Ansley Yeager

Ansley Yeager was born in 1862 in Norfolk County, Ontario. Provided a 50 acre property when a young man, he became a trusted dealer in quality horses. Proceeds from his early dealing endeavors allowed him to purchase the Charlie Brown Tavern, Renton, Ontario, near the town of Simcoe. He renamed it the Derby Tavern, which provided top class accomodations for those who traveled so far to buy horses from Yeager's Derby Stock Farm. Ansley traveled throughout Ontario and the northern US in search of suitable young prospect that he developed into high class harness and saddle horses. As he continued to breed and deal more horses, a farm on the south edge of Simcoe was bought in 1900. New stables were added as well as building Canada's first indoor arena for schooling horses. Ansley attended auctions at the New York Horse Exchange, paying top prices for breeding stock and proven show ring winners. Offspring from his Hackney stallions Hillhurst Sensation and Overton Prince were winning at horses shows across North America. Simcoe became a destination for buyers of top harness and saddle horses. A matched pair of harness horses were sold to the Prince Of Wales, and were shipped to England. An Arab Shiek bought another matched pair, and these were shipped to Saudi Arabia. The Shiek was so taken with his new pair, as a gift to Ansley, two white mules were shipped to Simcoe to the delight of local residents. A monkey became a stable mascot, and would cause havoc in the barn buy letting the mules loose to wander the property. During the first World War, he assembled large consignments of horses for used by the Canadian and British Military. He continued to promote and show hackney horses into the 1920s, he had entries in many classes at the first Royal Winter Fair. Ansley specialized in horses that would go on to be show ring winners, spent the time to develop them and became one of Norfolk County's leading businessmen in the early part of the 20th century. Mr. Yeager passed away in January, 1928.

(Inducted March 2012)