“It’s a labour of love — long hours but you have to enjoy it. And I enjoy what I’m doing. What more can I ask for?”
Those long hours have resulted in a career year for fourth generation horseman Brian Andrew and his brother Bill, who own and operate Meridian Farms -- one of this year's finalists in the O'Brien Awards' Armstrong Breeder of the Year category. Brian and his wife Carol run their Milton, Prince Edward Island farm while Bill and his wife Denise operate their western farm in High River, Alberta. Among their top bred horses this season were Atlantic Breeders Crown champions Dixieland Band and Tyne Valley, and Battle Of Alberta winner Cool Cowboy.
"You have to have success in what you do in order to build this business," said Brian. "It took a while to build up our broodmares, to establish ourselves as good breeders, and we have done that. Our sales have been on the rise. This year has been our best year for sales and our best year on the racetrack for ones we raised.”
With all their success, they have also given back to the sport, sponsoring the Atlantic Sires Stakes trotting divisions in addition to a 'Name That Foal contest with the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association. Meridian Farms also joined forces with Red Shores to create the Hurrah for Island Charities promotion.
Profiled in an article in The Guardian, Brian also discussed the history of his family's involvement in harness racing and the state of the industry in both Eastern and Western Canada with first-class racetracks in P.E.I and the new Century Downs track opening in Calgary.
The Ontario-based brother duo of Robert McIntosh Stables Inc. and Al McIntosh Holdings Inc. are also finalists for Canada's Breeder of the Year Award. The winner will be announced at the O’Brien Awards Gala on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at the Delta Meadowvale Hotel and Conference Centre in Mississauga, Ontario.
To read the article in The Guardian, click here.
(With files from The Guardian)