20/ JUNE/JULY 2011 THE RIDER


Canada’s Racing Hall Of Fame 2011 Inductees Announced


Toronto, May 17 - A filly that won the Queen’s Plate and the Woodbine Oaks in 2002 along with Burning Point and Invitro, two Standardbred pacing mares with combined earnings of over $5 million, headline this year’s class of inductees into Canada’s Horse Racing Hall of Fame.


The five members of the Thoroughbred class include Dancethruthedawn along with her Sam-Son Farm connections – the late Tammy Samuel-Balaz in the Builders category and


were unable to separate the greatness of Burning Point and Invitro as both mares gained admission in the Female category. Wesgate Crown dominated the Male Horse voting for the Simonds brothers, Paul and David, of Uxbridge, Ont. In the Veterans category, Silver Reign, who ruled the trotting scene in the late 1980s before her successful broodmare career, was owned by Eugene Forbes. Steve Condren put together three decades of remark- able performances while winning more than 6,600


The Eel, known as “The Grey Ghost” was one of greats in the early 1900s, setting countless records both on the ice and on the half-mile tracks. W.J. Hyatt of Petrolia, Ont., was inducted in the Builders category. He was a ground- breaking entrepreneur. His best horse was Bob Lee. Hyatt was the man behind the founding of the Supertest Stakes for Cana- dian owned and bred two and three-year-olds.


New Equine Networking Group Made-In-Canada


By Kelly Bowers


Lucie Burdon-Sereda, owner of J’Equine Sport in Ontario, would like to announce the launch of a new Cana- dian networking group, the Equestrian Social Society. The founder explains “These days, networking is done main- ly through social media tools...like facebook, twitter, blog etc…which is a great way to enhance and develop an existing business relationship, but texts and posts can often be misunderstood. ESS (Equine Social Society) will provide the opportunity to meet and network “face to face” at association events. Members will establish connec- tions in person and later develop them through regular social media channels. “


ESS MISSION STATEMENT • ESS will promote members of ESS.


• ESS will extend special courtesies to members of ESS. • ESS will handle equines with the love and respect they deserve.


The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be


• ESS will promote classical riding and training techniques as well as offer opportunities to talented and dedicated riders.


• ESS will commit to improving the quality of horsemanship from the first time owner to the seasoned profession- al.


• ESS will promote the development of skills for young riders, Canada’s future, while keeping the welfare of the horse in mind.


• ESS will create opportunities for young riders to follow their equestrian dream while having fun along the way. • ESS will strive to improve the quality and raise the standards of horsemanship in the future. • ESS will encourage ethical behaviour and responsibility in the equine industry. At press time an introductory information meeting was planned for Friday June 10th at Equine Expo. Burdon-Sereda invites interested parties to contact her for more information and to discuss becoming an active member and getting involved in the operation of the new group. Contact her at 519-355-4922 or info@jequinesport.com, www.equestriansocialsociety.com.


One of the most dra- matic finishes in Belmont Stakes history was wit- nessed by millions on TV


Mark Frostad, who trained three of Sam-Son’s Plate winners. Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold, owned and bred by Frank Stronach and partner, William Holtsinger, earned the vote in the Male category while Square Angel, owned by the late Gen. Preston Gilbride, was elected in the Veterans category.


races for earnings of over $109 million in to capture the Driver/Trainer catego- ry. He’s an O’Brien Award winner and also winner of the North American Cup with Goalie Jeff. In the Builder category Robert Burgess, a renown breeder and owner for more than four decades, is best known for introducing the great trotting sire Balanced Image as his Cantario Farms. His other outstand- ing horses include Frugal Gourmet, Real Desire, Amity Chief and Amigo Hall.


as the colt upset Silver Charm’s bid to win the Triple Crown in 1997. Touch Gold went on to a great career at stud, siring numerous graded stakes winners. Dancethruthedawn, an impeccably bred filly by Mr. Prospector-Dance Smartly, was a graded stakes winning at age four in Saratoga, N.Y., after her brilliant 3-year-old season. Veteran trainer Frostad owns four Plate victories – Victor Cooley, Scatter the Gold, Dancethruthedawn and Eye of the Leopard – along with wins in most of Cana- da’s most important races. Three times he’s been voted Canada’s leading trainer and has conditioned four horses of the year titles. Following the death of her father, Ernie Samuel, Tammy took over the helm of Sam-Son and main- tained its position as one of North America’s premier breeding and racing opera- tions. Square Angel’s niche in thoroughbred history as not only an outstanding race filly, but also in the breeding shed. Her daugh- ters have produced numer- ous graded stakes winners. Standardbred electors


career for the Cuzzins Sta- ble of Delray Beach, Fla. She was bred by Fred Drouillard of Windsor, ON. Invitro, bred by Gord Irwin of Cobourg, Ont., retired in 2008 with earn- ings of over $2 million from 35 lifetime wins. She posted a 1:50 clocking at Woodbine.


ing Point, win- ner of O’Brien and Dan Patch awards, earned $3.1 million dur- ing her six-year


Burn-


held on Thursday, August 18, at the Mississauga Convention Centre on Derry Road.


