See Racehorse Turned Show Horse

After nine years on the track, Armbro Beau has successfully transitioned from life as a racehorse to a second career as a show horse.

Armbro Beau, a bay Balanced Image gelding, will represent the Canadian Road Horse Association as part of the Ontario Equestrian Federation’s Horse Day, which will take place at the Horse Palace, Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto on Saturday (June 1). During his 129-race career, 'Beau' took a lifetime mark of 1:56 with earnings of almost $130,000. Armbro Beau now competes in the show ring as a road horse for owner Steve McLean of Acton, Ont.

McLean’s enthusiasm and pride are obvious when he talks about his horse’s journey from racehorse to show horse.

"Beau's just a wonderful individual, his transition to the show ring seemed like a natural progression for him," said McLean. "The horse has so much natural ability and such a great attitude that he made my job seem easy. When Beau goes in the ring he knows why he's there and just loves performing for the crowd.

"I've shown horses for 30 years and nothing compares to the feeling you get when the judge calls for the 'drive on,' your horse shifts gears as you get out on the edge of your seat and the buggy wheels begin to slide. The sensation is beyond compare and to have a horse like Beau in front of you makes it just that much better. "

Beau and McLean, a farrier and third generation road horse exhibitor, won the Canadian Road Horse to Wagon Championship at the 2012 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and will be demonstrating what road horses do in the show ring as part of OEF’s Horse Day.

“Armbro Beau is a fabulous ambassador for our discipline” explains Linda Rainey, president of the Canadian Road Horse Association. “He is a great example of how a standardbred trotter with the right qualities for the show ring can have a career beyond the track. We hope that having a horse such as Beau achieve success in the show ring will help build awareness of road horses as an alternate use for standardbreds.”

Horse Day is a free, one-day, public event designed to educate people of all ages about horses and provides visitors with the opportunity to experience horses up close and personal. Horse Day includes educational stations, riding and driving demonstrations and information displays in an effort to promote horses and equestrian activity in Ontario.

Additional information about OEF Horse Day can be found here.

For more information about the Canadian Road Horse Association, visit roadhorse.ca

(With files from the Canadian Road Horse Association)