Blog Post
CTHS BC • Jan 26, 2021
With heavy sadness the family of Marlene Braithwaite announces her sudden passing in Edmonton, Alberta on Thursday, December 17, 2020 at the age of 81 years. She was predeceased by her husband Ernest (Ernie) Braithwaite (2018), her parents Marjorie and Allen, her sister Joan McKeigan, her brother Gordon (Denny) Smith, her sister-in-law Sharon Braithwaite, and her nephew Troy Braithwaite.
Marlene was born on September 13, 1939 to Marjorie and Allen Smith in Stettler, Alberta. She enjoyed a happy childhood with her parents and siblings Joan and Denny growing up on a farm near Delburne, Alberta.
Marlene and Ernie married in Edmonton in 1958. They raised a family with their three boys, Murray, Gary, and Neil. In the late 70s they acquired a farm south of Calgary and in 1983 they moved to a farm on Whidbey Island near Oak Harbor, Washington, where they turned their energies to breeding, raising, and racing thoroughbred horses with their close friend and partner, Sonny Gorasht.
Marlene became an expert at thoroughbred genealogy and given her talents, she and Ernie were successful breeders, raising champions in both Washington and British Columbia, which included stakes winners Restful Native (1982), Currency Control (1983), De Havilland (1984), Royal Reach (1986), Late Sailing (1990), Another Sparkle (1993), Bay Street Blues (1995), La Belle Fleur (2000), Suva (2004), And All That Jazz (2004), Gotta Find Bubba (2006), La Belle Rose (2008), and Locket (2010). What makes their story interesting is that they started out by claiming three mares from the Alberta racing circuit. Nine of the thirteen stakes winners are descendants of two of the original mares. Marlene and Ernie maintained horses at the track until just a few years ago.
Marlene and Ernie retired to Surrey, British Columbia in 1996. She quickly became an exceptional gardener and became expert on roses. Her rose garden was a spectacular sight to behold with more than 400 rose varieties that included her very own Allison Rose. She won several awards at the local garden club as well as Best of Show for her sweet peas at Van Dusen Garden.
She was a loving wife to Ernie for more than 50 years. A loved daughter, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, and friend; Marlene will be lovingly remembered as an incredible whip-smart woman with a no-nonsense approach to life and a keen wit. She will be sorely missed by her sons and their wives, Murray (Tracey), Gary (Silvia) and Neil (Michele); her grandchildren, Allison, Emerson, Ross, Cesar, and Martin; her brother-in-law, Lorne and wife Josie, her sister-in-law Nancy Smith, and brother-in-law Bill (Margaret) McKeigan; and her nieces and nephews, Todd, Jodi, Travis, Allen, David, Steven, Carol, Michael, and Deirdre (goddaughter); and her many friends in British Columbia.
Any donations in Marlene’s memory may be made to Salvation Army of Canada, whom both Marlene and Ernie regularly supported.
A memorial service will be organized for Marlene in the summer and she will be interred next to Ernie in Dewberry, Alberta.
The office will be closed Tuesday, December 19, 2023 - Wednesday, January 3, 2024 The office reopens on Thursday, January 4, 2024 Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season and good racing in 2024! The Directors and staff - CTHS BC
Plan to attend on Monday August 7th BC Cup Day at the Marquis Tent area
On the Move: Current leading second-crop sire in Canada COUNTERFORCE (seen with Jack Bennett at Road's End Farm)
An Inspiration for 2023 CTHS BC Yearling & Mixed Sale
To: All members of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (BC Division) NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING TAKE NOTICE THAT the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (BC Division) will be held: Time: Commencing at 11:30 am Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2023 Place: CTHS (BC Division) Office - Boardroom #7 – 5492 Production Blvd. Surrey, BC The main purpose of this meeting is for the following: 1. to receive the annual reports of the Society; 2. to approve the appointment of the auditor for the 2022 fiscal year; 3. to transact such business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting. Dated this 30th day of May, 2023. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Note: Copies of the 2022 financial statements and minutes of the June 23, 2022 annual general meeting will be available at the meeting or upon request by contacting the office. As per Article XI, Section 9 (a) of the CTHS By-Laws, new business proposed to be discussed at the meetings of the Society, or any Regional Division thereof, shall be delivered in writing to the National Executive Secretary or Regional Secretary/General Manager as the case may be. Proposed new business, endorsed in writing by at least three (3) members entitled to vote at the meeting and received prior to the mailing of the Notice of the Meeting, shall be included in the agenda and may be subject of a vote at the meeting. Only voting members who are present are eligible to vote (no proxies).
