Page 83 - September 2023

HIS EARLY YEARS
Born in Wales, Bryn immigrated to
Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada, with his parents after his dad, Leonard, homesteaded land in Alberta, then left it to fight for Canada in World War II. He then brought his wife, Margarett, and t their only child, Bryn, over from Wales to join
h him. By that time, Leonard had lost claim to his homestead due to not working it during the war.
Bryn met Carol, the daughter of Jack and Grace Dyce from the Islington area, through friends and the couple married in 1966. Around that time, Jack bought a 150-acre farm i i n n H H i i l l l l s s b bu u r r g g h h a a n nd d a a s s k k e e d d B B r r y y n n a a n nd d C C a a r r o ol l t t o o take care of it, so 57 years ago, they moved to Hillerin Farm, where they still live today.
After Bryn met Carol, who’d shown English a a n n d d t t h h e e n n t t u u r r n n e e d d t t o o b b a a r r r r e e l l r r a a c c i i n n g g , , h h e e c c a a u u g g h ht t t t h h e e horse bug and learned to ride. The couple then p p a a r r t t i i c c i ip p a a t t e e d d p p r r o o v v i i n n c c e e - -w w i i d d e e i i n n b b a a r r r r e e l l r r a a c c i i n n g g a a n n d d p p o o l l e e b b e e n n d d i i n n g g , , a a n n d d r r a a c c i i n n g g f f o o r r f f u u n n i i n n q q u u a a r r t t e e r r- -
m m i i l l e e r r a a c c e e s s o o n n f f a a r r m m s s n n o o r r t t h h o o f f T To o r r o o n n t t o o . .
“ “A A f f t t e e r r f f i i n n i i s s h h i i n n g g s s c c h h o o o o l l , , I I w w o o r r k k e e d d a a s s a a salesman most of my life,” Bryn says. He sold Harvester silos and agricultural equipment,
t t h h e e n n r r e e t t i i r r e e d d f f r r o o m m s s a a l l e e s s i i n n 2 2 0 01 11 1. . D D u u r r i i n n g g h h i i s s s s a a l l e e s s career, the couple raised their son Michael, a full-time farrier and licensed assistant trainer;
a a n n d d d d a a u u g g h ht t e e r r s s K K i i m m S S a a b b i i l l a a , , w w h h o o h h a a s s w w o o r r k k e e d d i i n n
a a g g r r i i c c u u l l t t u u r r e e f f i i n n a a n n c c e e a a n n d d p p u u t t s s h h e e r r g g r r o o o o m m ’ ’s s l l i i c c e e n n s s e e to work by helping the family at the track; and J J o o d d i i P P e e n n d d r r y y, , a a m m a a s s s s a a g g e e t t h h e e r r a a p p i i s s t t a a n n d d o o s s t t e e o o p p a a t t h h
who owns a Nordic spa and has also used her skills on equines. All their kids have been active in the horse industry, as have their grandkids.
B B r r y y n n a a n nd d C C a a r r o ol l r r a a n n t t h he e i i r r f f i i r r s s t t o of f f f i ic c i i a a l l r r a a c c e e a a t t P P i i c c o o v v D D o o w w n n s s’ ’ J J - - t t r r a a c c k k i i n n 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . “ “ I I l l i i k k e e d d t t h h e e speed events, so I decided to get a racehorse,” B B r r y y n n s s a a y y s s . . “ “ S S o o , , w w e e w w e e n nt t t t o o L L e e s s B B a a k k e e r r a a n n d d
b b o o u u g g h h t t a a h h o o r r s s e e o o f f f f h h i i m m a a n n d d t t o o o o k k i i t t t t o o a a t t r r a a i i n n e e r r. . He won a few races and got me hooked.”
