2026 Percheron Post

BREEDERS DIRECTORY The Ontario Percheron Association is putting a Breeder’s Directory for 2026. We would like to include your farm and horses, please find the information required for you to be included and a list of horses currently registered to you from CLRC.

Breeder’s listing: 1) 2) 3) 4)

Confirm the list of Horses, for any others you would like included, please provide the full name with year of birth, and reg number Confirm your farm name, address, phone number and email address Colour Photo Any notes you wish to have included Rate: $50/ page including a colour photo, $25/ ½ page

Advertisers:

Rates to advertise: 1 Page Colour - $ 225

½ Page Colour - $ 125

1 Page B& W - $125

½ Page B&W - $75

Business Card or 1/3-page Colour - $50 We are looking for an early summer publication date, so that it can be distributed at the World Percheron Congress in July. **The deadline will be April 15th** We will be looking for candid photos to include, please send those along as well.

Any questions contact Gillian, 905-376-0295 or ontariopercherons@gmail.com.

Send your info and ads to ontariopercherons@gmail.com or by mail to 3-7461 Speers Rd, Elora ON, N0B 1S0

LEARN TO DRIVE RECAP On Saturday May 24th 2025 we held a

Thanks to everyone who came out, I look

“Learn to Drive” clinic in Burgessville, Ont. We

forward to next year

had great weather, but a smaller turnout of only

6 participants, with various backgrounds and experience levels. We had instructions on how to safely harness, hitch, and drive draft horses.

Everyone had a chance to do some hands-on learning, gain some experience and spend the day with some great people and horses.

Thanks to Katie Fleming and family for providing a great facility and some horses. Jim Bickell also brought a team of horses. John Norhtcote did a great job of demonstrating harnessing and hitching, and a big thank you for bringing two Leon Carriages for us to use. We had some terrific people that came out to help with the new drivers, Jim Bickell, Ester Penders, and Dwight Bennett.

-Gillian

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE I hope that this message finds you all well

enjoy an evening of good food and laughs at our

and that you and your families had a wonderful

annual Awards Banquet and Live Auction.

Holiday Season. It is hard to believe that another

Banquet tickets are $50.00 per person and are

year has passed and so fast. The four seasons

available from any OPHA board member. This

of horses come and go each year and like

event is always a great time and has sold out

everything else they seem to pass by quicker

the past couple of years so get your tickets

each year. What are the four seasons of horses

before they are gone. The OPHA is looking for

you ask? Foaling Season, Breading Season,

donations to be auctioned off at our live auction

Show Season and do everything around the

on this night. If you have anything and can not

farm that got ignored all year because of the

attend, please contact us and we will gladly get

other seasons season. Well at least this is how

it picked up. Thank you in advance to everyone

it goes at our place.

that donates to make our auction a huge suc-

Now that 2026 is here I would like to invite and remind you all to attend the OPHA

cess every year. Every item helps!

The Ontario Percheron Horse Association

Annual General Meeting. It’s held at the Monora

is looking to fill a few vacant seats on our board.

Park Pavillion in Orangeville (Mono) on March 7

If you or anyone else you know would like to be-

at 3pm. Please feel free to stay afterwards and

come a Board Member, please feel free to con-

tact myself or any other current board member

a huge shout out on a job well done to OPHA

to inquire about joining us in helping promote the

board member and newsletter editor Taylor

Percheron breed.

McClain (TSM Designs) for doing an outstanding

I would like to congratulate and thank Kim

job at her first of hopefully many years as pho-

Davidson on becoming the Percheron represen-

tographer at the Royal Horse Show. It was nice

tative for the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Horse

to have a “horse person doing horse photos”

Show Committee. If you have any concerns

again. Taylor does a great job promoting the en-

or questions for The Royal Horse Show, please

tire horse industry and we look forward to seeing

contact Kim to discuss them so he can take you

her continued success.

concerns to the RAWF Horse Committee. On

With 2025 now in the rearview mirror I

behalf of the OPHA, I would also like to thank

want to thank my fellow OPHA board members

Robert Black for all the years that he served as

for all you work and efforts in making the last

the Royal representative for the Pecherons. Bob

year a successful one. It is enjoyable working

you time and efforts as always are truly appreci-

with you all.

ated.

