4/ DECEMBER 2025 THE RIDER HON. COL. A.W. FINN CD: Founder


BARRY FINN: barry@therider.com Publisher/ Editor/Advertising Manager


GLENDA FORDHAM: fordhampr@rogers.com Entertainment Columnist


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From Our Founder


Remembering December 1997 / January 1998


The Rider had full reports


from all the horse divisions at the 1997 Royal Winter Fair. They are scattered through out this column.


Jump Canada Board, a


committee of the Canadian Equestrian Federation held sev- eral meetings at The Royal Win- ter Fair to put the finishing touches on its proposed new structure. Organizers from vari- ous groups were elected to re- view various proposals to be brought to the Board in January for discussion and approval.


Dr. Hilary Clayton, an


equine biomechanics expert, and sports psychologist Geri Agrey were featured speakers at the Canadian Equestrian Federation Convention held in Ottawa.


Five eventing riders were


selected to receive $1,000 Rider Development Scholarships from Horse Trails Canada.


The American Farriers


Journal brought together 25 of the most frequently asked ques- tions about Laminitis and Founder from farriers, veterinar- ians and horse owners. A sixteen page report was prepared and made available for $8.95.


The Rider had a write up


on the life and times of Chuck Aylett and his marriage to Lorna Bishop. The story was at Chuck’s passing and was written by another rodeo cowboy George Hewitt of the TV show Open Roads. As owner of The Rider, I used Chuck’s talents to design our masthead. I still have that enormous sign that he did for our booth at Quarterama. Chuck and Lorna were excellent horse trainers. They brought my Paint Horse, Chiefs Dan Patch, from getting the gate to winning Grand Champion Paint Horse Western Pleasure and English Pleasure as well as Reserve


Gelding with the Ontario Paint Horse Association. All three wins were in 1972. Chuck was always in good humour. I never once saw him angry. I was visit- ing his ranch in Fonthill. With his foot on the bottom rail of the corral he casually said “I have left instructions that I am to be buried on a hill with my feet up hill. I just can’t figure water fill- ing my boots”.


December 26, 1997.


Michelle Katrynuk 22 and Charles Dolan were found mur- dered in their rented home in Pelham. Michelle worked at the Lazy Loop horse stable on Eff- ingham Rd. where she boarded her Quarter Horse, Chester. Michelle was a director and sec- retary of the Western Horse As- sociation of Ontario and volunteered at Quarterama. The killer took his own life before charges could be laid. Chester stayed with the Katrynuk family.


Clare Smith of Burritt’s


Rapids, ON was competing in the European Open Champi- onships when she fell from her horse during a cross country event. She had just place second in the Rolex Kentucky three day event. She was taken by air am- bulance to hospital with severe head injuries and a broken collar bone. She returned to an Ottawa Hospital after 5 weeks in a Eu- ropean hospital.


We had a curious letter


from Susan Blekkenhorst look- ing for answers on why her horse would fall asleep when the farrier works on the front feet or other times while it was being saddled. She said that the horse falls to his knees. She went on to explain that the farrier, the vet- erinarian and others were not able to explain what was hap- pening. All the tests came back negative.


The Rider was pleased to


announce that George Hewitt had joined our ever expanding list of volunteer writers group. George had some very interest- ing stories to tell. His first story was “Where have all the Cow- boys Gone”, a well written story on the Rodeo Cowboy.


The Equestrian Associa- tion for the Disabled held there Pastime Stables of Lynn,


error, that portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item(s), together with reasonable allowance for signature will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or service at a wrong price, goods or services need not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell. The


THE RIDER IS THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF:


• Eastern Ontario Quarter Horse Association • Ontario Cutting Horse Association • Ontario Quarter Horse Association • Ontario Reined Cow Horse Association


4th Annual Night at the races. The event was held at the An- caster Fair Grounds on February 21.


A new Overnight Nation-


wide Stabling Directory and Equestrian Vacation Guide was released. 480 places were adver- tised in Canada and USA.


Jensen Trailers Sales intro-


duced their new selection of horse trailers for the upcoming show season. Jenson advised that he would have his newly de- signed trailers on display at Quarterama.


Jodie Karrow of Moore-


field, Ontario was promoting her Professional Companion Behav- ioral Consulting business.


Pleasant Ridge Saddlery


advertised their Liquidation Sale. Some items advertised were men’s and women’s cloth- ing with discounts up to 50%. Australian oil skin coats at $129.00.


The Canadian Equestrian


Federation announced a new in- surance program exclusively for members. Insurance covered life, medical, dental, short term disability etc.


The WHAO elected Mike


Piggins as their president. He got right down to business and provided The Rider with a well written message to members where he outlined the boards plans for the upcoming show season.


Shirley Crane, Canadian


Director for the National Barrel Horse Association, took an ad- vertisement out in The Rider to encourage riders to consider membership.


Wayne Wright advertised


his TDI Horse Feeds. The Ontario Barrel Racing


Association reported on their 1997 Year End awards and the clubs finals which were held at Hellyer’s Guthrie Buck arena in Waterford, Ontario. Absorbine was the club’s year end sponsor and sponsors of the OBRA an- nual awards.


Black’s Equine Centre in


Binbrook, Ontario were promot- ing their 1998 Winter Hunter Jumper Schooling Series. The also advised that they had a new Grooming Machine.


