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)