For nearly 20 years, the Western Fair District (WFD) has been the host of the preeminent Standardbred yearling sale in Ontario. Today (Thursday, Feb. 10), WFD announced that it will carry on the tradition of hosting this important annual industry event in the fall of 2022 with the launch of the new London Classic Yearling Sale (LCYS) to take place on Tuesday, Oct. 18 and Wednesday, Oct. 19 – a departure from the traditional weekend format.
The London Classic Yearling Sale will see the Agriplex come to life once again this October, after a two-year disruption to the horse sale landscape in Ontario with a large segment sold virtually during the pandemic. WFD will conduct and manage an annual yearling sale reinforcing its commitment to the provincial and Canadian Standardbred industry. The yearling auction will benefit from its return to a single-venue format with a new and trusted operator.
WFD will continue to honour the tradition and high expectations of the industry while it experiences a fresh, new start coming out of the pandemic. The Agriplex is a beautiful facility for such a prominent event, and not only does the sale have a history at WFD, but the Association’s commitment to agriculture and horse racing will allow for management to embrace the event and strengthen it through its experience with many national agricultural events and developing new and meaningful content that aligns with current industry needs.
Greg Blanchard, Director of Sales and Retail at WFD, and a previous WFD Director of Racing, will manage the London Classic Yearling Sale for the District.
“I am excited to take-on the re-launch of the sale for WFD and the goal will be to ensure it meets our standards, and that of the industry, and I sincerely believe the industry will receive this news well and support us in 2022 and into the future,” said Blanchard.
The last in-person sale at the Agriplex in 2019 saw 291 yearlings go through the auction ring, grossing $6,285,000 in sales for an average of $21,600. Recent graduates of the London Select Yearling Sale include 2020 Meadowlands Pace champion Lawless Shadow ($878,000) as well as O’Brien Award winner Fashion Frenzie ($730,000) and finalists Logan Park ($489,000) and Stonebridge Helios ($296,000). The lucrative Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS) program remains one of the strongest in North America with close to $15 million in OSS purses awarded annually plus another $2.6 million in reward incentives. The addition of several new high-profile stallions will help bolster the already world-class program and is more reason for buyers to purchase in Ontario.
(With files from Western Fair District)