Page 17 - October 2008 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
The Game, October 2008 17
Equine Health Continued from Page 15
Chantal, the face of Mistura
By Chris Lomon
The aim is to make the stored stem cells available later to repair injured tendons and ligaments in the horses from which they were extracted. The service is being aimed primarily at high-pro le Thoroughbred farms Down Under. One of the 90 veterinarians trained to harvest the stem cells from placental tissue, Dr. Campbell Baker, heralds the technology as ground-breaking. “The collection and storage of the adult stem cells from the umbilical cord in readiness for stem cell therapy is marvelous technology that will help reduce equine wastage,” he says.
When Andi Marcus went looking
for the face that would represent her cosmetics company, she never expect- ed that person to be a jockey.
be involved with Mistura. She’s sweet, easy to work with and the camera just loves her. Everything just added up. She had modeling experience, she
Similar services are now available in the United Kingdom and Europe as well. British enterprise, VetCell BioScience Ltd., notes, “The umbilical cord is a very rich source of stem cells. Owners and breeders clearly have a long term busi- ness, and often personal, interest in the health and tness of the horses that they have bred. Cord blood storage provides the industry with something that may help to protect the horse’s long-term health, welfare, and career. This can be achieved with minimal disruption and at a low cost.”
“It was serendipitous,” said Marcus, who has watched her Ottawa-based company continue to ourish since it launched their product line in March. “I met a woman by the name of Domi- nique Sutherland at my son’s hockey tournament and mentioned that I had been looking for a spokesperson. We went out for dinner with our husbands and she mentioned that she had a sister who was a jockey that happened to be a Canadian champion.”
For Sutherland, who won the Sover- eign Award as Canada’s Top Appren- tice in 2001 and 2002, it has furthered her reputation as an athlete whose celebrity extends beyond the racetrack.
“She’s happy I chose her, but I’m simply thrilled at how this has gone so far. This isn’t a one-year term. I see this going a lot further.”
In the case of VetCell, that cost is 495 British pounds, with free storage of the cells for the rst four years of the horse’s life (the average projected racing period), and for a yearly fee thereafter.
“I remembered her from Vogue maga- zine,” noted Marcus, of the pictures snapped by award-winning photogra- pher Annie Leibovitz. “I had an issue at home and I looked at the pictures again. Then it hit me, ‘This is it. This is the girl.’”
was featured in Sports Illustrated, is a genuine thrill ride.
Interestingly, VetCell has recently changed its company name to MedCell and made the leap to human healthcare (VetCell remains a subsidiary), re ecting the growing worldwide interest in the orthopedic use of stem cells ... and the leading role equine research has played in its development.
“She was the perfect match in so many ways,” recalled Marcus. “I knew what I wanted in terms of a spokesper- son and she was it. I knew the search was over.”
“When we sent out the press release announcing Chantal as our spokesper- son, we were inundated with calls and emails,” added Marcus. “It turns out that an endorsement partnership like ours is a Canadian rst.”
“Chantal is the Danica Patrick of horseracing,” she said, in reference
to the IRL IndyCar Series rider, who has also done extensive modeling and product endorsements. “She is
a celebrity in every sense. There’s a really cool edge to her.”
Having worked tirelessly to build her company, Mistura Inc., into one of the most successful businesses of its kind in Canada, Marcus was determined to nd her ideal spokesperson, regardless of how long it might take.
had a very girl-next-door look and she’s fresh-faced. When you add in her unique profession, it was an ideal match for our company. Different is good.”
Jockey Chantal Sutherland spokes- person for Canadian cosmetics company Mistura Inc.
After a fairly exhaustive search that lasted over a year and a half, Marcus, CEO and President of Mistura Beauty, nally found what she was looking for.
To say that it has been a bene cial relationship for both is a huge under- statement.
When Marcus got home that night she searched the Internet for pictures of the Winnipeg-born Chantal Sutherland, who has been riding since 2000.
“It’s very gratifying because it
works so well on so many levels,” said Marcus. “It’s been amazing to see the reaction of people. There’s an element of intrigue when it comes to what Chantal does for a living. It’s not a traditional career for a woman and people are drawn to that.”
And for Marcus, aligning herself with one of world’s top female riders, who was voted one of People magazine’s “100 Most Beautiful” in 2006 and
Marcus and Sutherland met and the two hit it off immediately.
“It’s been wonderful,” said Suther- land. “I’m very, very happy with how everything has gone.”
“Chantal is a wonderful role model for women and brings with her an incredible sense of style and natural beauty in keeping with our branding,” said Marcus. “Her modeling experi- ence and global appeal drew us to her.”
Marcus, who was recently at Woodbine for a photo shoot with Sutherland for Mistura, has become an instant fan of horse racing.
For Marcus, it is one of her most satisfying business successes, one that has attracted the attention of the media, both local and national.
“I love it,” noted Marcus. “I really didn’t know all that much about it before I met Chantal, but it’s fun and fascinating.”
As for who has bene ted more from the partnership, Marcus is only too happy to point the nger at herself.
Sutherland, who is in the midst of a strong season at Woodbine, is thrilled by the response to her work with Mistura Beauty.
On September 30, Equine Guelph hosted
a Celebration of Partnerships dinner at Tralee Estate near Caledon, Ontario. Over one hundred industry leaders and partners joined in together in celebrating the accomplishments of Equine Guelph and to discuss its plans for the future.
Founded in 2003 at the University of Guelph, Equine Guelph is the horse owners’ and care givers’ Centre at the University. It is a unique partnership dedicated to the health and well-being
of horses, supported and overseen by
equine industry groups.
In ve short years, all facets of the equine industry have come together
– sitting around one table – to bene t horses and the people who love and work with them, from the child’s pony to the high-performance athlete and every discipline in between. Equine Guelph has become the epicentre for academia, industry and government – for the good of the equine industry as
a whole.
Five-year industry partners are:
search Fund, The Horsemen’s
Protective Association of Ontario, Ontario Eques- trian Federation, Ontario Harness Horse Association, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Af- fairs, Ontario Racing Commission, Ontario Veterinary College and the University of Guelph. More recently, Standardbred Canada and Equine
Canada have joined the meeting group.
The 5th Anniversary event included: network-
ing, the unveiling of the special Equine Guelph 5th Anniversary edition of Research Magazine, as well as a gourmet meal. All proceeds from the event went to support Equine Guelph and their initiatives.
For more information on Equine Guelph call 519.824.4120 ext. 54205 or horses@uoguelph.ca
“She was very excited and eager to
“I was the grateful one,” she said.
Equine Guelph Celebrates 5th Anniversary
E.P. Taylor Re- Benevolent and
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