1 West Pearce Street, Suite 201

Richmond Hill, Ontario

L4B 3K3

The moving process will begin as of February 21st and we kindly ask that you keep the following dates in mind:

Thursday February 23rd – the Office will be open but service may be delayed

Friday February 24th – the Office will be closed

Monday February 27th – the Office will be open with limited service

If you are going to require an OEF membership over the last weekend in February, please be sure to submit your applications and/or requests well in advance to ensure processing time.

For more information on the OEF call 1-877-441-7112 or visit http://www.horse.on.ca/

Following the recent release of the Drummond Report, and recommendations that would damage Ontario’s horse racing industry, Standardbred Canada is pleased that the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Canada’s largest voluntary farm organization, is in strong support of the men and women of Ontario horse racing.

“Horse racing is a vital part of Ontario’s agricultural economy,” said Mark Wales, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. “Any actions or decisions that weaken Ontario’s vibrant horse racing industry will impact the province’s rural and farming communities. From providing feed and hay to the industry to all of the businesses and services that support horse racing, the resulting harm will be devastating, and be felt for years to come.”

Standardbred Canada and the OFA are stressing the Drummond Report’s message of seeking value for money. The Ontario horse racing industry is one of the province’s best examples of value for money as its partnership with the government generates tremendous benefits for Ontario’s taxpayers and for the agriculture sector, through 60,000 jobs, $1.5 billion in wages and $2 billion in recurring expenditures, annually.

“We are very pleased to have the OFA stand with us in support of horse racing,” said John Gallinger, President and CEO of Standardbred Canada. “This is an issue that affects not only those directly related to horse racing, but many across rural Ontario. In fact, we know that any weakening of the Ontario horse racing industry will negatively impact thousands of hard-working men and women across the country.”

Standardbred Canada is a member based organization representing all standardbred horsepeople, breeders and racetracks across Canada.

Established in 1936, the OFA is the voice of Ontario’s farmers, representing 37,000 farmers across the province.

(Photo Credit: Vicki Wright)

Lamaze, 43, of Schomberg, ON, has acquired seven new horses.  Five were registered as Canadian-owned by December 31, 2011, as per International Equestrian Federation (FEI) requirements, in order to be eligible for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Three of Lamaze’s new horses are Olympic hopefuls.  Verdi is a 10-year-old grey Dutch Warmblood gelding (Heartbreaker x Mr. Blue) acquired from Stephanie van den Brink of The Netherlands while Luikka, a 10-year-old Anglo European mare (Luidam x Renville), was formerly owned and ridden by Shane Breen of Great Britain.  Both Verdi and Luikka are owned by Carlene and Andy Ziegler’s Artisan Farms of Wellington, FL, in partnership with Lamaze’s Torrey Pines Stable.

The third Olympic prospect, Derly Chin de Muze, is a nine-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare (For Pleasure x Nabab de Reve) that Lamaze owns in partnership with John Fleischhacker’s Ashland Stables, who also owned Hickstead.  Fleischhacker’s daughter, Ashley, trains with Lamaze and is currently competing under his tutelage this winter in Wellington, Florida.

“There is still a long way to go before London, but these are the three horses that we are targeting towards the Olympic Games,” said Lamaze, who suffered a shocking and emotional loss when Hickstead collapsed and died of a heart attack during a World Cup qualifying competition in Verona, Italy, on November 6.  “Losing Hickstead was obviously very difficult, but with these new horses, the Olympics can now very much be a reality again.  I am really excited for the future.”

Two new eight-year-olds have found their way into Lamaze’s stable.  Hunter’s Scendix, a Hannoverian stallion (Stakkato x Dinar), is co-owned by Torrey Pines Stable and LVS Hunters of Belgium while Wang Chung M2S, a Dutch Warmblood stallion (Royal Bravour x Ahorn), is co-owned by Torrey Pines Stable and breeder Tom Reed of Morningside Stud in Ireland.

