The Prince Edward Island Standardbred Horse Owners Association (PEISHOA) Awards Banquet was held on Saturday, April 11 at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

A sold-out crowd attended the event to see the stars of the 2025 harness racing season honoured and listen to this year’s special guest speaker, Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Famer Dr. Ian Moore.

Ian Moore Speaking to a sold out crowd

Again this year, the PEISHOA recognized three more horsemen, adding them to the Kent Oakes Harness Racing Industry Builders Wall of Fame. This year’s inductees were George Riley, Lowell Balderson and Mike O'Brien. All inductees have made a huge impact on harness racing in P.E.I. over the years and have truly helped build the industry.

Windemere Skye captured 2025 Horse of the Year honours. Trained by Earl Watts, the Somewhere Fancy - Howmac Missy filly dominated the Atlantic region with a perfect 12-start rookie campaign while earning nearly $125,000 for owners Windemere Farms and Matt Burke. Windemere Skye's victories included two P.E.I. Colt Stakes, four Atlantic Sires Stakes 'A' divisions, two Lady Slipper Stakes divisions, the Atlantic Sires Stakes Breeders Crown, and the Maritime Breeders Stakes. On Oct. 12, she matched a Canadian record and set a season’s mark of 1:53.3 while winning the Atlantic Breeders Crown at Charlottetown Driving Park.

Below is a list of all the winners.

Horse Awards:

Two-Year-Old Trotting Colts  – Little Louis

Two-Year-Old Trotting Fillies – Hallysgurl

Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt – Woodmere Kobe

Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies – Windemere Skye

Three-Year-Old Trotting Colts – West River Jet

Three-Year-Old Trotting Fillies – Supreme Rockette

Three-Year-Old Pacing Colts – Malevolent

Three-Year-Old Pacing Fillies – Badgirl Bridgette

Claiming Horse of the Year – One Rock

Aged Trotting Horse – Fight Song

Aged Trotting Mare –  Majian Salsa

Aged Pacing Horse – Bee Two Bee

Aged Pacing Mare – Rosetown Mary

Fan Favourite – Jetster

Pacer of the Year – Windemere Skye

Trotter of the Year – Little Louis

Horse of the Year – Windemere Skye

Horseperson Award Winners:

Junior Trainer Of The Year – Luke Burke

Female Groom Of The Year – Joanne Power

Male Groom Of The Year – Elijah Merritt

Rookie Driver Of The Year – Myles Heffernan Jr.

Leading Percentage Driver - Marc Campbell

Leading Dash Winner Driver - Marc Campbell

Percentage Trainer Between 25 - 75 Starts – Bill Lanigan

Percentage Trainer Over 75 Starts – Chris MacKay

Leading Dash Winning Trainer - Jennifer Doyle

Appreciation Awards – Mike Currie

Peishoa Owner Of The Year – Josh MacDonald

Arnold Weeks Sportsmanship Award – Donnie MacNeil

Horsewoman Of The Year – Ashley Gamester

Horseman Of The Year – Bill Lanigan

Industry Builders – George Riley, Lowell Balderson, Mike O'Brien

Recognition Award – Miki Shan N

Horse of the Year - Windemere Skye - Owners Windemere Farm and Matt Burke

2026 Kent Oakes Industry Builders,  left to right: James Perrot president of PEISHOA, George Riley, Lowell Balderston, Mike O'Brien, Hon. Jill Burridge, and Nick Oakes -- son of the late Kent Oakes.

A replay of the PEISHOA awards broadcast can be viewed below.

(PEISHOA; photo of Windemere Skye winning at Red Shores Charlottetown)