Heste Sport Inc. took a full


page to advertise their Quarter Horse Racing breeding stable. New Move, an Appendix Quarter Horse, hunter jumper was adver- tised at $800.00, as was Skip Otoe Star.


Bailey’s Saddlery were ad-


vertising their hand crafted West- ern Saddle. Just a reminder that Don Bailey was our very first ad- vertiser in our first edition back 55 years ago.


Ontario held a horse sale. They featured 4 quality horses.


Kit Bartle, our writer at the


WHAO, provided us with a year end report in her Corral Chatter. The club’s Annual Awards Ban- quet was small in attendance but big on a happy spirit. Kit wished all the best of the Christmas Sea- son.


As the Royal Winter Fair


was closing another successful show so did the German show Jumper, Markus Merschformann, by winning the Big Ben $30,000 Grand Prix Challenge.


The Canadian Pony Club se-


lected their team of six riders to compete in the South African Pony Club International Show Jumping Derby: Wilson Acton, Anne Bird, Heather Forbes, Paige Brunner, Lindsay Thompson and Catherine Yates, all between 15 and 19 years old.


After 20 years of being the


Royal’s Show Manager Marjorie Dennis, who passed away Octo- ber 28, 2024 at the age of 86, re- tired from the Royal with all the pomp and circumstance neces- sary.


The Rider was reminding


that our annual Stallion and Show editions deadlines were fast ap- proaching.


With the Royal Winter Fair Ian Millar captured Jump over the horse show season of


My Turn We just received the Sep-


tember Rider from the family of a deceased subscriber. The paper was returned a year after the event. We also found out about another trail blazer and pioneer of the Western Horse industry too late for a proper obituary Please let us know when we


lose one of our Horse people. The ones lost and not reporter by us were Joy Western and Bob Carey. Well it is that time of year


that we all celebrate the festive season, but just remember that a lot of elderly folk will be on their own this Christmas and New Years. Time to take a moment and drop in and visit your neighbour or shut in. It does not take much time. So make someone happy.


Aidan Finn CD


Founder of The Rider 1970 Honourable Kentucky Colonel Member OQHA Hall of Fame Member Can-Am


Equine Walk of Fame Four Community Organizations Pay it Forward


Clinton, ON – November 18, 2025


Every day there’s something


new going on at the REACH cen- tre, from thrilling equestrian events to educational programs, and a recent act of kindness is making a big difference in the programming and social impact REACH can make in Huron County. Recently our organization was the beneficiary of an act of kindness, and it is a story worth telling. Ontario Racing (OR) who is


directly responsible for oversee- ing the horse racing industry in Ontario, was recently able to sup- port the Western Fair Association (WFA) Raceway with funding to update old stalls in their Paddock area. The support was greatly ap- preciated by WFA and has made a very positive impact on the barn facilities at the racetrack, improv- ing conditions for horse people who race in London, Ontario. OR’s help meant that WFA had a large compliment of older stalls, that had been well used but re- mained functional. WFA has a history of contributing to the com- munity when and where it can and saw an opportunity to help an- other community-minded organi- zation, and paid it forward, donating their old stalls to REACH Huron. REACH Huron was thrilled


Visit Fergus on his website at: http://www.fergusthehorse.com


to receive the generous donation of stalls to support its growing lineup of programs and events. This contribution will enhance the organization’s ability to host larger events, educational work- shops and other community fo-


cused events throughout the year. It will also directly support us in providing high-quality educa- tional and recreational opportuni- ties involving horses to serve our community. REACH was delighted with


the impact OR and WFA have made paying it forward, so much so, that we want to continue with our own act of kindness and we will be supporting Toys for Tots on behalf of WFA as a token of thanks for their contribution. Toys for Tots is a program


that provides new toys to econom- ically disadvantaged children dur- ing the Christmas season. WFA serves as the main hub for the Toys for Tots Canada operations center during the holiday season, where toys are collected, sorted, and packaged. In conjunction The Raceway at the Western Fair Dis- trict hosts the annual Drivers’ Holiday Challenge, featuring 8 of Canada’s best drivers competing in a racing industry event to raise funds for Toys for Tots. Drivers generously donate their earnings that evening, and the Raceway matches the total, this will be the 6th edition of the event with more than $50,000 in toys and dona- tions raised for Toys For Tots prior to this year. This years event


will be held on Tuesday, Decem- ber 9th beginning at 5:50pm, to book a table in the dining room that night and take in the action in person, email topofthefair@west- ernfairdistrict.com. REACH will continue the kindness by making a donation to this program and al- lowing participants and commu- nity members to continue to pay the kindness forward by dropping off toys to a collection centre at the REACH facility and deliver- ing a little Huron County love to WFA when we drop off our toy collection in December. REACH Huron extends its


heartfelt thanks to WFA for their generous support. Contributions like this help sustain and expand the valuable programs that REACH and its partners provide within the community.


For more information: REACH Huron Contact Cindy Pryce · Executive Assistant · cindy.pryce@reachhuron.ca or 519-606-1482


WFA Contact: Greg Blanchard · Director of Equine Programming · gblan- chard@westernfairdistrict.com or 226-210-4827


• Ontario Reining Horse Association • Ontario Trail Riding Association • Quarter Racing Owners Of Ontario, Inc. • Western Horse Association Of Ontario


Canada Series at The Royal win- ning the second annual with his 13 year old gelding Mont Cenis.


1997 came to a sudden halt on closing night. Still to come were the annual banquets and new elec- tions for directors for 1998.


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