Lamaze also has two new seven-year-old horses that he considers to be exciting prospects for the future.  Both owned by Artisan Farms, Cachaca 4 is a Westphalian stallion (Cornet Obolensky x Pinocchio) while Evano S is a Belgian Warmblood gelding (Nabab de Reve x Mellinor).

Lamaze is currently in Wellington, Florida, for the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival running through April.  Olympic observations trials will take place during this time for potential Canadian Show Jumping Team members hoping to earn a ticket to London.

Coaching is also a major commitment for Lamaze and several top show jumping athletes train with him including 17-year-old Caitlin Ziegler of Mequon, Wisconsin.  In 2011, Caitlin Ziegler made history at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada, by becoming the youngest rider to ever win in the International Ring, claiming victory in the $31,000 1.50m AON Cup.  This season, her mounts include Valencia, Touch Down, Take Off, Dollar Van’T Eigenlo DH, Butragenia, VDL Groep Camara, and Herald 3.

“Caitlin is a very good up-and-coming rider who made her mark last year, and will continue to do so this year now that she is able to do some bigger classes,” said coach Lamaze, noting that age restrictions prevented Caitlin from competing above the two-star grand prix level last year.  Lamaze also trains Caitlin’s father, Andy Ziegler, who competes in the Masters division despite only taking up the sport a few short years ago.

Tiffany Foster, 27, is a short listed Canadian Show Jumping Team member who trains with Lamaze.  After making her Nations’ Cup debut for Canada at the 2011 Spruce Meadows “Masters” Tournament, Foster was subsequently named to the winning Canadian team for the Buenos Aires Nations’ Cup in November.  Foster has declared Southwind VDL and Victor for 2012 Olympic consideration, and will also ride Quilea de St. Druon, Vitesse, and Whitney this season.

“I would say I spend 80 percent of my time teaching and coaching and the other 20 percent riding,” explained Lamaze who also coaches Colombia’s Daniel Bluman, who placed seventh at the recent 2011 Pan American Games to earn an individual berth for the London Olympics, and Alexandra Paillot of France whose father, Christian Paillot, is Chair of FEI Group I.  “We definitely have one of the biggest teams of people competing at the grand prix level, and a really great support staff who make it all possible.”

The logistics of running a successful show jumping stable involve a team of several key players.  Venezuela’s Alejandro Karolyi has been working with Lamaze since 2009 and has become an integral member of the Torrey Pines team.

“Alejandro sources and buys horses for Torrey Pines Stable to invest in, develop, and potentially sell,” explained Lamaze.  “He also shows some of our horses, including Vichy in the 1.50m classes, as well as a nice young horse owned by Steve Cohen of New Zealand.”

Following the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, the entire team will move to Belgium in April, returning only to North America for the Spruce Meadows summer tournaments in Calgary, Canada.  In order to pursue their international show jumping careers, Lamaze and his students will be based at a new stable outside Antwerp that was recently purchased by Carlene and Andy Ziegler.

“The purpose of having a base in Europe is to give Caitlin and Tiffany the best experience and the best exposure that they can get,” explained Lamaze, who first began basing himself in Europe in 2006 as part of his 2008 Olympic plan.  “The sport is played at the highest level in Europe, and that is why we are making the move to have everyone based there.”

For six consecutive months during the 2011 season, Lamaze was ranked number one in the Rolex Rider Rankings.  At the end of 2008, the year he won Individual Gold and Team Silver medals at the Beijing Olympics, Lamaze became the first Canadian rider to ever reach number one in the modern world rankings.

For more information, please visit  www.torreypinesstable.com.

PHOTOGRAPH

“Eric Lamaze riding Olympic hopeful Luikka, owned by Artisan Farms.”

Photo Credit – Sportfot

COLLEGE STATION, TX – A truly American horse breed, the American Quarter Horse first came to being in the early colonial era in America. And in a study recently reported in the journal, BMC Genomics, researchers at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM), working with collaborators in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the AgriLife Genomics and Bioinformatics Center, have sequenced the first Quarter Horse genome – unlocking the secrets of what makes this breed so unique.