Until I see you in the pasture or on the For those of you that were not in atten-

road, please all be safe and take care.

dance at the 103rd Royal Horse Show on Friday November 7th you all missed something special.

Kind Regards,

After a great morning of horsemanship during

Ian Greenwood

the Percheron Halter Classes in the Royal Horse

President OPHA

Palace Show Ring the Ontario Percheron Horse Association honored Robert and Jennifer Black with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Promot-

I’m not mistaken the 103rd Royal Horse Show

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND BANQUET

was Robert’s 75th year of showing horses at the

Saturday March 7th

ing the Percheron Breed. An honor never bestowed upon anyone else prior to this time If

RAWF. This is an outstanding accomplishment and not an easy task to achieve especially at a horse show recognized around the world. Congratulations again to Robert and Jennifer (and all generations of the Black Family for that matter) for all your hard work and effort promoting the Percheron breed. It was truly an honor to present you with this well-deserved award.

I would also like congratulate and give

Monora Park Pavillion Orangeville Tickets $50 each Meeting at 2:30pm Social 5:30pm Dinner 7:00pm Live Auction and music to follow

SECRETARY’S MESSAGE

Dear Members and Friends,

on promoting the Percheron breed, fostering

As we reflect on another successful year

youth involvement, and creating opportunities

for the Ontario Percheron Horse Association, I

for members to connect, learn, and grow. I en-

am grateful for the dedication, enthusiasm, and

courage you to stay engaged—whether through

camaraderie shown by our members across the

attending events, sharing ideas, or supporting

province. Whether you participated in shows,

Association initiatives. Your voice and participa-

breeding programs, competitions, community

tion help shape our direction for the coming year.

events, or simply supported the Association from

Please note the new mailing address

home, your involvement continues to strengthen

for the association, and be sure to update your

and celebrate the remarkable Percheron breed.

information to ensure you receive the news from

This year saw excellent turnout at our regional and provincial shows, youth activities, and

the OPHA Thank you for being part of our commu-

educational events. It is inspiring to watch new

nity and for helping ensure a bright future for

exhibitors step into the ring alongside our long-

Percherons in Ontario. I look forward to seeing

time members, all sharing the same passion for

many of you in the months ahead and wish you

these impressive horses. The ongoing commit-

success and enjoyment with your horses in the

ment of our volunteers, sponsors, and organiz-

coming season.

ers is truly the backbone of our Association, and I extend heartfelt thanks to each of you for the

Warm regards,

countless hours and energy you contribute.

Gillian Tinney

As we look ahead to 2026, a year that will include the usual foaling and show season, we also have a World Percheron Congress in St Paul Minnesota. The OPHA will remain focused

Secretary, Ontario Percheron Horse Association

2026 BREEDING SEASON Hello all! I extend my best wishes to all this New

in-utero before reaching an age old enough to

Year, as breeding season is fast approaching! As

be seen via ultrasound. Or, perhaps an embryo

a draft horse breeder and reproduction service

is seen around the 14-day check, but is lost be-

provider, it would be unfitting of me not to bring

fore the 30-day heartbeat check. There are 100

up the subject. The 2026 breeding season has

reasons as to why a mare struggles to hold onto

been forecasting a growing number of breeders

a pregnancy.. a list too long to discuss here..

inquiring about more “modern-day” reproduction

however, an embryo transfer could be your

strategies to introduce new, or to continue ge-

miracle to achieving “just one more.” Let a more

netics, within their equine herds. The thought of

proven candidate carry your prized mare’s foal,

utilizing frozen semen, embryo transfers, embryo

as a surrogate! Or alternatively, ICSI as a meth-

cryopreservation or ICSI may be ideas quickly

od of in-vitro fertilization.

