At the end of March, Halton Place, in Milton, ON, issued a press release stating that the first three weeks of their summer horse show schedule would be cancelled because they were unable to secure the appropriate permits from the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC), who oversees special events in that region.
Timur Leckebusch, president of Halton Place, expected that the issue would be resolved in time to hold the remaining three weeks of planned horse shows in August and September. It appears, however, as though no resolution has been made and, in fact, no horse shows will be permitted at Halton Place this season.
The issue came to a head last week when the NEC refused Halton Place’s request for a development permit to allow them to hold the three-week long Canadian Country Classic.
It is the NEC’s view that the horse shows held at Halton Place have evolved from small time, occasional events, which supplemented the facility’s agricultural endeavours, to permanent, world-class horse shows, turning Halton Place from a horse farm to an event centre. Further, the number of exhibitors and spectators and the noise and traffic generated by them is a concern to local residents.
Halton Place has the right to appeal the NEC’s decision, but a hearing would not likely take place before the scheduled, Equine-Canada sanctioned horse show at the end of August. Halton Place remains hopeful that an agreement can be made for 2012.
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