Jack Leitch

For many years, Jack Leitch, businessman and horse lover, owned Leitchcroft Farms located just north of Toronto in Thornhill, Ontario.  Purchased by his father in 1932, and with an address on Hwy 7, it stretched from Leslie Street in the east to Bayview Avenue in the west.  Over the years, it was developed to become a full-service “Centre of Equitation”,  where horse lovers could board, ride, show and simply hang out.  For a number of years, it was also a breeding farm and at its peak, the farm had close to 200 boarders and a riding school with about 40 horses.

During the 1980’s and early 1990’s, Toronto CADORA was fortunate to be able to hold many shows and other events with Jack’s daughter, Jeannie, one of the chief organizers.  Jack’s generosity of spirit and support for dressage, show jumping, hunter trials and other equestrian disciplines in the Toronto area for so many years enabled these sports to flourish not only locally, but on a national scale.  Leitchcroft Farms offered a serene environment in which riders, trainers and owners could work and play with their horses in a multitude of settings – from the Olympic-size arenas in which many large scale competitions were held, to the cross-country and hunter courses, sand and dressage rings and riding school.  Indeed, Leitchcroft was considered by many, the hub of equestrian activity in the Greater Toronto Area and played host to many championships, pre-Royal warm-ups and Olympic qualifiers.  Many are the indelible memories left in the minds of horse people from far and wide of a bygone era in Toronto’s equestrian history.

When it became clear that creeping urbanization was not to be stopped, the farm was sold and gradually began the task of closing down operations.  For most the 1990’s and until its closing in 1997, it was leased out to CornerStone Farms and functioned primarily as a riding school with a few boarders and a show facility.

Toronto CADORA recognizes Jack Leitch for his support of and dedication to the horse industry during the many glorious years of Leitchcroft Farms, the use of which he extended to the equestrian community simply because he loved the sport.