dismissed by some, but for many others they are

Although ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm in-

increasingly becoming the solutions to the dead-

jection) may sound like an intimidating term, it is

ends they have been facing in “just wanting one

being vastly used throughout the horse industry

more foal” out of that mare.

worldwide, and with great success. The process

In some cases, mares that “never seem to catch

of ICSI is even more astounding. To put it simply,

anymore”, are in-fact catching, they just aren’t

a mare’s unfertilized eggs or “oocytes” are col-

carrying! An embryo may be conceived but dies

lected via aspiration and manually injected with

a single sperm under a microscope, to create

men simultaneously with a mare’s ovulation is off

an embryo. A single aspiration session could

the table. Although the procedure and precision

result in as many as upwards of 20 oocytes, thus

is greater when breeding with frozen compared

possible embryos! And even more astounding..

to fresh/cooled, the success rates can be just as

all while using only a small few straws of frozen

high when the correct measures are taken and

semen. Talk about efficiency! The embryos can

catered to the individual mare.

then be vitrified and stored long-term in a liquid

As we proceed through the 2026 breeding sea-

nitrogen tank to be used any time in the future,

son, I encourage others to consider and take

the same as frozen semen.

advantage of the advancing reproductive strat-

In my eyes, equine genetic preservation is

egies available today and allow it to provide the

likely one of the most remarkable developments

benefits to your equine herd. It is truly amazing

in reproduction. Although not a new advance-

what time, science, and research has done for

ment, the method of breeding mares through

the equine reproductive industry. It’s never the

frozen semen is approaching 70 years old!

wrong time to try something new! I wish the best

Freezing semen and embryos are great ways

of luck to all breeders, may you have a success-

to continue genetic lines, long after a stallion

ful season and healthy foals.

or mare is gone. In-fact, many breeders prefer frozen semen over fresh/cooled as there is no shelf life, so the stress of obtaining cooled se-

-

Taylor Greenwood

THE SQUIRRELY ACRES TEAM BEARING THE CANADIAN FLAGS DURING THE OPENING CEREMONIES

THE SMITH FAMILY PERCHERONS

KATIE FLEMING OF SQUIRRELY ACRES WINNING THE ENGLISH RIDING CLASS

ALLANHOLME FARMS

TAYLOR BEEMER

DAN BARRON AND AVERY CAIN

DEAN KEALEY WITH BEST HORSE ON THE GROUNDS ANGUS MCPHEE

PERCHERONS LEAD THE CHARGE: A RECORD BREAKING YEAR FOR THE ONTARIO FOUR By: The Ontario Four Committee

The Ontario Four has definitively proven its val-

securing the 2025 championship with a unani-

ue, culminating in a record-setting season that

mous decision by the three panel judges. Based

showcased the undeniable prominence of the

in Quebec, the hitch, driven by Eric Chrétien, is

Percheron breed. While the series supports the

known for its dedication to the craft and tradition

entire agricultural fair circuit, the results from this

of the heavy horse industry.

past year confirm that the Ontario Four is not just another competition—it is a vital engine of

The breed’s influence was felt throughout the top

growth for the entire draft horse community.

tier of competition, with four of the ten qualifying finalists being Percheron hitches:

A unanimous victory for the breed

●

The ultimate showdown of the 2025 season

points accumulator

took place at the Norfolk County Fair and Horse

●

Show, where Percheron hitches dominated the

points accumulator in 2025

final field. La Famille Chretien drove to victory,

●

Pana-Len Percherons: 2025 highest Grier Family Percherons: second highest Allanholme Farms: fourth highest points

accumulator in 2025 and inaugural Ontario Four

This level of positive engagement is what sus-

Finals champion

tains the program.

●

La Famille Chretien: 2025 champion

Strategic partnerships and recognition Reflecting on the victory, Eric Chrétien praised

The series’ strength is further amplified by its

the series’ design: “Everything about the Ontario

diverse and committed partnership base. More

Four is designed to make us want to participate,

than $22,000 was paid out at the 2025 finals.

follow along, and feel the excitement. The an-

This couldn’t have been done without the stead-

nouncement of the next series at the Carp Fair

fast commitment of The Straw Boss, Maher and

already has us looking forward to what’s com-

Co. Metals, and the Norfolk County Fair and

ing.”