What better way to launch the 2023 thoroughbred racing season at Hastings Racecourse than to stage a full-blown dinner party just prior to opening day? First race to launch the 2023 schedule at Hastings is set for 2 p.m., Sunday, April 30. Four nights earlier – Wednesday, April 26 – the industry celebrates its 2022 BC Thoroughbred Awards Dinner and Hall of Fame Inductions at the Italian Cultural Centre. Horses from 16 categories will be acknowledged for their performances at Hastings last year. Co-ordinator Minna Rytkonen issued secret ballots to a panel of selectors in December. The winners will be revealed by emcees Dan Jukich and Mike Heads highlighting the April 26 event. Season-ending stats following last year’s 45-day racing calendar confirmed the 2022 leading breeder (Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds), owner (Rob and Sheena Maybin), trainer (Edgar Mendoza) and jockey (Amadeo Perez) awards. BC Horse Racing Hall of Fame 2022 inductees, announced earlier by curator Randy Goulding, are Dr. Ed Wiebe (builder), Richard Hamel (jockey) and Robbie Anderson (trainer). “After a two-year interruption staging the Awards Dinner due to the pandemic, we’re looking forward to seeing everyone again as a kick-off to the 2023 racing season,” says B-J Davidson, CTHS-BC Regional General Manager. “We consider it a huge family gathering.”
COUNTERFORCE LEADING FRESHMAN SIRE IN CANADA; LEADING JUVENILE SIRE IN BC BC HORSE RACING INDUSTRY BONDS WITH POSITIVE NEWS ON ALL FRONTS
Standardbred Canada (SC) and the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS) are pleased to announce the development of a National Economic Impact Study. The two organizations are working with Serecon, a third-party research company, to conduct an economic scan and facilitate key stakeholder interviews through a national survey and provide further analysis. The goals of the project are: To increase the understanding of the current state of the sector; To identify and articulate the economic and social impacts of horse racing across the country; To develop strategic recommendations to ensure the sustainability and inclusivity of the horse racing sector; Socialize findings with key federal government stakeholders The study will review such economic drivers as cost of ownership, economic contribution from horses, and industry trends. “We are pleased to collaborate with Standardbred Canada to conduct the economic impact study for the Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing breeds,” said Adrian Munro, President of CTHS. “The study will build off of the pre-pandemic era to begin tracking overall impact drivers for our industry.” “This is a first for both national breed registries who have agreed to work together to collect data and information on the horse racing sector in Canada and using the key performance metrics that the survey provides will help us understand and measure our lines of business with the ultimate goal of building a sustainable future for the industry,” said Dan Gall, President and CEO of Standardbred Canada. The final report will be reviewed by CTHS and the SC Board of Directors and is scheduled to be submitted in January 2023. This report will provide an overview of the evolution and current state of the Canadian horse racing industry and highlight the economic and social impacts of the sector, outline challenges, opportunities, and recommendations to consider. Bob Burden, a Senior Director with Serecon, added that “Our team will accurately assess the total contribution of the Canadian horse racing industry to Canada's economy so that both associations will be better equipped to address challenges going forward”. Both parties, SC and CTHS, encourage the horse racing sector to provide information into the research being conducted to allow our sector to be as thorough and accurate as possible with the data collected. To take the survey click here .
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#7 - 5492 - Production Blvd. Surrey, B.C. V3S 8P5
(604) 534 -0145
FAX: (604) 534-CTHS (2847)
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