Genome sequencing is not a new science, but advances in sequencing technology, often referred to as next-generation sequencing, have made it easier and cheaper to sequence the genome of an individual, which can then be analyzed for clues causing genetic disorders and distinctive traits.  The Texas A&M Quarter Horse is the first horse to be sequenced using next-generation sequencing technology.

“Genome sequencing aids our study of normal and abnormal genetic variation,” said Dr. Scott Dindot, Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology at the CVM. “This project is important because it is a start towards understanding what genetic factors make breeds unique, and what mutations may play a role in presenting or diagnosing disease.”

Dr. Noah Cohen, Professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences in the CVM and collaborator in the study, underscored the importance of the role genetic variation plays in the disease process.

“This study represents a valuable contribution to our understanding of genetic variation in horses,” said Cohen, “including efforts to study the relationship between genetic variation and susceptibility to important diseases in Quarter Horses and other breeds.”

The first horse genome to be sequenced and assembled, a Thoroughbred mare, was completed by a large international consortium. This reference assembly was used to map the Quarter Horse genome and to identify differences in genetic information between the two horses. The sequence data from the project has been made available publicly for researchers interested in equine genetics.

“The horse used in the study, a mare named Sugar, is the descendant of key foundation sires in the Quarter Horse breed,” added Dindot. “We were able to identify several genetic variants in this mare, both good and bad, known to be common among Quarter Horses. Results from this study have increased our knowledge of genetic variation in horses three- to four-fold, and proved that through collaborations such as this, we can one day apply this state-of-the-art technology to identify and possibly to manage genetic disorders not only in horses, but also in other species.”

The genome sequence of a Quarter Horse has a the potential to have a tremendous impact on the equine industry, as the American Quarter Horse Association represents the largest breed registry in the United States.  The information from this study may lead to improvements in performance in horses, and facilitate the management of health of horses everywhere.

“Many diseases and ‘syndromes’ are the result of genetic variation,” said Dr. Jason Sawyer, Texas AgriLife Research scientist and Associate Professor of animal science. “Perhaps more importantly, the ability to combat infectious diseases may be greatly impacted by the underlying genome and the variation that arises during recombination. This study has identified areas of variation that may play a role in the health and disease resistance of horses. While more research must be done to specifically identify desirable and beneficial variants, this study has set the stage to enable those future studies.”

Funding for the study was provided by the G. Willard and Ginger Pool Equine Teaching and Research Endowment, the Link Equine Research Endowment, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M Department of Animal Science, and the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology at the CVM.

Wellington, Florida – The second annual ‘STRUT! Fashion for a Just World’ Fashion Show will be held Saturday, March 3, 2012 at the Wellington Club on the grounds of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, following the $50,000 Vita Flex Match Race show jumping competition.  The fashion show, which drew a crowd of more than 250 spectators last year, will feature the industry’s biggest names in both fashion and competition as they come together to benefit JustWorld International.

JustWorld’s longtime partner Horseware Ireland is returning as presenting sponsor for a second year.  Proceeds from last year’s fashion show helped JustWorld International to fund the building of a new school at JustWorld’s project site, Stung Mean Chey, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  Additional event sponsors include Dazzle Creative Events, Generations: A Hair Salon and Sportfot Photography.

Guests will be treated to stylish equestrian fashions from Horseware’s popular Pessoa Collection along with chic ensembles from Ariat International, Asmar Equestrian, Der Dau, Eleganté Polo of Palm Beach, Goode Rider, GPA, Grand Prix, Konigs, Le Fash, Pikeur, Skiffington LLC, Sofie Belgium Boutique, the WEF Boutique and Zest.  Guests will also have the exciting opportunity to enter for a chance to win a Pessoa by Horseware look straight from the runway.  Tickets for the drawing will be available to purchase at the door.

Models slated to walk the runway include Alex Skiffington, Alexa Adelson, Mike Azarro, Kevin Babington, Erynn Ballard, Andrew Bourns, Daniel Bluman, Angela Covert-Lawrence, Kamini Chinloy, Marlee Dichter, Nick Dello Joio, Amanda Derbyshire, Tatiana Dzavik, Nicola FitzGibbon, Christina Kelly, Blythe Marano, Aimee Mc Clenahan, McKahla Onetto, Andres Rodriguez, Louise Serio, Nicole Simpson, Sophie Simpson, Daniel Zetterman, and Caitlin Ziegler.