Horse Show. Foundational support from Eberglo helped kick the series off in its infancy.

Fueling growth through competition The success of the Ontario Four is no accident;

“The growth in participation and the quality of

it is deliberately designed to thrive. Its mission

the competition is fantastic to see,” added Mike

is two-fold—to enhance the experience for its

Hendriksen, Owner | Operator of The Straw

members and to increase participation at fairs—

Boss. “This series is truly elevating the sport and

and the numbers prove it is achieving both with

bringing new energy to fairs across the region.”

spectacular results.

The Ontario Four is also incredibly grateful to The 2025 season saw 36 hitches from Eastern

Allanholme Farms (John & Joanne Borer), who

Canada and the Northeastern United States

have been onboard as a partner since the begin-

competing for points across 32 classes at 23

ning, along with the Eastern Regional Percheron

different fairs. This season-long approach drives

Association, Piney and Barb Meyers, Myers Au-

prestige to local grassroots events. The most

tomotive Group, David Carson Auctions (David

telling metric of success is the escalating points

& Margo Carson), and Valley Roof Truss for their

total; the highest earner in 2025 tallied 116

vital partnerships.

points, nearly double the 64 points earned by the top competitor in the program’s first year.

Finally, thanks are also extended to the Friends of the Four, including Chris English in loving

John Borer, owner of Allanholme Farms and

memory of Ted, The Ontario Percheron Horse

winner of the inaugural Finals, echoed the senti-

Association, The Ontario Belgian Horse Associ-

ment of many members at the year-end celebra-

ation,, Maizex Seeds - Kyle Sowden, Dave and

tion: “The Ontario Four is the best thing that has

Erika Zier, Jeff Robbins and family, Hyjak Farms,

happened to the draft horse industry”.

and the Moore Agricultural Society.

to connect your brand with a passionate and engaged audience? Partnering with the Ontario Four offers businesses, farms, and families an unparalleled opportunity to gain premium brand visibility, align with a rich agricultural heritage, and engage directly with thousands of dedicated fans and stakeholders across Ontario.

Your support is the bedrock of the Ontario Four, ensuring the continued success and growth of the program and creating memorable experienc-

Looking ahead: Carp Fair 2026 & 2027

es for every member, fair, and spectator. Spon-

Looking to the future, the selection of the Carp

soring the series offers a unique and impactful

Fair to host the Ontario Four Finals in 2026 and

opportunity to connect directly with this dedicat-

2027 is a masterstroke. It not only brings the

ed community, significantly boosting your brand

thunder eastward but solidifies the connection

visibility and helping to establish the Ontario

between the highest level of competition and the

Four as the most successful draft horse series in

heritage of our farming communities.

the country.

As Carp Fair Heavy Horse Director Desmond

The goal for the Ontario Four’s 5th anniversary

Dean shared, “Hosting the Ontario Four Finals

in 2026 is to payout more than $30,000 to the

solidifies our position as a premier destination for

top-10 finalists. Join us in fueling this growth;

heavy horse competition in Eastern Ontario. We

view all partnership opportunities for the 2026

are excited at the prospect of welcoming hitches

season at drafthitchseries.com/partnership-op-

from across Canada and the United States.”

portunities/

The Ontario Four has moved beyond being a mere event; it has become a powerful catalyst for momentum and excitement for the entire draft horse community. It is now setting the standard for how hitching should be recognized and celebrated.

Join us in championing this incredible growth and excitement Are you looking for a powerful and unique way

HELP SHAPE OUR FUTURE: VOLUNTEER TODAY! The Ontario Percheron Horse Association is always looking for passionate members to get involved!

We are currently seeking volunteers to serve on the Board of Directors, as well as individuals willing to lend a hand at upcoming events throughout the year.

If you’re dedicated to supporting and promoting the Percheron breed and would like to give back to our community, we would love to hear from you. Your time and talents help keep our association strong and thriving for future generations.

