Thoroughbreds Reimagined: The Show Ring’s Unsung Stars

TORONTO, August 28, 2025— Stuart Black was a wide-eyed teenager when he discovered something seemingly unimaginable, yet profoundly magical, about the Thoroughbred breed.

The 16-year-old from Macclesfield, England – a market town and civil parish on the River Bollin, roughly 25 kilometres south of Manchester – found himself in Ireland in the spring of 1975, eager to elevate his equestrian education.

Working under the watchful eye of Van de Vater, a well-respected and successful international rider, Black quickly noticed the distinct type of horses that dominated the property.

“He would always have the best Thoroughbreds there to compete with,” recalled Black, of the man who competed for Ireland – he rode a Thoroughbred – at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Quebec. “In Europe, with there being two types of Thoroughbreds, Flats and Steeplechasers, the latter were more designed for three-day eventing, but he imprinted on me – along with my stepmother – that conformation is soundness, and the stamina and mind of a Thoroughbred is unparalleled. If you get the right one, you have the best horse in the world. That has been the case since my days growing up in Europe to now.”

Fifty years after that formative trip to Ireland, Black went on to become one of Canada’s most decorated three-day event riders.

Since beginning his international career at age 16, he has represented both Canada and the United States at major competitions. His résumé includes a silver team medal at the 1987 Pan American Games and appearances in two Olympic Games.

Other noteworthy accomplishments include winning The Kentucky 3-day event in 1992 with Von Perrier – still the only Canadian to do so to this day – the Radnor Hunt International 3-day event (on three occasions), Red Hills Horse Trials, The Fork, Colorado Horse Park three-day event.

Today, Black and his partner Victoria Knox run SV Equestrian International Inc., a full-service boarding, training, and competition facility located in Moffat, Ontario – a hamlet in rural Milton along the Greenbelt route, surrounded by picturesque farmland.

Of the 26 horses on the property, 20 are Thoroughbreds.

“You have to look at the fact a Thoroughbred is approximately 1,000 to 1,200 pounds and it will only do what it wants to do for you,” said Black. “A horse’s mind and willingness to do things with us is why we looked to them centuries ago. Working with them is wonderful. Having that calmness which makes a great racehorse, it also makes a great competition horse.”

Just like Irunformillersburg did.

Bred and owned by Judith B. Sherman, the son of Replant out of the Exbury (FR) mare Devriya raced 14 times, all at Canterbury Park in Minnesota. He recorded one win, three top-three finishes, and earned $4,004 in purse money.

But in the show world, Irunformillersburg reached new heights with Black.

“He was 17 hands, leggy, and had some issues. But he had a quiet mind, so I could do dressage with him. He was careful over the show jumps and he was brave in cross country.”

The bay gelding also turned heads.

“He ended up being fifth at Rolex (Grand Slam of Show Jumping event) in the International Division and was selected as the best-conditioned horse,” recalled Black. “They give a prize every year to the horse who is the best athlete of the competition, and he got it. I knew he would because he didn’t gallop, he glided. He was so easy on himself, and he had a magnificent temperament.”

For Black, it was yet another reminder of the breed’s versatility and athleticism.

“The sport has changed at the Olympic level, where speed and jump ability are key. If you are competing in Kentucky and it happens to rain, the Bluegrass turns to sponge. If you are on a warmblood trying to get home at top speed over four miles, it is not really going to happen. If you are on a Thoroughbred, it is like having a full tank the whole time. They handle things so much differently.”

That deep admiration has made Black a passionate advocate for Thoroughbreds after their racing careers end.

He’s also a staunch supporter of Southern Belle Thoroughbreds.

Established in 2017 by Katie Larsen, the matching service pairs off-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs) who have competed at Woodbine or Fort Erie with new career and life opportunities beyond the racetrack.

To date, Southern Belle – Larsen, along with Natalie Frost, who represents Southern Belle at Fort Erie, comprise the team – has helped rehome over 2,000 horses.

“I met Katie years ago at Empire Equine when she asked me to come and help her out with her Thoroughbred mare,” recalled Black. “She was getting back into riding. Katie then started Southern Belle. She has taken a business that was tiny and made it into something quite remarkable. For them to find homes, for these horses to get the respect they deserve, find fulfilling lives and know they are making people happy – it is wonderful.”

Larsen is grateful for Black’s strong endorsement of the breed.

“Rehoming retired racehorses to Stuart feels like an honour, given his decorated status in the competitive sport horse world,” said Larsen. “He has a natural eye and can detect the talent and potential that these OTTBs inherit beyond their careers on the track.

“Seeing the horses thriving in their second careers is truly the basis behind Southern Belle Thoroughbreds,” continued Larsen. “They are such a keen and versatile breed, so to watch them in the show ring getting the recognition that they deserve post racing – this is what I live for.”

Over the years, Black has developed a unique method for identifying potential in OTTBs during visits to the track.

“When I first go in the stall, I rub them between the eyes and if they stand still and let me rub them like that, you know they have a great mind. It might sound strange, but it is something I have found in very much the same way when I feel their legs, down their spine – I only get 10 or 15 minutes to look at a horse and then I must make a decision if they are right for us.”

Blind Trust most certainly is.

The bay son of Frac Daddy out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Me Love raced 15 times, winning three times and finishing in the top three on eight occasions.

Bred in Ontario, the grey gelding came to Black in December 2022.

“It is so important how they are viewed after their racing career. He is a very special horse. He is seven, but I think he will eventually be an international Event horse. His name is now SV Northern Lights. He is a very difficult horse to deal with, but he is a very talented horse. He is the epitome of what a Thoroughbred racehorse can be in the show world.”

That transition takes time and patience.

“It isn’t just looking at the horse at the track,” said Black. “When we bring the horse home, their routine and skill set is going to change away from the races. In North America, we race to the left. With the Thoroughbreds, once they are here, there will be times when they work two-thirds of the time to the right and one-third to the left for a time. So, they need to be ambidextrous. But they are very willing to learn.”

Trick and Treat, bred and owned by Stablemates, is the latest Southern Belle Thoroughbreds addition to SV Equestrian International Inc.

The five-year-old bay mare has fit in seamlessly since coming to Black.

“We absolutely adore her. What Katie sees, as I do, is that they are lovely animals. I hope others, in eventing and elsewhere, see that. Some of these racehorses have barely scratched the surface – there is very much a wonderful, beautiful athlete there wanting to do other things.

It’s a message Black has spent a lifetime sharing – with students and the broader equestrian community.

Many of Black’s students have gone on to successful riding careers, including Skyler Icke Voss, Ashley Minion, Rebecca Howard, Hawley Bennett-Awad, Sinead Maynard (Halpin), Sean McQuillan, Barry Thomason, and Bobby Meyerhoff. All of them have come to appreciate what Thoroughbreds can achieve in the show ring.

For the man whose journey began with a teenage trip to Ireland, it’s a full-circle moment – one anchored in a lifelong admiration for a breed that has never ceased to amaze him.

“Thoroughbreds… they are magnificent in every sense of the word.” ​ ​

Chris Lomon, Woodbine