STATEMENT FROM NEC TAUPO

18 MARCH 2020

EQUESTRIAN NZ EVENTS CANCELLED FOR NEXT THREE MONTHS

Equestrian Sports NZ has announced this morning it will cancel all ESNZ events in Jumping, Dressage and Para-equestrian, Eventing and Endurance for a three-month period effective immediately.  This will be reviewed at the end of April or as required.  

The situation continues to develop in New Zealand and around the world and ESNZ will endeavour to keep everyone informed as much as possible. The Government has indicated there may be a tightening of the rules around mass gatherings in the next week. We will review this situation as it comes to hand.

A Covid-19 page has been developed on the ESNZ website with cancellation notices, updates and any information that comes to hand. Please use this to keep up to date.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR NEC?

ESNZ and NEC’s priority is the safety of people and we have a duty of care to look after our users, campers, members, officials, volunteers and riders at this time.

As above, all ESNZ events and events run under ESNZ rules within the next 3 months have been cancelled.

Casual use is still going ahead at this time, but you will now need to book a time slot to come and use the grounds and everyone on the grounds is to fill in our attendance register, so we know who is here and how many people are here with you.  Honesty box payments are now to be made by internet banking please where possible. You may want to use your own pen, OR wash your hands after filling out any paperwork. We will aim for there to be no more than 50 casual users on the grounds at any one time. Please park with a generous distance between vehicles. Please ride and head off home in a timely manner.

Clinic/training and camp numbers will need to be advised to admin prior to arrival so we can put protocols in place to align with the NZ Government social distancing recommendations, ESNZ recommendations and for casual booking numbers. Coaching and clinics/training must be on a max two riders to one coach basis with one support person per rider. Please ride at your designated time and head home straight after. Give yourselves plenty of space and breathing room.

Training/clinics cannot be classed as an event. It is to fit the following criteria:

  • As few people onsite at any one time as possible.
  • Only one official/trainer is required to run this.
  • There is no result – so there is no winner or prizes – these are for training purposes only.

Non ESNZ groups and groups who do not run an ESNZ discipline or under ESNZ rule (breed societies, carriage driving, western, cowboy challenges, games, hunting, le trek, clinics, ribbon days etc), and commercial bookings, will be expected to make a call as to if their event is to go ahead. If they do decide to proceed within the timeframe of ESNZ event cancellations, they must adhere to the protocols, rules and recommendations that NZ Government, ESNZ and NEC put into place.

Non ESNZ groups who run events of an ESNZ discipline (Eventing, Dressage, SJ, SH and Endurance) must run under ESNZ rules as we are an ESNZ facility, therefore these events are included in the 3-month cancellation.

Casual camping and cabin bookings can still go ahead. Make sure you have booked for your stay and centre admin know how many people are booked in. Avoid unnecessary numbers of people staying in cabins or trucks and floats. Please use your own shower and toilets if you are self-contained as much as possible. Park a generous distance apart. There is a dump station on site. This way our cleaner can get through the cabins and relevant toilet blocks and thoroughly clean before and after your stay, and with a relatively low risk to her own health.

POP Camping is still open. Please park your motorhomes a generous distance apart. Use your own shower and toilet facilities as much as you can if you are self-contained to avoid using the public/shared toilets and showers. There is a dump station on site. Make sure you fill in the attendance register and pay for your stay via internet banking where possible.

Please practice a high standard of hygiene and WASH YOUR HANDS often and well. We are trying to source hand sanitizer to be placed around the centre. Once we get these please use them liberally and put them back where you found them.

If anyone becomes unwell or is suspected to have Covid 19 please call ahead to one of the Taupo medical centres or the dedicated Healthline number as soon as you can.  Stay in your cabin, truck or vehicle. Contact one of the centre managers, and do what the medical professionals advise.

Link to ESNZ Webpage with up to date information – https://www.nzequestrian.org.nz/coronavirus-updates/ 

CONTACT DETAILS

Centre Manager – Elliott Newby 0211415314
Centre Admin Manager – Kelly Newby 021868012
Centre Convenor – Wallie Niederer 0274930652
ESNZ Chief Executive – Dana Fitzpatrick 0272816213
Healthline Covid 19 number – 0800 3585453
Taupo Medical Centre – 07 3784080