Crossing from US to Canada for Bromont

[Divine_Comedy]

So I’m down to go to Bromont this year, and I’m trying to see if I’ve got all my ducks in order. And if not, what ducks I need to herd into line. I’ve never crossed a border with my horse (or at all actually, except by plane), and I’m not necessarily going up there ‘with’ a trainer. I do have a vet who is experienced at sending horses up to Bromont, so I should be okay on the vet paperwork, but I’d like to be aware of what I need as well as trusting him.

So here are my questions:

What paperwork do I need?

Does my Coggins need to be within 6 months? I believe the draw date is something like 1/7/2014, so I would probably want to draw a new one to be safe for both crossings.

Is there a specific border crossing site in NY that I need to use with a horse?

Do I need to be hitting the crossing at a certain time? As in, is there a vet there only certain hours?

How much time does it take to do a border crossing?

Anything else special I haven’t thought of?

[bornfreenowexpensive]

What level are you doing?

You need a full international passport for your horse and there was another form to have authority to go to an international competition (which this is for us US riders). Not hard to do, they are on the USEF website and they can help you but you need to get started on it sooner rather than later.

Make sure your shots are up to date in your horses’s passport.

You will need a health certificate…not just coggins.

Can’t remember on the crossing…but a bunch of use from the area just caravanned up and I was following them

The boarder crossing really didn’t take long at all for us but I think it can vary.

Have fun…it is a great event!

[Divine_Comedy]

[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;7451248]
What level are you doing?

You need a full international passport for your horse and there was another form to have authority to go to an international competition (which this is for us US riders). Not hard to do, they are on the USEF website and they can help you but you need to get started on it sooner rather than later.

Make sure your shots are up to date in your horses’s passport.

You will need a health certificate…not just coggins.

Can’t remember on the crossing…but a bunch of use from the area just caravanned up and I was following them

The boarder crossing really didn’t take long at all for us but I think it can vary.

Have fun…it is a great event![/QUOTE]

I’ll be in the CCI2*. We have a full passport, always have, so that’s easy. I’m obsessive about keeping it updated with the vaccines, and that is coming up in March, so that will be done.

I knew I needed a health certificate, I have already talked to the vet about that. But is the Coggins okay within a year, or does it need to be within six months?

Where do I get the form for the authority to go to international competitions? Is it on the USEF website?

I’d like to caravan, but we’ll see. I don’t know a lot of the riders where I am, and the ones I’m training with aren’t necessarily going to Bromont. Also, I’m a working amateur and hopefully working that Monday and driving up Tuesday, so we will have to see about if I am flexible enough on the hours to caravan up, even if I find another person going up.

Very excited though, I’ve heard nothing but praise!

[flyracing]

You need formal “support” from USEF to be allowed to compete in a foreign country. Canada is ok for national levels, but for FEI you still need to go through the process. Log into your USEF account and fill out the form. It’s easy but, does need to be done in advance.

Crossing the border is no big deal. I’m not sure about the 6 month thing since I do every 6 months for other states (CA) already.

Just cross at the boarder that is most convenient for you. They all allow horse crossing, but I would plan to cross during business hours, just incase you did miss a duck! My border crossing with horse have ranged from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. I just plan on giving everybody a flake of hay and a break. I have had a friend not have to go stand in line once, but I wonder if that was a mistake on the agents part?

And I swear it takes longer to get back in the states, but maybe that’s just me being grumping while not getting to pass through to home!?

Caveat: all my crossings have been on the west coast.

[PNWjumper]

I routinely cross the US/Canada border here on the West Coast. I would assume that the requirements are the same, but don’t know for sure. With that being said, the Coggins for sure has to be less than 6 months old.

I usually have my vet out for the health cert and Coggins before the first show and then have to renew the health certificate a couple times over the summer, but not the Coggins. At the border crossing I use there are specific hours that the border crossing vet is on site, and those are noted on the website, which would also give you more information on crossing times, etc. Sometimes I run out of time to get the health certificate sent off to be stamped prior to hauling out, and those are the only times I need the border vet on site so that he can stamp it for me. Otherwise you’re fine to cross through (assuming you have all of your paperwork in order, though I still have to park and walk into the office after crossing to give them copies of the paperwork).

