Standardbred Canada is pleased to announce the winners for the 2016 Atlantic Bursary program. Each student will receive a $1,000 bursary towards their post secondary education for the 2016-2017 academic term.

The winners are:

• Kent Beattie of Fredericton, NB

• Jacob MacKinnon of Souris, PEI

• MacKenzie MacInnis of Tyne Valley, PEI

• Dawn Marie Moore of Milton Station, PEI

Kent Beattie is going into his first year of the Veterinarian program at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI). With both his father and uncle involved in the sport, Kent has made the racetrack his second home, and hopes to continue his involvement throughout his life. A fourth-generation horseman, he has both his trainer’s and driver’s licenses and has driven part-time for the past two years.

Jacob MacKinnon is pursuing a career as a Wildlife Biologist and will be entering his second year in the Biology program at UPEI. Born into a racing family, Jacob was involved in the 4-H Standardbred Program in his community for six years. He has been responsible for stable maintenance, as well as the care of active and retired racehorses for his family and has also worked as a stable hand at Wynfield Farms. Despite working in the background and behind the scenes, Jacob finds it very rewarding to see his work pay off.

MacKenzie MacInnis is pursuing a career in Dental Assisting and is entering her second year at Holland College. The fourth generation horsewoman has been around Standardbreds her entire life and has owned and trained her own horses since she was 17. MacKenzie says that “harness racing is a lifelong passion that I couldn’t dream of living without,” and currently owns and trains a 12-year-old pacing gelding, Night Talker, and a two-year-old pacing filly, Kiss M Sass.

Dawn Marie Moore will be entering her fourth year in the Bachelor of Science program for Nursing at UPEI in September. Three years ago, she moved to PEI from Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, for school and started spending time at a Standardbred farm where she learned how to care for and handle the horses. She has been a groom for two years for trainer Jeff Lilley, and sometimes warms up horses on race days. “The feeling I had warming up a mare during Old Home Week is the same warm, happy and loving feeling that I have for harness racing,” she shares.

The bursaries were awarded based on active involvement in the harness racing community, academics and financial need. Applicants were also required to submit an essay on one of the following topics:

• What unique ways can Standardbred Canada and the host tracks promote the WDC events to the general public in 2017?

• How can racetracks celebrate the 250th anniversary of horse racing at their track or in their community in 2017?

Most of the students selected the second topic and some of the ideas on how tracks can celebrate the 250th anniversary of horse racing included:

• Having a parade of the evolution of harness, race gear and sulkies throughout the years

• Create a travelling museum of racing

• Organize a tour of Celebrity Horses

• Create vignettes of the different, unique experiences in racing from the different perspectives of the sport – owners, horsepeople, fans

• Open house events across the country where the public can interact with the horses and horsepeople

The Atlantic Bursary Program is supported and funded by various organizations from the Atlantic Provinces and Standardbred Canada. Partners from the Atlantic Provinces include the Nova Scotia Harness Racing Industry Association, Prince Edward Island Harness Racing Industry Association, and the 'Stretch Drive Fund,' a fund created by the Atlantic Provinces Harness Racing Commission’s race officials.

Standardbred Canada and all of the partners from the Atlantic Provinces would like to extend their congratulations to the winners and thank all of the students who submitted applications for bursaries.