Equine Canada has named KingRidge Stables, located in King, ON, as the winner of the inaugural Equine Canada Canadian Breeder of the Year award.
The immense success of the KingRidge Stables breeding program did not just happen by accident. Owned by Seymour and Gloria Epstein, KingRidge Stables welcomed its first crop of foals in 1994. Using embryo transfer with their top breeding stock, which was founded using a select number of top-performing mares bred to KingRidge’s proven performance stallions, the results of this very discriminating breeding program have been top quality horses that win in all disciplines at all levels.
With close to 100 foals born through this exclusive breeding program, KingRidge horses have successfully competed in hunter, equitation, jumper and eventing in North America up to national level with great results. 2011 marked a leap to international success for KingRidge bred horses, with Foxwood High (formerly High Society 3E) representing Canada as a member of the silver medal winning Canadian Eventing Team at the Pan American Games. Just south of the boarder, Good Night 3E was named as an alternate for the United States Eventing Team Pan American Games Team.
Choosing to register all their offspring in Canada with the Canadian Sport Horse Association, all KingRidge homebreds carry the 3E suffix to represent Epstein Equestrian Enterprises Inc. Boasting pedigrees with a who’s who list of international breeding stallions such as Nimmerdor, Cor de la Bryere, Voltaire, Furioso II and Jalisco B, just to name a few, KingRidge foals are professionally trained and enter the show ring to prove themselves. The success of their young horse program is supported by the number of 3E horses that are found in the final standing of the young horse classes across Canada.
These young horses are now entering the ranks of grand prix. Under the experienced guidance of Canadian Olympian Hugh Graham, two 3E horses, Distant Star 3E and Fifth Estate 3E, have been also been declared for the 2012 Canadian Olympic Show Jumping Team for London.
As a result of these incredible accomplishments KingRidge Stables has been named inaugural recipient of the Equine Canada Breeder of the Year award.
The Breeder of the Year Award was created to recognize a Canadian breeder for a lifetime contribution to a horse breed, who by his or her efforts has improved the quality of Canadian bred horses and/or enhanced the reputation of Canadian bred horses.
At the 2012 Equine Canada Annual Awards Gala, on Friday, 3, 2012, in St. John’s, Newfoundland, KingRidge Stables was honoured with the 2011 Equine Canada Canadian Breeder of the Year award.