Rexdale, ON – The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) is pleased to announce an exciting new bonus program to reward racing excellence in 2008 by Ontario Sired Foals performing in Ontario.

The program will provide significant cash rewards to the breeders of the most successful Ontario Sired performers this season.  “In keeping with our mandate, we are pleased to introduce a new initiative enabling us to reward our breeders for excellence on the racetracks of Ontario,” says Richard Lister, Director of the CTHS of Ontario.  The CTHS of Ontario is committed to finding new and innovative ways to reward excellence and encourage breeders to strive to improve the quality of our Ontario Bred and Ontario Sired Foals.

The program for 2008 will offer the following rewards to the breeder of the successful athletes:

1st PLACE – $10,000 cash & $2,000 OSS Stallion Breeding Certificate

2nd PLACE – $5,000 cash & $1,000 OSS Stallion Breeding Certificate

In addition, one Overall Champion, being the horse who accrues the most eligible earnings, shall receive an additional $10,000 cash & an additional $2,000 OSS Breeding Certificate.

The program will be offered for the following six divisions only: 2 YR OLD Fillies, 2 YR OLD Males, 3 YR OLD Fillies, 3 YR OLD Males, Fillies & Mares 4 YRS OLD & UP, Males 4 YRS OLD & UP

This is an introductory program that we hope will expand in the future to offer further divisions or categories such as Sprinters, Turf Horses, etc.  All horses will be included in the general categories as outlined above.  Further, please note that while a 3-year-old horse may accumulate earnings points in all eligible races, a 3-year-old is not eligible to receive an award in the 4-year-old and up category.

CTHS of Ontario Director Peter Berringer comments that,  “Not only does our new program put significant cash back in the hands of our breeders, but our Ontario Sired Breeding Certificates offer an excellent incentive for our breeders to consider patronizing one of our fine Stallions standing in Ontario.”

The breeding certificates will be treated like cash and redeemed by the Stallion Owners through the CTHS of Ontario when surrendered by the Named Breeder of record on the certificate as issued.  The certificates will be valid for two years, thus winners this year can redeem their certificates against a mating of 2009 or 2010.  The certificates are valid only toward a mating with a registered Ontario Sire as recognized by the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society of Ontario.  Such Sire must be registered with and have paid all required fees to the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) for the year in which the mating occurs.  Certificates are not transferable and expire after 2010.  The CTHS of Ontario offers no warranties or guarantees of any kind with regard to the mating with any stallion and shall not be liable for any reimbursement should a foal not be produced within the two years permitted by the program.

  

“We are confident that our new incentive program will draw significant attention to the racing performance of our best Ontario Sired Athletes competing in Ontario this season,” says Tim Orlando, CTHS of Ontario Marketing Chair. “We are thrilled to provide a real opportunity to put an additional $ 120,000 back in the hands of the breeders of Ontario who are the backbone of our industry.”

Winners will be tabulated on a simple formula of using all monies earned in every “Black Type” qualifying race in Ontario in Calendar Year 2008.  Winners shall be announced prior to December 31st, 2008 and all payments shall be issued by The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario Division) in January of 2009.

This program is financed by the Thoroughbred Improvement Plan (TIP) of Ontario.