FEBRUARY 2026 THE RIDER /23
Q.R.O.O.I.: 50 Alexander Crossing’s, Ajax, ON L0S 1T6 Telephone: (905) 426-7050 • Fax: (905) 426-7093 Email:
qrooiheadoffice@gmail.com
www.qrooi.com
PRESIDENT Bob Broadstock 18101 Cedardale Road, Nestleton, Ontario L0B 1L0 (905) 986-0044 email:
bob_broadstock@hotmail.com
VICE-PRESIDENT Chantelle Bourgeois 416-985-7046
Chantelle.Bourgeois@
t4g.com
Director – Corey Illman – 1 year Director – Brooke Sisson – 2 years Director – John McInerney – 2 years Director – Scott Reid – 3 years Director – Nadia Faccin – 3 years
2025 QROOI Awards Banquet - Saturday March 7th, 2026
500 Beck Crescent, Ajax and Homewood Suites, 600 Beck Crescent. Please also use CAA to
will be held on Saturday March 7th, 2026 at the Ajax Convention Centre, 500 Beck Crescent in Ajax. Ticket costs will be $50.00 each which includes HST. You can purchase your tickets at the QROOI Head Office by credit card or e-transfer. Please contact Monique at (905) 426-7050 or by email at
qrooiheadoffice@gmail.com For hotels please call Ajax Hilton Inn,
The QROOI 2025 Awards Banquet
QROOI News Racehorse
Accreditation
Hilton at (905) 686-9400 or Homewood at (866) 460-7456. Limited rooms available. Group cut off date is February 8th 2025, however PLEASE book your room as soon as possible as it is the start of March break and there are many hockey tournaments in the region and room availability is LIM- ITED to ONLY KING ROOMS, no double or queens available! We DO NOT have a large block reserved as we have in the past so please DO NOT DELAY!
find cheaper hotels as well. To book a room please contact the
Participants are reminded to send Applica-
tions to Accredit a Horse/Foal well before racing, to allow time for processing. Forms are available on the Ontario Racing
website at
https://ontarioracing.com/member-in- formation/breeds/quarter-horse/quarter-horse-pro- gram or contact:
Kathie Wilkinson QH Program Coordinator
qhprogram@ontarioracing.com 416-576-6298
2025 Industry Booklet – UPDATE
The QROOI is updating our
Industry Booklet to promote and advertise the Quarter Horse Race Industry in Ontario. It includes information and advertising for all aspects of the industry. The book includes Stallion Ads, Trainer Ads, Horses for Sale, Breeders program information and contacts, Stakes program in- formation, Suppliers, etc.. We are asking participants
2025 Youth Derby Awards Night The 2025 Youth Derby
Awards Night, presented by the Bill Galvin Racing Al- liance (BGRA), provided fi- nalists an unforgettable experience with exclusive behind the scenes access to the world of harness racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday afternoon and evening. The BGRA welcomed
20 finalists and their fami- lies for an action-packed day celebrating the young writers and artists. The top three finalists in each of the seven categories were in- vited to attend. Along with dinner and the awards pre- sentations, guests enjoyed a true VIP experience at the Campbellville oval — in- cluding paddock tours, a harnessing demonstration, rides in double-seated jog carts, and the Virtual Reality Harness Driving experience. Driver Jody Jamieson
joined the finalists at the VR “Drive to Win” station to share tips and encourage- ment, while trainer-driver Natasha Day met with final- ists in the winner’s circle to talk with them as they pre- pared for their jog cart rides. “It was wonderful to
meet the talented, creative minds behind the literary and art entrant finalists. They were an enthusiastic group, eager to take part in every experience — it truly made for a special afternoon and evening,” said Karen Hauver, founding director of the BGRA. For the third consecu-
tive year these contests were held thanks to the generous sponsorship of owner-
breeder Tom Rankin of St. Catharines. The awards were pre-
sented after dinner. Finalists aged 13 and over also re- ceived certificates
for
Equine Guelph’s online Youth Horse Behavior and Safety courses, and all cate- gory winners were awarded a complimentary Junior Membership from Standard- bred Canada. The evening culmi-