Horsefeathers: The Therapeutic Effect of Equus


by Lillian Tepera Soft cover 197 pages


published by Outskirts Press, Inc. by Kelly Bowers


When I first read the subtitle, “The Therapeutic Effect of Equus”, I half-expected to find a collection of inspiring but dry sto- ries of human survival between the book’s covers. That would have been fine too but I was pleasantly surprised to find the genuinely warm and honest, poignant and often thoroughly amusing mem-


oirs of an Ontario woman who was born with a love for horses, and how her dream survived. Easy to relate to, it is the inspiring journey she began when she decided to build a barn as a retirement home for her aging horse Oscar “and a couple of his friends”. That deci- sion lead her down the winding road of horsemanship from col- lecting to rescuing and breeding and finally arriving at the world of therapeutic riding. A fine example of how the seed of thought can be passionately developed into the action that creates the dream which can be trans- formed into a real life with enough hard work, determina- tion and an endless flow of cash.


Wesgate Crown enjoyed success on the racetrack ($2.5 in earnings) and in the breeding shed. He won an O’Brien as champion 2-year-old trot- ting colt in 1993. He com- peted often in Europe and won the major trotting races and two Breeders Crowns. His foals have earned over $15 million. For the first time since 2003, the Hall of Fame will be inducting horses and people into the Legends category. Thor- oughbred inductees include Mrs. Lily A. Livingston, breeder of two King’s Plate winners, and one of Cana- da’s leading breeders for more than 20 years at her Pontiac Stock Farm in Cobourg, Ont., and jockey Thomas H. Burns of Cedar Springs, Ont., who twice was North America’s lead- ing jockey in the late 1890s. Standardbred pacer


"Author, Lillian Tepera and Wilbert, her 13-year-old Friesian gelding."


Horsefeathers was a pleasure to read with it’s comfortable narrative and familiar names, colourful and realistic descrip- tions, naturally flowing from one event or time period to another. Skillfully written, you tear up, smile and sometimes laugh out loud. Some situa- tions occur that would only happen to horse people, like the arrival of a narcoleptic horse who without warning would drop like a rock a scare the breath out of anyone watching. Or the close call when Moose barely escaped being eaten by the nylon mon- ster. A wonderful assortment of four legged characters. Some of my favourites include Henk the curious Friesian and his partner in crime, Princess Olivia, who’s birth fulfilled the author’s “foaling” dream. And Wilbert, the impressive tall, dark and handsome plank removing gentleman, who became King of the author’s 50 acre kingdom. From Sahara the diva to the hum- blest Slaughter House 3 (res- cued PMU foals) including the aforementioned Moose - Lessons are learned and lives changed by them all.


Horsefeathers is also a tribute to the dedication and hard work, the financial commitment and devotion found in special people who choose to share their love of horses, blessing those in need with the gift of therapeutic riding. This lifestyle helps to rehabilitates bod- ies, calms minds and lifts spirits, indeed changing daily lives and improving relationships in so many ways. It may inspire you enough that you will want to go out and volunteer somewhere to be part of it all. I think it’s safe to say that Lillian Tepera has lead and is enjoying a life well lived. It is no surprise that part of book sales proceeds are being donated to OnTRA (On Therapeutic Riding Association). Order on line at www.stonegatefarm.ca/horsefeath- ers.html


Author Biography Lillian Tepera


Lillian Tepera was born in Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) with a passion for horses that was difficult to satis- fy in a country oppressed by communist rule where people lined up for every- day goods and waited for years for the privilege of buying a car. There was a glorious moment on the back of a circus pony and some brief encounters with donkeys and mules when the family traveled to Yugoslavia on vaca- tion, but meaningful horse experiences would have to wait until the Teperas moved to Canada.


and marketing which would even- tually allow her to indulge her love of horses as she had always imag- ined it – horses in the backyard (alright, a large 50-acre backyard), right there to see any time she looked out the window.


Establishing a therapeutic rid- ing program seemed a natural extension, and a way to share her wonderful horses with others. That unique experience, and the many stories of horses and humans who have been part of it, has formed the basis for Lillian’s first book, Horsefeathers: The Therapeutic Effect of Equus.


Lillian lives with her family at Stonegate Farm in Oro- Medonte, about 90 minutes north of Toronto. Stonegate’s therapeu- tic riding program offers close to a thousand hours of enjoyment for


Lillian started taking lessons at the age of 12, and from then on, horses would always be a part of her life (though for a long time, they were other people’s!). After receiving her BA in English Literature from the University of Toronto, Lillian established a career in advertising


special-needs children and adults each year thanks to a special group of horses and volunteers. Lillian is currently hard at work on her sec- ond book, a novel about… what else… horses.


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