[bornfreenowexpensive]

We didn’t have to stand in line…or get of our truck. They just checked our paper work and let us through.

I think we ended up pulling over on the way back because one in our group was hung up a bit.

There are typically a few groups going up from West Grove PA—I’d be surprised if you can’t find someone to hook up with along the way. I was planning to go but then horse that I wanted to take fractured his coffin bone. He’s doing well but it’s changed all the plans. We will very likely go next year. It is a long drive but very worth it.

[Divine_Comedy]

[QUOTE=PNWjumper;7451365]
Sometimes I run out of time to get the health certificate sent off to be stamped prior to hauling out, and those are the only times I need the border vet on site so that he can stamp it for me.[/QUOTE]

Send my health certificate to get stamped? I’m sure my vet will help me with this, but it’s good to be aware of all the steps.

I’m glad to know about the intent to compete form, I will print that off and look at it. When do I need to fill that out, before I send my entry in?

I’ll try to hook up with someone going from the East Coast, it really would make my life easier!

[Action42]

Your vet will need to send the certificate to the local vet in charge to have it endorsed before you can use it. It shouldn’t take more than a week or so for that to happen. Here in NC you can make an appointment and go in person to have it endorsed and get it back right away.

I’m sure your vet knows that though.

[North_Dakota]

I’m on the Canadian side, but crossing for a week to show isn’t a big deal. Especially if you’re leaving a little later than everyone else, since the border will already have had a bunch of trailers through.

I don’t know the specifics of US papers, in Canada we have temporary or permanent papers. Temps are easy to cross with, since they are for staying in the country temporarily. No vet appointment, just get them stamped, and sometimes the horses looked at. Permanents need a very appointment, since those are for horses that are staying longer than a certain amount of time.

My biggest advice, have everything organized beside you in the truck! Unless I’ve been crossing the border regularly I always(!) get flustered, which is ridiculous because it’s not like I’m doing anything illegal. Your passport, coggins (within 6 months), health papers, change for random tolls, know your truck and trailer licence plate. I can never remember my licence plate when I’m flustered so I write it on a sticky note.

For the actual crossing, it’s been a few years, but horse trailers were kind of a grey area for what lane. Unless the transport lane was really long I usually went in that one. The person at the window generally had a good idea what to do with the papers. Once I was told I should be in the car lane, but had been in the car lane the time before and was told the transport lane was better, so who knows.

[PNWjumper]

[QUOTE=Divine Comedy;7451577]
Send my health certificate to get stamped? I’m sure my vet will help me with this, but it’s good to be aware of all the steps.

I’m glad to know about the intent to compete form, I will print that off and look at it. When do I need to fill that out, before I send my entry in?

I’ll try to hook up with someone going from the East Coast, it really would make my life easier![/QUOTE]

Your vet should be able to walk you through the process as it’s fairly routine for anyone handling show horses. Just make sure you start the health certificate process a couple of weeks in advance and you’ll be good. IIRC, heath certificates are good for either 30 or 60 days in Washington state (can’t remember which, but I know I’ve only been able to do multiple border crossings for separate events a couple of times, so I’m assuming they’re good for 30 days here), but that may vary from state to state.

If I’m doing things in advance of a trip (so at least a week out), my vet fills out the paperwork and sends it to the state veterinary office to be stamped and returned, and that typically takes 3-4 days. If we’re in a hurry she can expedite it and get it back faster, and I’m sure I could walk it in if I were close enough to the state capitol for that to be an option, and if I’ve been a total loser (in regards to planning) and decided to show in Canada last minute (as in the day before the show, which I’ve done several times) I get it stamped by the vet at the border crossing. I believe the official stamp is a USDA thing (hence needing the state vet or border crossing vet). My last minute crossings, though, mean that I already have a current Coggins since there’s no way to do that at the border.

I haven’t ever had to fill out any additional forms for border crossing whether we’re heading up for an FEI event or not, but there are additional forms that I have to fill out in the show office as a US competitor and that stuff may be hidden amongst those.

