When times get tough, horse people are always known for coming together. And that is exactly what is happening this weekend in support of P.E.I. horsewoman Fran Strongman’s battle against cancer.
A group banded together to solicit entries for a stallion benefit auction for the Summerside, P.E.I., horsewoman who has just started chemotherapy as she continues her road against her diagnosis.
Strongman and her family, husband and trainer-driver Norris Rogers and daughter Madison Rogers, have already incurred a great number of expenses since hearing the news that no one wants to hear.
The auction will go live Saturday (April 3) at 12 p.m. (ADT) featuring eight Atlantic stallion breedings as well as a pair of Ontario stallions. The Facebook page for the auction will be at “Stallion Breeding Auction Benefit Towards Fran Strongman” with the bidding beginning to close at 8 p.m. (ADT) on Monday evening (April 5) with a stallion closing every five minutes.
The choices for anyone looking to support the fundraiser include Ontario Sires Stakes eligible Big Bad John, who is being offered by Chestnutt Country Farms. State Treasurer is another Ontario stallion in the mix with Dr. Ian Moore donating a breeding to his former trainee.
For Atlantic stallions, Flameproof Hanover will have a breeding available for purchase for his inaugural season courtesy of Earl Watts of Windemere Farms. Robin Burke offers a breeding to Atlantic-eligible Shanghai Phil for the auction while Todd Weatherbee has a breeding offered for Czar Seelster.
Boomboom Ballykeel will have a breeding available courtesy of Jamie MacKinley’s Double J Farms for the stallion’s first season.
The EL Rocket syndicate offers a breeding to the trotting stallion in support of Strongman and Blaine MacPherson of Howmac Farms also offers a service to Articulator. Trotting stud Mill Hill Willie will also have a 2021 breeding available courtesy of Paul Morrison.
Woodmere Farms offers the choice of Stonebridge Terror, Bet The Moon, Arthur Blue Chip and Rollwithitharry. The winner of that bid can select any one of the four Woodmere stallions to cover the stud fee for a live foal of either 2021 or 2022.
The group organizing the stallion auction reminds potential bidders that stud fees are non-transferable, the winning bidder must use it for one of their own mares.