Irene Wyatt - ApHCC Hall of Fame

If ever there was a name synonymous with the Appaloosa in Ontario, it would be Caston and nobody would argue that the mainstay of this family was Edith.

Born in 1926, Edith attended school in a small one-room building a short ride from home and finished her higher education in Wyevale. Horses were part of her life on the farm and she developed a lifelong love for them.

She and her husband, Ted, opened a riding stable with a couple of old farm horses soon after they were married and it continued to provide riding experience for hundreds of tourists for almost 40 years.

Sometime during those early years, the Appaloosa horse caught Edith's eye and she and Ted set out to bring some of the finest to Ontario. By the mid-sixties, a couple of residents at their farm were Top Hat H and Colovo Jr. By now there were also five kids and many more horses soon followed. A young stallion, Wapiti's Senor, purchased from Jim Wild, joined the growing herd. Their breeding program produced many notable horses including Colovo Jrs Doll, Senors JoeBee, Wapiti's Senor Pal, Ima Doll, Ima Doll Too, Mr. Colovo Jr and Senors Miss Fashion.

Showing their horses was a family affair. They all traveled together, with Edith usually doing the driving. She was the organizer, hair dresser, horse groomer, fashion co-ordinater and cook who made the list and checked it twice to make sure every one and every thing was on time and just so. And they were very successful.

Edith was a tireless Appaloosa promoter. She was a staunch support of Youth programs and has received recognition for her contributions made to the ApHCC Youth Scholarship Fund. Edith served as a Director of the Ontario Appaloosa Horse Association for many years and was the Editor of their newsletter.

She truly loved the spotted horse and instilled that love in her children, grandchildren and anyone who had the privilege to know her.