Hockey legend and horseman Dale Hawerchuk passed away August 18, 2020 after a battle with stomach cancer. He was 57. His son Eric took to Twitter to announce his father’s passing, writing, “After an incredibly brave and difficult battle with cancer, our dad has passed away. My family is so proud of him and the way he fought. #HawerchukStrong.”
Born April 4, 1963 in Toronto, Dale grew up in Oshawa and became a teenage hockey star. In 1981 at the tender age of 18 he was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets. Hawerchuk spent nine seasons in Winnipeg (five spent as team captain), followed by five seasons playing for the Buffalo Sabers before ending his career with brief stints with the St. Louis Blues and the Philadelphia Flyers.
According to CBC.ca, Hawerchuk recorded 518 goals and 1,409 points in 1,188 regular-season games. He also averaged more than a point-per-game for 13 consecutive seasons, becoming the 23rd player to reach the 500-goal plateau in 1995-96 and the 31st player to record 1,000 points in 1990-91. Hawerchuk was also the first NHLer to play in his 1,000th career game before his 31st birthday. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.
Catchou Catrick II (Calando I) / For Pleasure, bred by Grande Farms, was reserve 4YO Champion at the Canadian Show Jumping Finals, ridden by Carly Campbell-Cooper.
But what few of his hockey fans know is that Dale Hawerchuk was a passionate horse lover. He and his wife Crystal bought a large breeding farm in Hockley Valley, Ontario, where they bred, raised and sold Hanoverian and Holsteiner show jumping horses. Grande Farms was a gentleman’s facility with rolling hills, spacious and elegant stables and a stylish manor home. The bucolic setting suited Hawerchuck, a kind, gentle man who loved talking horses more than hockey.
As reported in The Globe and Mail in 2001, Hawerchuk’s interest in horses began with some quarter horses he kept on a Manitoba ranch. But after retiring from the hockey rink, he and his wife watched the equestrian competitors at the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg.
“The next thing you know, we were looking at different stallions and mares, young stuff,” Hawerchuk told the newspaper. “We took a year and really checked it out. We went to Spruce Meadows [in Calgary] and they helped us out quite a bit. Linda [Southern] was excellent. Back in St. Louis, we went up to a little auction and ended up buying a couple of mares. It was after that we decided, ‘Let’s do this. We both enjoy it and the kids seem to like it.’”
Dave and Crystal at Grande Farms.
I had the privilege of knowing Dale and Crystal in 2003 as a client. My imported yearling dressage prospect was raised and backed on Grande Farms until I left to train with a dressage pro in 2005.
Dale’s ability to spot youthful talent didn’t end when he skated off the ice. During the two years I was a client at Grande, he employed two up-and-coming Canadian equestrian talents: show jumper Chris Sorenson and dressage rider Maya Markowski. Sorensen competed in the jumper ring for Dale, while Markowski rode and trained the young horses.
Since their time at Grande Farms, Sorenson has gone on to international acclaim and is now based in Europe, while Markowski is a high-level performance dressage rider and trainer who operates her business, Equest, out of Cox Creek Farm in Guelph.
Sorensen remarked, “Dale Hawerchuk was a rare and unique contribution to our equestrian sport with his incredible professional sports career background. Dale’s large contributions as a breeder and sponsor are well known; however, for me the biggest impact was my weekly meeting with Dale where he gave me advice and perspective on how to be a professional athlete, a professional in business, achieve goals, and he shared some amazing stories.
“While working as a rider for the Hawerchuks they supported me to achieve one of my long-time goals of riding for Canada and winning the Young Riders North American Team Championships. With all of the incredible things he accomplished in his life I believe the mentorship he gave young athletes will go on to be his biggest accomplishment. I feel I had a special and unique opportunity having learned from him. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”
“I had the pleasure to work for Dale and his family for two years,” said Markowski, “I truly enjoyed my time at Grande Farms riding their beautiful horses. Dale was always so easy-going and was very passionate about breeding great quality sport horses. I have fond memories of my time there and my thoughts are with the Hawerchuk family.”
Eventually the Hawerchuk’s sold Grande Farms and bought a smaller operation in King Township, but I still remember him as a kind, gentle soul whose love and empathy for horses and the sport of show jumping was always on display.
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