Gayle Ecker acknowledged for Equine Guelph leadership, inspiring a $7 million bequest

On Tuesday, October 22 at the Arboretum Centre, Director Gayle Ecker was honoured for her more than 20 years of leadership at Equine Guelph. She was also recognized for inspiring a transformative bequest of approximately  $7 million from the Estate of Donna Moore designated for the centre’s operations and equine research.  

Hosted by Byron Beeler, the inaugural Chair of the Equine Guelph Advisory Board, 50 guests from the equine industry, including past and present Advisory Council members, and University faculty and administrators assembled to celebrate the Centre’s growth and development during Ecker’s tenure as Director.  

Among those offering tributes were the U of G Board of Governors Chair Nancy Brown Andison, OVC Dean Dr. Jeff Wichtel, and Ontario Harness Horse Association President James Whelan. 

“Gayle and the Equine Guelph team have garnered worldwide respect for excellence in knowledge exchange, and improving the lives of horses everywhere,” said Wichtel. “Remarkably, Equine Guelph currently provides quality education to horse people across Canada and in dozens of other countries around the world.” 

“I am delighted to be here, representing the University of Guelph, in celebrating Equine Guelph under Gayle Ecker’s leadership,” said Andison. “It is fitting that industry representatives have come together to honour her 20 years of exceptional service in developing educational opportunities for their workers.” 

As Director, Ecker has always considered advocating for resources to be a key part of her role. In her more than 20 years of representing the centre at equine events across the province, she has spoken to thousands of industry members about the importance of securing the wellness of the horse that serves at the centre of their operations.  

One of those members with whom Ecker had frequent conversations over the years was Dean Leifso, who was the former President of the International Trotting Association, Chair of Standardbred Canada, and Director of Equine Canada. Leifso is also the founding partner of Leifso & Leifso, a 40-year-old law firm in Hanover, Ontario, whose practice includes Estate Law. When his client, Donna Moore, detailed in her bequest that her estate would be designated to an “institution or institutions that are doing equine research,” as sole executor, Leifso contacted Ecker and OVC. “I knew that Equine Guelph was the preeminent research centre for horses in Ontario and Canada,” said Leifso. “It only made sense to provide the estate to a world class equine research institution that was essentially in Donna’s backyard.”  

“This bequest has been transformational,” said Ecker. “Whereas the gift to create the E.P. Taylor Equine Research Fund focused on the health and performance of racehorses, the Donna Moore Estate offers us the opportunity to support much broader equine health and welfare inquiries. Additionally, the support for operations frees me to work on new initiatives in the education and communications space.”  

With this event, host Beeler sought to acknowledge Ecker’s success in manifesting the vision of Equine Guelph as an international centre of excellence dedicated to the improvement of horse wellness. “From a standing start in 2003, Equine Guelph now enrolls students from more than 50 countries,” said Beeler.  

Equine Guelph was originally established by equine industry groups who sought a vehicle to increase research regarding horse wellness and performance, and educational opportunities for their workers. Today the Advisory Council is made up of representatives from more than a dozen equine organizations like Standardbred Canada, The Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association, Ontario Equestrian, and the Ontario Harness Horse Association. 

To Ecker, what was essential was not only achieving a better understanding of the causes, prevention, and treatment of equine health concerns through research but also ensuring the immediate communication of those insights to industry members. Equine Guelph’s electronic newsletter boasts distribution to more than 6,000 individuals which also includes national and international media outlets with distribution lists of their own. The newsletter receives an outstanding 57% open rate.  

Further, a key mandate for Ecker was the provision of up-to-date technical and safety training for workers. To this end, she and her team have developed nearly 20 courses, mostly online, with various combinations resulting in U of G certificates or the Diploma in Equine Studies. Recently, she has begun to offer a hands-on workshop that prepares first responders for emergency situations, such as barn fires and trailer roll-overs involving horses or other large animals.   

For the younger set, Equine Guelph’s traveling, interactive display called EquiMania! is a welcome addition to several annual and special events including the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.  

“EquiMania! has served to introduce thousands of children to horse health and welfare,” said Ecker. “They are such an important audience as the next generation of horse industry workers.” 

Ecker is the only Canadian recipient of the USA-based Equine Industry Vision Award, presented at the American Horse Publications Annual Convention.  In 2015, presenter Kate Russo was quoted as saying, “We are proud to recognize Gayle for her heartfelt work in connecting people, especially youth, with horses. Gayle’s passion for utilizing science-based knowledge to educate people on the health of horses is unmatched.”