A guy walks into a bar and there is a horse behind the bar serving drinks.

The guy is just staring at the horse, when the horse says, “What are you staring at? Haven’t you ever seen a horse serving drinks before?”

The guy says, “No, I never thought the parrot would sell the place.”

BECKY YENT-SMITH

DAN BARRON

MATT & ERIKA REESOR

PETER CURTIS AND HIS FILLY FOAL

THE SMITH FAMILY

BRADLEY BOURBONNAIS

BILL BARRON

MATT REESOR

THE SMITH FAMILY

SQUIRRELY ACRES YOUTH SHOWMAN

ATTENTION JUNIOR MEMBERS Please remember to send your 2025 show results to ontariopercherons@gmail.com As well if you would like to be considered for the Jeff Hodgson award, please send us a short note about yourself based on this criteria: The Jeff Hodgson Memorial Director’s Award was created in 2003. This award is awarded to a Junior member of The Ontario Percheron Horse Association (one in each category: Junior and Senior) who is selected by the Ontario Percheron Horse Association Inc. Directors.

A Junior Association member can only win this award once.

Award is given based on the Junior for the Directors feel best exemplifies the following qualities.

• A willingness to try their best both in and out of the show ring • A willingness to pitch in and help other when a need arises • Good Sportsmanship • And always striving to improve their horsemanship skills

LUKE BARRON

THE BEEMER FAMILY SHOWING FOR BLACKS PERCHERONS

THE BARRON FAMILY

CAL & JUDY LIPSETT AND JOHN & JOANNE BORER

THE BARRONS/MCTAGGARTS/HUGHES’

One day a farmer discovers he has a talking horse. A man from the city, hearing the news, offers the farmer a fortune for the horse. The farmer declines.

“Why won’t you sell him?” the city man asks. “You’d never have to work another day in your life!”

The farmer looks at the horse, then back at the man, and says, “Well, the other day he told me that you were a tax collector, so I figured I better hang on to him”.

A ROYAL RECAP Picturing at the Royal Winter Fair has

bottom of my heart for trusting me with such a

been a dream of mine since I was a youth show-

prestigious event. Thank you as well for the tre-

ing in the ring there. After the Royal — or any

mendous support after the show. I could never

show, for that matter — I would wait with antic-

thank you enough. — Taylor

ipation to see the photos Lynn or Howard had taken of the Glencal Hitch or the halter string.

The halter ring holds a special place in my heart because it showcases each breeder’s program — the thought, dedication, and heart poured into every breeding and foaling season.

It was truly an honour to be chosen as the Breeding Horse Photographer at the 2025 Royal Winter Fair. I can’t lie — a lot more goes into capturing and producing these photos than I ever gave credit for.

I am so thankful for everyone who helped me get here. I know quite a few people put in a good word for me, and I thank you from the

BOB & JENNIFER BLACK RECIEVEING THE OPHA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM IAN & LYNN GREENWOOD

CHAMPION MARE CART LA FAMILLE CRETIEN

ALLANHOLME FARMS WITH CHAMPION MARE FOUR

JACK SMITH CHAMPION YOUTH CART

DEAN KEALEY RECIEVEING GRAND CHAMPION MARE AWARD FROM BOB AND JENNIFER BLACK

DEAN KEALEY RECIEVEING GRAND CHAMPION STALLION AWARD FROM BOB BLACK

STOKES/BARRON MARE FOUR

THE ALLANHOLME TEAM - CALVIN, CONNOR, CARLY, AND BROOKLYN

LOACH’S PERCHERONS

DEAN KEALEY

ERIK DAVIDSON

THE KEALEY FAMILY

MAGGIE REESOR

REESOR FAMILY PERCHERONS

ALLANHOLME FARMS ENTERING THE RING

ALLANHOLME FARMS WINNING THE SIX HORSE HITCH OF MARES

ANGUS MCPHEE AND HIS FATHER - ANGUS’ LAST DRIVE AS A YOUTH

GRAND CHAMPION GELDING - HUNTER FARMS