Come Meet Harness Racing’s Stars of Tomorrow

Fans of horses and harness racing are invited to take an inside look at the first step in a horse’s journey to the racetrack at the Rankin Farm Open House on Saturday, May 30.

Owner-breeder Tom Rankin is opening the doors of his breeding farm in St. Catharines, Ont. for those with a passion for Standardbreds to meet his broodmares and their foals. Hosted in conjunction with the Bill Galvin Racing Alliance (BGRA), the Open House will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students attending may find inspiration for their entries into the BGRA youth contests, which are sponsored by Rankin.

Students in grades 3-8 can write a poem or story about anything Standardbred related for the Youth Literary Derby, and students in grades 3-12 can draw, sketch or paint a picture of anything Standardbred related for the Youth Art Derby. More information on the contests is available at bgracingalliance.ca and will also be available at the Open House.

The Rankins will also hold a “Name the Foal” contest, in which attendees will enter name suggestions for a Rankin foal. The person who submitted the chosen name will receive a $100 cash prize.

The breeding season runs from around mid-February to early July, and the gestation period for horses is typically about 11 months. Foals are weaned sometime between four and six months after birth and start their training as yearlings in the fall before they turn two. The yearling sale in Ontario each year is the London Classic Yearling Sale, held annually in October. Racehorses share a universal birthday on January 1, regardless of their date of birth, and can begin racing at two years old.

“Behind every champion trotter and pacer is the careful planning, dedication, and expertise of a Standardbred breeding farm.” said Rankin. “I’m fortunate enough to have a first-class team that have become experts at foaling and weaning.”

Breeding farms form the backbone of Canada’s harness racing industry, producing the next generation of equine athletes that fuel sales rings, racetracks and dreams.

“Breeding decisions made today shape the future of the sport,” said Rankin. “It takes knowledge, patience and passion to raise a foal into a racehorse, and that all starts here on the farm.”

Those planning to attend the Open House at 1490 St. Paul St. West in St. Catharines, Ont. are asked to register by May 27 by calling Rankin Construction at 905-684-1111 during business hours (Monday to Friday).

For more information about the BGRA and the contests, visit the contest pages on this website.