Watching horses train and yearlings being broken; meeting a past O’Brien Award champion; seeing a horse enjoy a cold water spa treatment; and a horseshoeing demonstration were some of the highlights of the exclusive tour for members of the ‘I Love Canadian Harness Racing’ fan club at Mac and Carol Nichol’s Ideal Training Centre in Erin, Ont. this past Saturday.
The tour, hosted by the Nichols – who own the facility, along with George and Marcia Peters, who manage and operate the picturesque training centre – kicked off at 9 a.m. and gave the ‘FC’ members the opportunity to see a day in the life of a Standardbred and the day in the life of trainers and grooms.
Mac and Carol Nichol were on hand to welcome and speak with FC members and generously treated everyone to a betting voucher and a souvenir hat.
Marcia Peters toured the group around the grounds and stables, and FC members had the opportunity to meet many horses on site, including two time O’Brien Award winner Mister Herbie, Voelz Hanover, who would go on to win the Milton Stakes later that night at Mohawk Racetrack, and three yearlings that were purchased at last weekend’s Canadian Yearling Sale. They visited several trainers’ stables, including Anthony Montini, Jeff Gillis, Corey Johnson and Harry Poulton’s Stables.
Resident blacksmith Stephane Gauthier explained and showed the difference between the different types of horseshoes that Standardbreds wear, gave a demonstration of how to determine the shoe that a horse needs, and also pointed out the different parts of a horse’s hoof while explaining hoof care.
Following the tour and demonstrations, the group and all of the horsepeople who were stabled on site were treated to a delicious BBQ put on by Chaplain Ken Carter. The BBQ was compliments of Cardinal Meats and Sydney Weaver in recognition of Ideal Training Centre winning the Training Center Challenge for the Giddy Up and Gallop Fun Run by raising the most money for Friends of ‘We Care,’ the event’s charity partner.
The ILCHR Fan Club would like to extend its thanks and appreciation to Mac and Carol Nichol, Marcia and George Peters and all of the horsepeople stabled at ‘Ideal’ for hosting a fantastic day for the group!
