Behind the Gate 1“?!

\\'hat did Mark MacDonald. Robert Shepherd. Alohn :\rlacl)onald. ‘lohn (Ihappell. Mark Bradley. Anthony

MacDonald and Mike .\Iac\eill all haye in common? They were among the suo cessful young horsepeople who rec eiyed much of their career foundation from tal— ented and experienced people on Prince 2008. all of these youngsters were plying their trade on major tracks in Ontario and Alberta. 1

lidward Island. In

asked this erudite horseperson what adyice he would giye to a young person who might be contemplating a career with the horses. His sage adyice was. "Look around the track to see who seems

to haye success and who does a good

job. You learn your best from the best. If

you want to learn this game. try to asso— ciate yourself with the best. That way. ;\I the

same time. if you can. try to get as much

what you learn is from the best.

formal education as you can to go along with your equine education. ’l‘ry to par—

lay the two of them."

In 2008. the breeding aspect of the har— ness racing industry was the main focus of .\/leridian Farms. Their stock and num—

bers showed a heayy concentration of

stallions and mares with their colts and

Brian Andrew

fillies: howeyer. quality horses from Meridian liarms [fast and \\'est raced year round in Alberta. Ontario and the

Maritime proyinces.

Bill Andrew's _/'/ls‘l Sassy was Two— and

'l"hree—Year—()ld l’illy of the Year in Alberta and later raced in the ()pen .Mares Class in Ontario with 8209000 in career purse earnings. She was certainly a success story but imagine the joy and satisfaction in the Andrew family should one of their progeny enter the Trials and win the prestigious Gold Cup and Saucer at the Park

Charlottetown Driying

Entertainment (Ientrel

Brian informed me that Meridian Farms \\"est based in Calgary. Alberta existed before Meridian Farms [East in Milton. l’.l€.l. dency to hire Maritimers when possible. ()ut \Vest in 2005" Sanford (Lampbell was the head trainer and his son. Brandon did

He indicated that Bill had a ten—

most of the driying 'I‘erry Mclsaac was his farm manager and Blair Taylor was responsible for promotions. In the east. Brian was the manager and did most of the driving. Very capable assistance came from Alohn Duffy. Mike Doyle. Ron

.\'eill. Milford Bernard. Ron Gass. Donnie

“A person that l resf)ected otter tbe‘tteais and that I got to [allow quite well was joe Hetmessei'. ‘loe [was a bard Ivor/«er and an acwmplisbed

l) o rsema H .

He drotte a horse li/ee I would ll'lee to be able to drive a home.

He gave proper care to a horse. In his own low-leewd manner, joe Iletlizessei» got [be/ob done. joe Heiztzes‘sey was a gentlen'zan. "

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