Windfields Farm

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Windfields Farm is a 6 square kilometre (1,500 acre) thoroughbred horse breeding farm in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1937, the business originated with a property near the city of Toronto known as Parkwood Stable when it was owned by Colonel Sam McLaughlin of McLaughlin Automobile fame. It was purchased by businessman E. P. Taylor and became known as The National Stud of Canada until he renamed it Windfields Farm in honor of his first great champion. As population growth overtook the operation, it eventually moved to Oshawa and later would expand to include a second farm in Chesapeake City, Maryland.

The farm is the birthplace of racing great and champion sire Northern Dancer, whom the NTRA states is "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history." A national icon in Canada, Northern Dancer died in 1990 at Windfields' Maryland farm but was returned to his birthplace in Oshawa for burial.

Windfields Farm bred Northern Dancer's sons Nijinsky II, Secreto, and The Minstrel, all of whom won the Epsom Derby. For the entire decade of the 1960's, the farm was the number one breeding operation in North America. In the 1983 Keeneland, Kentucky horse auction, one of Windfields' colts became the first $10 million yearling.

Horses owned by Windfields Farm have won 11 Queen's Plate races, as well as the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Following the death of E.P. Taylor, his son Charles took over as manager and since his passing, Charles' wife Noreen and sister Judith Taylor Mappin run the business. The Maryland farm was eventually sold and Rowland Farm and the Northern Stallion Station occupy the land.

Burials at Windfields Farm, Oshawa:

Archers Bay (1995-2002)
Canadiana (1950-1971)
New Providence (1956-1981)
Northern Dancer (1961-1990)
South Ocean (1967-1989)
Vice Regent (1967-1995)
Victoria Park (1957-1985)
Windfields (1943-1969)

[edit] Windfields Estate

Windfields Estate was the home of E. P. Taylor and was situated at 2489 Bayview Avenue in North York, Ontario. Presently run as the Norman Jewison Directors School. The 10 hectare (25 acre) estate has been preserved as a heritage site.