The doors at The Wellington Club open at 8 p.m. and the show will start at 9:30 p.m.  Guests will enjoy a premium open bar and a great view of the Vita Flex Match Race.

Tickets are available for $50 each and may be purchased by calling Sabrina Jurak at JustWorld International at (561) 333-9391 or by emailing info@justworldinternational.org.

About JustWorld International

Since its inception, JustWorld International and Executive Director Jessica Newman have inspired the equestrian community to support projects that benefit children in Brazil,Cambodia, Guatemala, and Honduras.  Currently, Just World has more than 450 Rider Ambassadors from 37 countries helping to bring attention to their cause.

Founded in 2003, JustWorld International is a not-for-profit, humanitarian organization working as a catalyst for positive change in the developing world by helping children in impoverished communities. For more information, please visit www.justworldinternational.org.

About Horseware Ireland

Horseware Ireland was founded in 1985 by Tom and Carol MacGuinness whose shared goal was to create a horse blanket that stayed put and didn’t leak.  This quest resulted in the development of the unique Rambo blanket, which revolutionized the entire industry.  Horseware also produces the popular Rhino and Amigo horse clothing lines.

In addition to horse clothing, the company has many product lines including tack and equestrian clothing for both competition and casual wear.

Horseware Ireland is headquartered in Dundalk, Ireland and has its North American headquarters in Kinston, North Carolina.  For more information and to view products, please visitwww.horseware.com.

PHOTO

“Will Simpson models Horseware Ireland’s Pessoa clothing line at the 2011 STRUT! for a Just World Fashion Show.”

Photo Credit – Sportfot

February 17, 2012

The Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) has developed a strategy and is launching an intensive six-week grass-roots campaign to inform both the public and the Government of the economic impact of the horse racing industry in the Province of Ontario.

OHRIA has engaged the services of a public relations firm and will be calling on all industry stakeholders and ally organizations to help with this intensive strategy scheduled to launch early next week.

“You can rest assured that OHRIA, which includes representatives of the Standardbred, Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse Industries, is continuing to do all we can for the horse racing industry in Ontario,” commented Sue Leslie, President and Chair of OHRIA, “Dialogue continues with the Province and the OLG, our Slots at Racetracks partners, and we are also launching an ongoing campaign to send a strong and positive message to Government and the public, of the importance and the economic benefits of the horse racing industry in Ontario.”

Additional information will be available as the campaign unfolds.

For more information contact:
OHRIA – The Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association
416-679-0741
email: ohria@ohria.com

Ottawa, Ontario—The Equine Canada Medication Control Committee is announcing the following changes to Equine Canada medication control regulations regarding Vedaprofen.

As of June 1, 2012, Vedaprofen will no longer be a permitted medication in Equine Canada sanctioned competitions. As a result, horses competing in Equine Canada sanctioned competitions with a positive test result for Vedaprofen will be sanctioned as per the Equine Canada penalty tables and drug classification system as a Class III offence. A withdrawal time of at least 72 hours is recommended after the last administration of this product. For additional information, please see the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency Schedule of Drugs available on the Equine Canada website.

Information about the EMCC medication regulations may be found on the Equine Canada website at http://bit.ly/xyeQ2W.

Equine Canada sport licence holders are responsible for keeping up to date on all changes to the Equine Canada equine medication rules.

About Equine Canada
Equine Canada is Canada’s national governing body for equestrianism.  A member-driven, charitable institution, it is the executive branch of the Canadian Equestrian Team, and the national authority for equestrian competition; the national voice for recreational riders; and the national association for equine welfare, breeding, and industry.  Equine Canada is recognized by the Government of Canada, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), and the Canadian Olympic Committee as the national organization representing equestrian sport and equine interests. For more information about Equine Canada, please visit www.equinecanada.ca.