Mark Samuel
“Equine Canada announced today that Mark Samuel, a founding member of the Jump Canada Committee and an accomplished equestrian and entrepreneur, has been elected as the new Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Group IV Chair during the recent FEI General Assembly held in Istanbul, Turkey.”
The Samuel family and Sam-Son Farm have a long history with champion horses in showjumping, racing, and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. The late Tammy Samuel Balaz was inducted posthumously as a Builder in 2011 and was also a Director of Woodbine Entertainment Group. Tammy’s late father E.L. (Ernie) Samuel, was a Builder Inductee in 1998. Several of Sam-Son Farm horses are members of the CHRHF including Dancethruthedawn (2011), leading sire Smart Strike (2008), Classy ‘n Smart (2004), Chief Bearhart (2002), Sky Classic (1998) and Dance Smartly (1995), a Sovereign Award Horse of the Year, Eclipse Award winner and member of the US Hall of Fame.
Notably, sons and daughters of Smart Strike (Mr. Prospector-Classy ‘n Smart), including Curlin ($10,501,800), have earned upwards of a record $89.6 million to the end of 2011.
Ernie Samuel and his wife Elizabeth also owned Canadian Club, an ex-racehorse who won an Individual Gold Medal and contributed to a Team Bronze Medal as part of Canada’s showjumping team at the 1968 Olympic Games. He was ridden by Jim Day, Canadian Equestrian Team member, and Hall of Fame Trainer Inductee (2006) who trained many of the Samuel’s Hall of Fame racehorses.