nated with the group making a blanket presentation to the winner of the fifth race, pac- ing gelding Figment driven by Scott Young. An event like this
could not take place without the support and contribu- tions of so many organiza- tions and individuals in the industry. The BGRA would like to extend their sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed to a very successful event:
• Owner - Breeder Tom Rankin for sponsoring the prize money for the third consecutive year • The Central Ontario Stan- dardbred
Association
(COSA) for sponsoring the dinner for the finalists and their guests, along with the Drive With Us program, and Pres- ident Bill O’Donnell for at- tending the dinner. • Equine Guelph for donat- ing the Youth Horse Behav- ior and Safety Courses to finalists 13 years of age and over. • Standardbred Canada for providing complimentary Junior Memberships to the category winners and to
Jade Regina for attending the dinner and awards. • Drive With Us - Reverend Hanover driven by Mario Dumas and groomed by Angie Corby • Michael Whelan for pro- viding the two horses: McLattte & Speed Writer. • Evan Stephenson for tak- ing finalists on the double seated jog cart with Speed Writer, assisted by groom Olivia Marion. • Justin Whelan for taking finalists on the double seated jog cart with McLatte, assisted by groom Britney Booth. • Jim Whelan for providing a double-seated jog cart. • Parade Marshall Joanne Colville and her parade pony Jay. • Trainer Emma Christo- forou and her horse The Painted Pony for the har- nessing demonstration. • Woodbine Mohawk Park for all their contributions with providing the venue, and a special thank you to Heather Flaherty, General Manager, Woodbine Mo- hawk Park. • Natasha Day and Jody Jamieson for answering questions from the finalists and providing insight into being a harness driver. • Customer Service Rep Mori White and Lori Jennex for the paddock tours. • Special thanks to our amazing BGRA volunteers Karen Hargrave, Nancy Milcz and Melisa Hamilton, and our dedicated staff members Nancy Campbell and Robin MacKay. Below is the list of
winners in their respective
if they wish to have content in- cluded in the booklet or if you would like to UPDATE any of your current ads to please contact the QROOI by email at qrooi-
headoffice@gmail.com or by phone at 905-426-7050. If you do not have an advertisement available and wish to be included we are providing assistance to create the ads.
categories. The winners’ entries will be posted on the website
-
bgracingalliance.ca Youth Literary Derby
Short Story - Junior (Grades 3-5) Larissa Thompson
of
Guelph for Thunder’s First Race
Short Story, Intermediate Division (Grades 6-8) Hailey Jeffery of Rodney for A Little Girl’s Hope
Poem-Junior Division- (Grades 3-5) Olivia Schiedel of Ayton for The Great Race
Poem-Intermediate Divi- sion- (Grades 6-8) Sophia Zheng of Richmond Hill for Heart of A Horse
Youth Art Derby
Junior Division (Grades 3- 5) Queenie Tan of Hamilton for Dreams In Full Speed
Intermediate Division (Grades 6-8) Alyssa Yu of Ancaster for The Spirit of Bill Galvin
Senior Division (Grades 9- 12) Kailing Bao of Hamilton for Racing Freedom
About The Bill Galvin Racing Alliance A group of Ontario
harness racing enthusiasts who were friends and asso- ciates of the late Bill Galvin, formed the BGRA to pro- mote Ontario harness racing in the Hall of Famer’s hon- our. The mission of the
BGRA is to work together to create and encourage part- nerships and programs that will promote and grow har- ness racing by engaging the public with the racing com- munity. For more information
on the BGRA, visit bgracin-
galliance.ca
Repairs to Western Saddles and Tack. We carry bits, spurs, tack etc.
(613) 725-7140 • Fax: (613) 446-7888 Email:
circlersad@yahoo.com Website:
www.circlersaddles.com
1265 B Caron St., ROCKLAND, ONT. K4K 1H2
Ray Laviolette (613) 446-4688
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