Standardbred Canada is pleased to announce the winners for the 2012 Atlantic Bursary program.
The following students will each receive a $1,000 bursary towards their post secondary education for the 2012-2013 academic term:
- Leander Treen Beaton of Port Hood, Nova Scotia
- Kent Beattie of Fredericton, New Brunswick
- Vanessa Cairns of Montague, Prince Edward Island
- Bo Myles Ford of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
- Emily MacPhee of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
- Kyle Mason of Quispamsis, New Brunswick
There will be a trackside presentation to the winners at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at CDP during the matinee card this Saturday, August 18.
Leander Treen Beaton has been around horses his entire life, learning from his father at Beaton Stable, and is a very familiar face around the Port Hood, Nova Scotia racing community. Leander jogs and trains horses, drives in amateur races such as Chestico Days and the Matinee Races and even set a track record last year at Venture Downs Matinee Racetrack in Port Hawkesbury, NS. He is entering his first year at Nova Scotia Community College and will be studying to become a heavy equipment operator. He plans on continuing his work with the horses and hopes to drive as much as possible on the side.
Kent Beattie has been an active member of the harness racing community at his hometown’s Fredericton Raceway for years, having inherited his love of the sport from his father, Gary, and uncle, Rick Beattie, long-time horse owners and trainers in New Brunswick. Kent is a licensed groom and is currently working towards his trainer’s designation. Kent plays competitive basketball, and is preparing for his second year of the Bachelor of Science program at the University of New Brunswick with hope of one day becoming a doctor.
Vanessa Cairns’ family has a long-standing relationship with harness racing, being intimately involved in breeding and racing in PEI for years. Vanessa describes harness racing, quite simply, as ‘a way of life for islanders.’ Vanessa has worked as a race-office and SC representative at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park over the past several years. Vanessa will be entering her fourth year in the Criminology program at Carleton University in Ottawa and hopes to pursue a career in research.
Bo Myles Ford is a true racing enthusiast who knows that there is "no other feeling in the world like the one I get when one of my horses gets behind the gate." He is a third generation horseman and has worked for the Ronnie Matheson Stable for the past seven years. He is an owner, groom and is currently training a two-horse stable in PEI. Bo is in his final year of the journalism program at Holland College and has put his writing and reporting skills to good use, enthusiastically covering harness racing for the local PEI newspaper.
Emily MacPhee comes from a long line of harness racing enthusiasts, with four generations of her family active in racing on the Island. Emily owns, grooms, and trains four of her own horses; was a Gold Cup & Saucer Ambassador for two years; is a constant fixture in the paddock, and can often be found helping youngsters learn the ropes of the sport. To top it off, Emily plays competitive soccer and is studying Kinesiology and Sport & Leisure Management at Holland College/UPEI with the hopes of becoming a physiotherapist.
Kyle Mason of Quispamsis, New Brunswick has been passionate about harness racing his entire life, following diligently in the footsteps of his driver-trainer father, Steve Mason. Kyle is a licensed owner, breeder, and ‘A’ trainer, and has worked for Ultimate Acres and the Downey Stable. He writes human interest stories profiling members of the local racing community as part of the marketing strategy for HRNB, is currently studying for his paddock judge examination, and spends a lot of his free time preparing his colt, Makin Arty, for the Atlantic Sires Stakes program. Kyle is enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program at Mount Allison University studying History, French, and Canadian Studies and hopes to pursue a career as a teacher.
The bursaries were awarded based on active involvement in the harness racing community, academics and financial need. Applicants were also required to submit a type written essay addressing what they would say to government officials about the importance of harness racing to their province’s economy.
This program is supported and funded by various organizations from the Atlantic Provinces and Standardbred Canada. Partners from the Atlantic Provinces include the Prince Edward Island Harness Racing Industry Association, Horse Racing New Brunswick, the Nova Scotia Harness Racing Industry Association, and the 'Stretch Drive Fund,' a fund created by the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commissions Race Officials.
Standardbred Canada and all of the partners from the Atlantic provinces would like to extend their thanks to all of the students who submitted applications.