William Graham, Gustav Schickedanz to be honoured with the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit

TORONTO, December 17, 2018 – The Jockey Club of Canada announced that William D. Graham and Gustav Schickedanz will each be presented with the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit for their life long dedication and commitment to Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada.

Nominated by the Jockey Club of Canada’s Stewards, the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit honours those who have accomplished outstanding individual achievements and have made a significant contribution to the Thoroughbred industry in Canada.

William D. Graham, the owner of Windhaven Farms, won his first Sovereign Award in 1989 with Champion Two-Year-Old Filly Wavering Girl. Since then, he has won four Sovereign Awards including the 2012 Sovereign Award for Outstanding Breeder. Mr. Graham has been involved in the Canadian Thoroughbred industry for approximately 50 years. He has bred multiple stakes winners including 2012 Horse of the Year and Champion Two-Year-Old Colt Uncaptured, who became the first two-year-old to be named Canada’s Horse of the Year since 1986. Windhaven Farms won the Canadian Oaks with multiple stakes winner Blondeinamotel and has continued their success in 2018 with multiple stakes winning homebred Tiz Breathtaking, among other successful horses.

Gustav Schickedanz first became involved with Thoroughbreds in the early 1970s. He bred and raced the extremely
talented colt Langfuhr. The Sovereign Award winner in 1996 as Champion Sprinter continued his success in the breeding shed as an accomplished sire producing six champions including homebred Wando, winner of the 2003 Canadian Triple Crown. Mr. Schickedanz won his first of two Queen’s Plates with homebred Woodcarver and is the breeder/owner of seven Sovereign Award winners. Gustav Schickedanz also bred multiple stakes winners including Gal In A Ruckus, the only Canadian-bred to win the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks Stakes, and Jambalaya, the only Canadian-bred to win the Grade 1 Arlington Million Handicap.

The Jockey Club of Canada is proud to present the E.P. Taylor Award of Merit to these most deserving individuals. The 44th Annual Sovereign Awards Ceremony honouring Canada’s Champions will take place at Chateau Le Jardin on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

The Jockey Club of Canada was founded in 1973 by E.P. Taylor to serve as the international representative of the Canadian Thoroughbred industry. The mission of The Jockey Club of Canada is to promote and maintain a high standard for Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada at a level which is recognized internationally for the benefit of all those interested in the sport including the general public by operations and services such as, but not limited to: evaluating all Graded, Listed and Black-type races in Canada annually; conducting the annual Sovereign Awards for outstanding achievement in Thoroughbred racing and breeding in Canada; maintaining a field office in Canada for the Jockey Club of the United States and the Jockey Club Registry Service; and by representing Canada as a Member of the IFHA.

(The Jockey Club of Canada)