Equinews

Horse Council BC News for Autumn 2025

Updated:

September 23, 2025

Nominations Now Open for the 2025 Horse Council BC Awards

Ron Turcotte, Hall of Fame Jockey Who Rode Secretariat to win the 1973 Triple Crown, Dies at 84

Updated:

September 11, 2025

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Ron Turcotte, the Canadian jockey whose name is forever linked with Secretariat’s historic Triple Crown victory in 1973, has died at age 84. His family, through longtime business partner and friend Leonard Lusky, said he passed away of natural causes on August 22, 2025 at his home in Drummond, New Brunswick.

Closure of Fraser Downs Blindsides BC’s Harness Racing Industry

Updated:

September 4, 2025

On August 15, 2025, Great Canadian Entertainment (GCE) — which operates Elements Casino and Fraser Downs on Surrey’s Cloverdale Fairgrounds — announced the immediate closure of the Fraser Downs racetrack, including the backstretch and stabling facilities. The casino grandstand, which houses the Great Canadian-operated Elements Casino Surrey, remains open. This decision stemmed from a notice by the City of Surrey, which exercised its lease recapture rights to terminate the lease covering the racetrack portion of the site.

Calgary Stampede’s First-Ever Reining Showcase

Updated:

July 25, 2025

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Reining slides to a huge reception at the Stampede! The Calgary Stampede was delighted to host its inaugural NRHA-sanctioned Reining Competition on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

Third Annual Youth Horse-Themed Contests

Updated:

July 15, 2025

The Youth Literary Derby and Youth Art Derby are horse-themed contests designed to engage Ontario-resident students in Grades 3 through 8 (for Literary) and 3 through 12 (for Art) with separate divisions for juniors, intermediates, and seniors. The contests are projects of the non-profit Bill Galvin Racing Alliance (BGRA) with support from many sponsors including Equine Guelph (University of Guelph).

New Project is Teaching Vets to Recognize and Investigate Equine Cruelty

Updated:

July 15, 2025

Bringing Justice to the Barn - Veterinary forensics may sound like something out of a TV crime show, but for Dr. Shane Bateman and Gayle Ecker, Director of Equine Guelph, it’s a crucial, real-world tool to improve animal welfare — particularly for horses. Thanks to a CCSAW (Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare) mini-grant, the two have teamed up to launch a unique educational initiative that aims to give veterinarians the knowledge and confidence they need to take an active role in identifying and responding to cases of animal cruelty and neglect.

Launching a National First: The 2025 CQHA Canadian National Amateur Virtual Championships

Updated:

June 19, 2025

The Canadian Quarter Horse Association (CQHA) is proud to launch the first-ever CQHA Canadian National Amateur Virtual Championship (CNAVC) — a groundbreaking national event that brings together Canadian Amateur and Select Amateur Quarter Horse exhibitors in an accessible, affordable, and fully virtual competition.