The Bill Galvin Racing Alliance (BGRA) will host the finalists of the Youth Literary Derby and Youth Art Derby on Saturday, Oct. 4 at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
The top three finalists in each category are in for an action-packed afternoon and evening that includes a ride in a double-seated jog cart with a driver, the VR Drive To Win experience, a harnessing demonstration, paddock tours, meeting some of Canada’s leading drivers, a race presentation and more. The evening will conclude with the official awards ceremony for the students.
For the Literary Derby, entrants were tasked to write a poem or short story about anything Standardbred related and for the Art Derby, the assignment was to sketch or draw a Standardbred horse or horses.
For the third consecutive year, prominent Standardbred owner and breeder Tom Rankin has generously sponsored the prize money. Earlier this year, on May 28, Rankin hosted an Open House at his St. Catharines, Ont. breeding farm to spark inspiration among aspiring young writers and artists.
This year’s finalists represent many different communities throughout Ontario — from Brinston in the east to Camlachie in the west, Combermere in the north and Ridgetown in the south.
This special awards evening couldn’t take place without the support of the Central Ontario Standardbred Association (COSA), which has graciously sponsored dinner for the finalists along with Drive With Us, which will provide each finalist an opportunity to ride in a double-seated jog cart with a driver.
The BGRA also greatly appreciates the involvement of Equine Guelph and Standardbred Canada. Equine Guelph will be providing online Horse Behaviour and Safety courses for finalists 13 years of age and over, and Standardbred Canada will provide a complimentary Junior Membership for SC for all of the category winners.
Finalists in the contests are as follows (in alphabetical order):
Youth Literary Contest
Poem - Junior (Grades 3-5)
- Ellie Bax of Milton
- Olivia Schiedel of Ayton
- Abigail Varrette of Yarker
Poem - Intermediate (Grades 6-8)
- Lauren Scott of Brinston
- Abigail Yarmoshuk of Glencoe
- Sophia Zheng of Richmond Hill
Short Story - Junior (Grades 3-5)
- Izzy Harrison of St. Thomas
- Jade Lanouette of Manotick
- Larissa Thompson of Guelph
Short Story - Intermediate (Grades 5-8)
Hailey Jeffery of Rodney
Charlotte Schiedel of Ayton
Hudson Vyn of Ridgetown
Youth Art Derby
Junior
- Kasmir Baklinski of Combermere
- Violet Kelly of Camlachie
- Queenie Tan of Hamilton
Intermediate
- Mila McLean of Combermere
- Sadie Morgan of Vineland
- Alyssa Pak Hei Yu of Ancaster
Senior
- Kailing Bao of Hamilton
- Calissa Curry of Owen Sound
- Jacintha Riehl of Strathroy
(BGRA; photo of 2024 Youth Derby contest participants at Woodbine Mohawk Park)