New Canadian Racing Hall of Fame President Elected
Last week in the famous Munnings Room at Woodbine Racetrack in
Toronto, Ontario, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame held its Annual
General Meeting and Board of Directors Meeting where it elected John Stapleton
as the Hall of Fame's new President.
Unlike the U.S. Horse Racing Hall of Fame, the Canadian Horse Racing Hall
of Fame honours standardbred as well as thoroughbred horses. Each year the Hall
of Fame inducts Canada's most worthy thoroughbreds, standardbreds, jockeys,
sulky drivers, trainers and others.
Apart Stapleton's appointment, several other officers were re-elected while
others were elected to the Board of Directors of the Hall of Fame. Those
re-elected include Jamie Martin, Vice President of Woodbine Entertainment Group,
who secured a third term as Vice-President.
Louis Cauz will continue on in his highly valued position of Managing Director
of the Hall of Fame for 2010, while Catharine Winkler and Pat Frazer were also
re-elected as Corporate Secretary and Treasurer respectively. Individuals
elected to the Board of Directors are:
Jim Bannon (Racetracks of Canada)
Ian Fleming (Standardbred Canada)
Ken Hardy (Canadian Standardbred Horsemen's Association)
Robbie King, Jr. (Jockey's Benefit Association)
Sue Leslie (Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association)
Jamie Martin (Racetracks of Canada)
Bill O'Donnell (Canadian Standardbred Horsemen's Association)
Fran Okihiro (Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society)
R. Glenn Sikura (Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society)
Kathy Wade Vlaar (Standardbred Canada)
Once the appointments were announced, Cauz presented a set of proposed
amendments regarding the Nomination and Election process for the Canadian Horse
Racing Hall of Fame, effective this year. For instance, there will be now be 5
categories of inductees from any era:
1. Male Horses - Canadian or foreign-bred horses that have distinguished
themselves while racing for Canadian interests and have raced at least once in
Canada, or who have had an exceptional influence on Canadian horse breeding as
sires;
2. Female Horses - Canadian or foreign-bred horses that have distinguished
themselves while racing for Canadian interests and have raced at least once in
Canada, or who have had an exceptional influence on Canadian horse breeding as
broodmares;
3. Jockeys, Drivers and Trainers - Individuals who meet the eligibility
requirements of Article Four of the Hall of Fame's Rules & Regulations;
4. Builders - Persons including, but not limited to Breeders, Owners, Media and
others who meet the eligibility requirements of Article Four of the Hall of
Fame's Rules & Regulations; and
5. Veterans - Horses, alive or deceased, whose careers ended at least twenty
years prior to the year in which they are nominated.
