Friday, August 3, 2012

Ontario Quarter Horse Breeders Futurity Celebrates 50 years


I can remember when I was a young girl seeing boxes of letters sitting on our dining room table. Sundays were always days for my mom to make long distance calls and weekends were the times when my parents would drive around Ontario seeking out Quarter Horse owners to talk about the Ontario Quarter Horse Breeders Futurity. This was they way it was done back then...there was no internet, emails etc. You did it the hard way. This year marks the 50th Anniversary for the OQHBF and it brought out a lot of fond memories and discussion between my parents, George and Barb Coverdale, Gary and myself. My dad, Doug Morden, was Chairman from 1966 - 1971. It was these early years when the Quarter Horse was new to Ontario. The weanling class was part of the futurity because there really weren't many horses older than that....what a long way the Quarter horse has come in Ontario. While talking about these early years and the long hours they put in they also shared the determination they all had to make this show a success and to create a market for the Ontario Quarter Horse. We have gone from there being only a few Quarter Horses in Ontario to this breed being very popular in Ontario. Almost everywhere you go you will find a Quarter Horse. Congratulations to the OQHBF and a very Happy 50th Anniversary!