently a member of Manitoba Horse Council and you would like information about signing up your Club, please contact Diane David, MHC Executive Director, at 204-925-5719 or [email protected] If you have questions about the insurance coverage please call CapriCMW, 1-800-670-1877, or email [email protected]