BECOMING OFFICIAL
B B r r y y n n g g o o t t h h i i s s t t r r a a i i n n e e r r ’ ’s s l l i i c c e e n n s s e e i i n n 2 2 0 0 0 0 4 4 a a n n d d
h h i it t t t h h e e g g r r o o u u n n d d r r u u n n n n i i n n g g . . O O n n e e o o f f t t h h e e i i r r e e a a r r l l y y homebreds, Home On The Bayou (Down Home Dash-What A Bayou, Billy Billy Bayou) w w a a s s f f o o a a l l e e d d i i n n 2 2 0 0 0 0 7 7. . A A t t t t h h r r e e e e , , t t h h e e g g e e l l d d i i n n g g w w o o n n an All Canadian Derby trial, ran fourth in the Alex Picov Memorial Championship and third in the Ontario-Bred & Foaled Derby.
Around 2008, Bryn and Carol officially
p partnered 50/50 on the horses with their son
M Mike and daughter-in-law Jaime, who also works s a as director of regulatory compliance for a dental company. “The partnership came naturally,” says Mike, who met Jaime while they were showing Quarter Horses in games and pleasure events. “Jaime and I were kind of fading out of the barrel racing but still loved the horses, so we decided to join Mom and Dad in the racing game.”
Married for 26 years, Mike now does all the farm’s shoeing and galloping, and Jaime manages the horses’ care including feed,
supplements, medications and grooming at the farm. Carol has done outside office work besides managing the farm’s book work and race entries.
“I love to see my parents having the same p p a a s s s s i i o on n f f o o r r t t h h e e h h o o r r s s e e s s a a n n d d I I a a d d m m i i r r e e t t h h e e i i r r hard work,” Mike says. “They just love doing t t h h e e h h o o r r s s e e s s t t o o g g e e t t h h e e r r a a n n d d i i t t ’ ’s s n n i i c c e e t t o o s s e e e e t t h h e e m m
t t o o g g e e t t h h e e r r d d o o i i n n g g n n i i g g h h t t c c h h e e c c k k . .” ”
T T h h e e R R o o b b e e r r t t s s o on n s s a a l l s s o o g g r r o o w w h h a a y y o on n t t h h e e i i r r
a a c c r r e e a a g g e e f f o o r r t t h h e e h h o o r r s s e e s s t t h h e e y y r r a a i i s s e e a a n n d d t t r r a a i i n n . . “ “ W We e all go down to the barn early every morning
t t o o f f e e e e d d , , c c l le e a a n n s s t t a a l l l l s s a a n nd d p pu ut t t t h he e h ho or r s s e e s s o on n t t h he e w w a a l l k k e e r r b b e e f f o o r r e e o o u u r r w w o o r r k k d d a a y y s s , , t t h h e e n n w w e e r r e e p p e e a a t t i it t all after work,” Jaime says.
In 2009, at the Heritage Place Sale, the family purchased the horse that they consider their foundation: Had To Be Fandango (Hadtobenuts-Grim Fandango, Strawfly Special). The 2008 Jud Little-bred mare, whom t they call Fannie, won the Maple Leaf Derby and t the Ajax Downs Maiden Stakes at three, then at f four ran second in the All Canadian Classic and t the Alex Picov Memorial Championship. She was retired in 2013 due to injury. Her stakes- winning success was proven on the track, but her t true worth came in the foaling barn.
“She was our best broodmare and we always tried to breed her to proven stallions: Ivory James, Five Bar Cartel and Hes Relentless,” Bryn says of the beloved mare they lost to
h h e e a a l lt t h h p p r r o o b b l l e e m m s s t t h h i i s s p p a a s s t t s s p p r r i i n n g g . . “ “M My y g g o o a a l l i i s s to breed good racehorses. It’s a compliment to
“I love to see my parents having the same passion for the horses and I admire their hard work. They just love doing the horses together and it’s nice to see them together doing night check.” – Mike Robertson
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Courtesy Robertson Family
Mike and Jaime Robertson, Bob Broadstock and Bryn and Carol Robertson accept awards at the 2016 Champion Awards at Ajax Downs.
Daughter-in-law Jaime and Had To Be Fandango.
SPEEDHORSE September 2023 81