Wendy Inch (left) receives her Ontario Morgan Horse Club Hall of Fame award from Hall of Fame Chair Nancy Kavanagh (right) at the Canadian Morgan Horse Association Convention on March 2, 2024. Photo credit: Cheryl Payne.
The CMHA hosted its annual convention on March 1 -2, 2024 in Cobourg, Ontario
Guest Contributor: Lisa Ros
EC National Breed Sports Committee Member
The Canadian Morgan Horse Association (CMHA) hosted its annual convention on March 1 -2, 2024 in Cobourg, Ontario. This year’s convention consisted of the board of directors meeting, annual general members meeting, a variety of guest speakers and a year-end high point awards banquet.
A vibrant panel discussion with five CMHA members was held on the topic of how to make an income within the horse industry. Special thanks to the following individuals for their insightful knowledge and advice.
- Genevieve Kendall-Hayes: independent saddle fitter,
- Sandra Sanche: trainer, judge, and coach,
- Tina Collins: Equestrian Canada and Arabian Horse Association steward,
- David Kavanagh; commercial equine transport, and
- Lisa Ross: registered equine massage therapist.
Our keynote speaker was Brenda Thompson of Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue. Brenda spoke about her facility, the process of rescuing horses, and showcased some of the horses and other animals she has saved. Brenda has been instrumental in the rescue and successful rehoming of over 100 Morgan horses over the past four years. We met some of these new Morgan owners and we were happy they were able to join us!
The conclusion of the annual convention included a delicious banquet dinner, silent auction, and numerous award presentations. Both the Ontario and National high point awards were handed out. Congrats to all our winners!
Three special acknowledgements were made throughout the evening. The Ontario Morgan Horse Club’s Hall of Fame recognizes the dedication of its members and celebrates the achievements of Morgan Horses within Ontario. This year’s horse recipients were:
- Saddleback Sensation: a Morgan stallion that stood in Ontario in 1983 by Claire Wahl, who’s many offspring made lasting impressions;
- Adanac Brigadier: an amazing Morgan gelding who earned his two riders, Kimberly and Melissa Blease, many top ribbons on the show circuit in the 1980s; and,
- Wendy Inch of Sunny Acres Morgans from St. Thomas, Ontario.
Wendy and her husband Tim have been breeding and showing Morgan Horses for many years excelling in sport horse divisions such as dressage (both English and Western) and most notably, carriage driving. Wendy was completely surprised by this honor, and we were very excited to have her and her family accept their awards in person. Congratulations to all!