Page 19 - November 2016 Thoroughbred Highlight

Jackie commissioned Van to do 24 portraits for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Bromont, Quebec. The Canadian Equestrian Team included riders Jim Elder and Jim Day. After Van and Ron moved to a suburb of Toronto, Jim Day invited Van to Woodbine where he was training Thoroughbred racehorses for Ernie Samuel’s Sam-Son Farm.
A eet, trained by Phil England, was the rst racehorse that Van painted and she has since spent the better part of 30 years capturing the beauty and character of both people and horses at the racetrack in her paintings.
Now at age 84 Van is hoping to inspire today’s generation to continue with the old tradition of capturing moments in history in the sport with painted pieces of art. Also in an effort to ensure that some of the history of the last three decades is preserved for generations to come, Van is now offering to sell and nd homes for some of the original paintings and prints that she has painted over the years.
An original portrait of Hall of Fame, Champion, Horse of the Year, Skip Away
Van’s original, life size portraits of Man ‘o War and Secretariat are for sale and are currently on display in the Woodbine Club at Woodbine.
Gary Sutherland
Talkin’ Horses Groom of the Year
On Talkin’ Horses last episode of 2016, groom Gary Sutherland’s name was chosen among the Groom of the Week winners to win a $100 gift card to Wendel Clark’s Classic Grill & Bar.
Photo: Gary Sutherland with Tepin after her WO Mile win
A groom in Trinidad since 1979, Gary has been working for Woodbine’s leading trainer, Mark Casse, since arriving in Canada in 2002.
This year Gary had the pleasure of being the groom of Tepin while she was stabled at Woodbine for the Woodbine Mile. He has also been the groom of multiple graded stakes winner, Pool Play, Catch a Glimpse (when she was at Woodbine in her Horse of the Championship year) and Hydrogen, when he won the 2003 Valedictory H.
Gary won Groom of the Week on Talkin’ Horses
in July for Manfred and Penny Conrad’s homebred
2 year-old, State of Honor, whom he had brought over for the Victoria Stakes.
Coming off of a maiden breaking win on October 17, State of Honor most recently nished second in the 2016 Coronation Futurity at Woodbine November 13.
Gary & State of Honor
Thoroughbred Highlight - Page 19 - November 2016