This Sunday, May 12, High Stakes Farm in Moffat and Oak Knoll Stables in Campbellcroft will open their gates and farms to the general public for a special Mother’s Day Open House from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The farms will showcase their mares, foals and facilities, and educate visitors about Standardbred breeding and racing.
This is the second consecutive year that the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association and Standardbred Canada’s 'I Love Canadian Harness Racing' Fan Club are partnering to present this special event.
The Open House will give the general public an opportunity to get up close and personal with the mares and foals, take a behind the scenes tour of the farm, and talk with the owners about a day in the life of a Standardbred breeder.
Here’s a look at the two farms.
Oak Knoll Stables
743 Oak Hill Road
RR#1 Campbellcroft, Ontario
Telephone: 905 797 3025
Caroline Thornton and Ken Morden operate Oak Knoll Stables, a picturesque 40-acre Standardbred broodmare operation nestled in Campbellcroft, alongside the beautiful Ganaraska Forest between Port Hope and Peterborough.
In 2005, the pair launched their breeding operation, immersing themselves in pedigrees and putting together their broodmare band.
Both are hands on with the horses at the farm with Caroline responsible for managing the broodmares, delivering the foals and keeping the animals safe and well. Caroline also manages to squeeze in time to update the farm’s website weekly with farm events and the performances of their OK prefixed racehorses.
Oak Knoll is currently home for six broodmares, 5 foals, 10 yearlings and a riding horse.
With the last foal arriving on Friday, May 3rd, Oak Knoll Stables is now more than ready for guests to come and visit their mares and foals. They will also offer tours every 20 minutes.
The resident five foals and mares that will be on display for vistors are:
OK Imagine (Jennies Girl) – born March 18
OK Ishtar (CC Stacy) – born April 1
OK Iceman (Fanciful) – born April 20
OK Icon (Mary Artman) – born April 25
OK Irish (Whitesand Jewel) – born May 3
High Stakes Farm
9685 FIRST LINE
Moffat, ON L0P 1J0
(5 minutes from downtown Milton)
Telephone: 905-854-5074
High Stakes Farm is owned and operated by Joanne Colville, her partner Jack Moiseyev, one of Canada’s leading harness drivers, and Joanne’s daughter Emma.
High Stakes is a 30 acre facility specializing in breeding, boarding and rehabiliation and racing stock. They currently accommodate 14 farm-owned mares with six yearlings, 12 foals and another eight expected to arrive later this spring.
In addition to running High Stakes Farm, Joanne is the Administrator and Events Coordinator for the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society, and is involved on numerous Industry Association boards and committees. She also donates her services as parade marshall at many of racing’s major events throughout the province.
Aside from welcoming guests and touring them around their farms, the owners of High Stakes and Oak Knoll Stables will be sharing their love of the horse, their anecdotes about their farms, and promoting Standardbred breeding and racing despite the challenges the industry is facing.