The 2016 Atlantic Sires Stakes race season drew to an exciting close recently, as divisional champions were crowned during the Atlantic Breeders Crown Weekend of Champions at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park on Thanksgiving weekend.
The Atlantic Sires Stakes program has become the cornerstone of the harness racing and breeding industry in Atlantic Canada, and during the Atlantic Breeders Crown championship weekend the Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association (ASBA) bestowed some prestigious awards to industry participants.
The Glen Kennedy Memorial Award was presented to Tony Zuethoff of Pictou, NS, for his contribution to the breeding of Standardbred horses and Atlantic Canadian harness racing. As the owner of Pictonian Farms, Zuethoff raised over 100 yearlings with the Pictonian prefix, with many of these yearlings going on to become Atlantic Sires Stakes participants and champions. Zuethoff is also an active industry participant as a president of the Maritime Breeders Association and a director with Standardbred Canada.
The ASBA also presented, for the first time ever, the Jack Ferguson Memorial Award to the Atlantic Sires Stakes Trainer of the Year. The 2016 trainer with the top money earnings during the Atlantic Sires Stakes race season was Clare MacDonald of Antigonish, NS.
The ASBA also paid tribute to Meridian Farms for its sponsorship of the Atlantic Sires Stakes trotting divisions. It was noted that PEI's Atlantic Classic Yearling Sale saw the top-five selling trotters in regional history go through the ring, and these trot prices reflected the tremendous support of the Atlantic Sires Stakes trotting divisions by Meridian Farms.
The provinces of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia were also presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their continued support of the Atlantic Sires Stakes program and Atlantic Canadian harness racing industry.
(Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association)