David Anderson, a titan of Canada’s horse-breeding world, is staring down an uncertain April 2 deadline with dread. Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump hit pause on a plan to slap 25% tariffs on select Canadian and Mexican goods—a move now delayed until April 2. If the tariffs kick in, Anderson warns it could spell disaster for Canada’s horse-racing scene.
As the head of Anderson Farms in St. Thomas, Ontario, and president of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society, he’s got a front-row seat to the potential fallout. “We’re talking all horses—thoroughbreds, show ponies, kids’ rides, draft breeds. Everyone takes a hit,” he said.
The tariffs would snarl cross-border travel for thoroughbreds during breeding season, which kicked off in February and runs through June. Canadian mares often head to Kentucky for top-tier stallions, returning home to foal Canadian-bred champs. Case in point: last year’s King’s Plate top three—including winner Caitlinhergrtness—all hailed from Kentucky sires. Tariffs would slap a 25% fee on Canadian-born horses entering the U.S., with Canada likely firing back with its own levies.
A temporary fix exists—a year-long entry permit—but it’s a cash drain. Owners must front a bond matching the tariff, refundable only if the horse returns within 12 months, paperwork in hand. Last year, 268 Canadian yearlings fetched $12.4 million USD at auction. A 25% tariff on that haul? A cool $3.1 million USD—or $4.5 million CAD—blow to breeders.
“It’s a mess—‘fluid’ and ‘clear as mud,’” Anderson quipped, noting he’s been scrambling with U.S. racing execs to decode the threat. “Breeders are the backbone. No foals, no races. It’s like shuttering the factory.”