Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society

When President Donald Trump announced sweeping updates to the United States' global tariff structure Wednesday evening, there was some good news for the Thoroughbred racing industry, according to an analysis by the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society of the fact sheet which accompanied the announcement. Horses eligible under the USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) will continue to cross the U.S.-Canadian border duty-free, according to the CTHS. As outlined in the fact sheet: "For Canada and Mexico, the existing fentanyl/migration IEEPA orders remain in effect, and are unaffected by this order. This means...

Amid the fluid nature of the threatened 25% tariff on Canadian goods (those subject to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) entering the U.S. set to be enacted on April 2, one confusing aspect has surrounded just how long a horse entering the U.S. from Canada can reside in the country before a tariff will be imposed. As per the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, "We believe that horses from Canada can enter the United States for extended periods without paying duties under certain conditions," said Tom Rooney, president and chief...

Though still weeks from being potentially enacted, the threatened 25% blanket tariff on all Canadian goods entering the U.S. is causing some Canadian-based owner-breeders to sound the alarm about the possible impacts to their businesses and to the country's broader industry. "For us, it could be the end of the industry. Period," warned Yvonne Schwabe, the owner of Persley Den Farms in Acton, Ontario, and the breeder of 2013 Queen's Plate winner Midnight Aria. "That's the scary part." As currently outlined, the tariffs are scheduled to go into effect on...

The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Alberta Division) held a yearling sale at Westerner Park in Red Deer on Friday, Sept. 20, and gross sales were up by 15%, the division said in a release on Thursday. With 79 head catalogued, this year saw an increase in gross sales, with $700,000 spent on 56 yearlings--a 15% rise from the $607,800 spent on 43 yearlings in 2023. While the average price per yearling slightly decreased to $12,482 from $14,135 last year, the median held steady at $9,850. The upper end of the...

The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) Yearling Sale (Ontario division) concluded Wednesday, Aug. 28 with increases in average and median over the 2023 edition, while a colt by Nyquist topped the sale when bringing $250,000. The topper, consigned by Bernard and Karen McCormack of Cara Bloodstock, went to Clay Scherer, agent. The colt (hip 88) is out of Mrs. Hudson (Street Cry {Ire}) and was bred by David Anderson of Anderson Farms. He is a half to SW Airosa (Uncle Mo), while his dam is out of MGSW Sara Louise...

Dawson Guhle has been appointed general manager of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society, Alberta Division, effective Sept. 3. Dawson initially established himself as a Thoroughbred breeder with the purchase of two mares at a 2012 Fasig-Tipton sale and had considerable success consigning their foals to his first CTHS Alberta Sale in 2014. He is a co-founder of Agri/Gate, a revolutionary app and web-based platform designed to simplify communication between stakeholders while educating new fans and owners.

Funds totaling an additional $66,588 have been allocated to the Thoroughbred Breed Improvement Program for 2024, according to a press release from the Alberta Thoroughbred Community Racing Association (ACTRA), the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS), and the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA). "This allocation of additional funds marks a significant commitment to the enhancement of the Alberta Thoroughbred industry," said CTHS Alberta General Manager Jean Kruse. "We are confident that these investments will not only support the development of local breeding programs but also strengthen the competitiveness of Alberta-bred...

The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) Ontario Mixed Sale, held Oct. 18 at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion, generated the second-highest average and median of the last seven years. A total of 48 horses sold for a gross of $252,400. Average was $5,258, while the median was $3,000. "The Annual Mixed Sale is important to our breeders in Ontario. It provides a necessary venue to restructure and improve their breeding stock," said Peter Berringer, president of the CTHS Ontario Division. "This sale continues to attract new buyers from across Canada as...

The Alberta Sale, held at Westerner Park in Red Deer on Friday, Sept. 22 reflected positive increases across all benchmarks, the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society said in a press release Thursday. Over $600,000 in gross sales was recorded to purchase 43 yearlings this year, compared to $443,600 on 40 yearlings the year prior. The average price was up 27% to $14,135 from $11,090 in 2022. The median increased over twofold to $10,000, from $4,750 in 2022. The sale topper was Hip #59, a Counterforce gelding out of the Katowice mare,...

Colleen Dalos resigned as a Director of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) effective May 18, 2023, the Board of Directors has announced. Dalos served the Society and its membership for two years. René Hunderup and Robert Marzilli have been appointed to the board. Hunderup (Norse Ridge Farms), has been a member since 1998 while Marzilli (Zilli Racing Stable) has been a member since 2018. "The Board looks forward to having both René and Robert join us in supporting the membership as we prepare for our upcoming 2023 Sales Season,"...

The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's Premier Yearling Sale, to be held Aug. 31 at Woodbine, has attracted over 200 entries and will include yearlings by 67 different stallions. The 2021 top five leading Ontario sires represented at the sale include Silent Name (Jpn), Souper Speedy, Old Forester, Society's Chairman and Reload. Also in the catalogue are yearlings from the first crop of Catholic Boy, Flameaway, Heart to Heart and Yoshida (Jpn), as well as from the second crops of Always Dreaming, Amis Gizmo, Army Mule, Collected, Danish Dynaformer, Ransom the...

The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Alberta Division) outlined the new Mare Recruitment Program (MRP) offering incentives to mare owners who bring an in-foal mare to Alberta to foal in 2022. The criteria for the MRP program are: Breeders will receive a C$750 incentive for each in-foal mare brought to Alberta. The in-foal mare must not have foaled in Alberta in 2020-21. Mares that were eligible for the HBPA Mare Purchase Program are not eligible for the Program. Maiden mares are eligible for the MRP upon proof that mare resided outside...