[acottongim]

Can I ask a STUPID question? I"ve been looking for dates for Bromont - and apparently am having a blonde/google issue today. sigh. Does anyone have the dates in front of them??? Thanks!

and DC - when I shipped my stallion up a few years ago it was just the health cert (which took some back and forth and correct language etc but mainly because my vet wasn’t used to doing it at that time), coggins in 6 months as well as all the normal stuff with regards to trailer etc. We had no issues going in or getting back out.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=acottongim;7451740]
Can I ask a STUPID question? I"ve been looking for dates for Bromont - and apparently am having a blonde/google issue today. sigh. Does anyone have the dates in front of them??? Thanks!

and DC - when I shipped my stallion up a few years ago it was just the health cert (which took some back and forth and correct language etc but mainly because my vet wasn’t used to doing it at that time), coggins in 6 months as well as all the normal stuff with regards to trailer etc. We had no issues going in or getting back out.[/QUOTE]

Here you go:

http://bromontcci.com/

June 5-8 this year.

[acottongim]

Thank you! (and yes, I feel like an idiot LOL)

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=acottongim;7451754]
Thank you! (and yes, I feel like an idiot LOL)[/QUOTE]

Don’t. It isn’t always easy to find. I remember searching forever for the website the first time!

[Blugal]

If you want to know about vet availability at the border, as well as exactly what you’ll need, call the Canadian Federal Vet at the border crossing you expect to use, in advance.

Number is through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

[yellowbritches]

[QUOTE=Action42;7451617]
Your vet will need to send the certificate to the local vet in charge to have it endorsed before you can use it. It shouldn’t take more than a week or so for that to happen. Here in NC you can make an appointment and go in person to have it endorsed and get it back right away.

I’m sure your vet knows that though. :)[/QUOTE]
DC, I remember this from the chat we had with him the other night. He did say something about the fact that he normally tries to get all his Bromont bound horses health certs all together so he can send them to where ever they need to go in one big group. I think he said they have to go to Richmond.

Still so bummed I can’t go!!! Damn BFF not knowing the very important horse show schedule and scheduling her wedding that weekend :winkgrin:

[Divine_Comedy]

[QUOTE=yellowbritches;7451955]

Still so bummed I can’t go!!! Damn BFF not knowing the very important horse show schedule and scheduling her wedding that weekend :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]

Me too! But generally, weddings are important to go to when they are BFFs.

Ok, I think I have it mostly straight.

One last question: If I have all my paperwork in order, do I need to hit the border during vet hours? Or can I go through at any time, like in the middle of the night?

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=Divine Comedy;7452082]
Me too! But generally, weddings are important to go to when they are BFFs.

Ok, I think I have it mostly straight.

One last question: If I have all my paperwork in order, do I need to hit the border during vet hours? Or can I go through at any time, like in the middle of the night?[/QUOTE]

Anytime I believe but you are not going to want too. When you cross the boarder, you are not that far from Bromont. I think I remember like less than 2 hours. We left PA SUPER early in the morning so we could get to Bromont in daylight still. And then left on Sunday as soon as we could in the afternoon…and you cross fairly soon after leaving the event.

[Cruiser12]

Do you have YOUR OWN passport? Not going without that either!

[Divine_Comedy]

[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;7452158]
Anytime I believe but you are not going to want too. When you cross the boarder, you are not that far from Bromont. I think I remember like less than 2 hours. We left PA SUPER early in the morning so we could get to Bromont in daylight still. And then left on Sunday as soon as we could in the afternoon…and you cross fairly soon after leaving the event.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I’m currently planning on trying to get to Bromont before in-barns are done for the day…it’s more a question of, if I have a flat tire, I won’t panic over crossing the border later than normal hours.

I like to know ALL the things, lol.

Probably driving back Monday instead of Sunday. I’ve done a 14 hour drive from Denver to Dallas directly after the end of an FEI event and it was really not fun. And that was not with a horse trailer. Since it’s 10.5 hours back to M-burg, I’m not terribly interested in driving back Sunday.

And Cruiser12, I do have my own passport! Thought about that too.