Rankin Farm Open House Hosts Record Crowd
The mares and foals at the Rankin breeding farm drew a record 355 attendees as equine lovers new and old enjoyed a day with the horses during the annual Open House on Saturday, May 30.
The event, hosted by Tom and Beth Rankin at their St. Catharines, Ont. farm, gave attendees the chance to interact with the broodmares and their offspring. One visitor shared their unique encounter, saying: “I have never touched a foal before, I have never even seen one, so this is a wonderful experience for me.”
Guests met six mares and foals in the field and two mares in the barn that were near foaling. The bumper crowd meant attendees sometimes had to wait to spend time with the horses, but all were patient and respectful.
“My wife and I thought it was a wonderful day,” Tom Rankin said. “To see the smiles and gratitude of those attending made our day.”
The Rankins, in cooperation with the Bill Galvin Racing Alliance (BGRA), held the Open House for the fourth consecutive year. This year, an art teacher brought several of her students and their parents. The kids spent time drawing and photographing horses for their submissions to the Youth Art Derby and Youth Literary Derby, held by the BGRA and sponsored by the Rankins. Full contest rules and details can be found under the Contests tab at bgracingalliance.ca.
Tom and Beth Rankin were once again outstanding hosts, personally welcoming guests throughout the day. Attendees enjoyed the opportunity to engage with the mares and their foals and learn more about the operation of a Standardbred breeding farm.
"We are so grateful to the Rankins for making the effort to welcome so many people to their farm,” said BGRA director Karen Hauver. “They've been so supportive of the Bill Galvin Racing Alliance since its inception in 2023. We also want to thank all of Tom's staff for making the day so enjoyable; it is a big undertaking and we really appreciate it".
More photos from the event have been posted on the Past Events page of the BGRA website.