Dorothy and Ted Leggett
(1918 - 2010)
Inducted in 2023
Nominated by: Catherine Maguire
Ted and Dorothy Leggett
(Reprinted by permission of the author Dr. Helen Douglas, DVM from her 2011 book Horse of a Lifetime)
Ted and Dorothy Leggett were enthusiastic participants in the Ottawa equestrian community throughout both their lifetimes. The highly respected brother and sister were devoted to horses and to each other. For fifty years they owned and rode horses, starting with riding their ponies on Britannia Beach near Ottawa, Ontario. They were an integral part of the Ottawa horse scene and contributed much to it.
Ted served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during World War II and then worked in real estate. He stood several exceptional stallions, including SoySambu, at his beautiful Copanspin Farm on the Ottawa River near Dunrobin, Ontario. He was president of the Canadian Hunter Society and a director of the Ottawa Winter Fair. He was a senior Hunter judge and a Pony Club examiner. Ted loved hunting and was a Master of the Ottawa Valley Hunt. He was a horseman, a civic-minded philanthropist and a true gentleman.
Dorothy served in the RCAF Women’s Division during World War II. She had an illustrious academic career, spending most of it teaching physical education and kinesiology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Dorothy was a keen Hunter and Dressage rider and also hunted with her brother. She took charge of the boarders, the horse shows and the many clinics that were run at Copanspin. Dorothy was a well-respected riding teacher who encouraged many young people to further their riding and pursue lifelong careers with horses. A kind and positive instructor, she generously shared her time and resources over many years. She later owned and operated Spindrift Farm, named after her first horse, near Almonte, Ontario.
Brother and sister participated in and enjoyed all aspects of horsemanship simply for the love of the horse. They were caring and loyal to each other. Throughout Ted’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease, Dorothy was his trusted companion, visiting him almost daily. When she was put into hospital herself, she still managed to see him several times a week. Ted and Dorothy Leggett died within two months of each other in the fall of 2010. The Ottawa horse community was deeply saddened by their passing, and they will be missed by many. Indeed, it is the end of an era.
Ted was in his 88th year and Dorothy was in her 92nd year, when they both passed away in 2010.
Contributed by Grits McMullen:
Ted Leggett was a Master of the OVH (Ottawa Vally Hunt) for a period in the late 60’s. Ted adored Hunting and hunted his homebreds with great gusto. He bred some of the very best horses in the Valley, selling many of them down to the U.S. as they adored “Canadian Hunters”!
They (Ted and Dorothy) were well known for their generosity to younger people who did not have the funds to buy one of their special babies.
At one point he stood 3 Stallions at his most wonderful Copanspin Farm in Dunrobin: Soy Sambu, Eiffel and Paroueade Ground.
Ted and Dorothy hosted the first Canadian Breeders’ Show every Labour Day Weekend. Just the most popular horse show around with tons of competition on the line and also in the saddle and over fences. (I competed there in 1977). They brought in National and American Judges. Many wonderful prizes along with gorgeous ribbons.
Their beautiful Equestrian Farm (Copanspin) overlooked the Ottawa River and there wasn’t a Prettier Horse Show around. A Heart Attack when Ted was visiting Florida unfortunately stopped Copanspin Farms’ operations.
Contributed by Jen Stewart:
My former husband, Kip Jones, was Ted Leggett's barn manager and trainer in the early to mid 70s. We lived in the barn apartment and became close friends with Ted and Dorothy. While working on my doctorate at McGill University, I helped Ted get his young horses ready for the track, showed some of his lovely homebred Canadian Sport Horse - although Kip did most of the showing - and bred two mares to his stallions, SoySambu and Paroueade Ground.
Our dog, Wreck, a wolf-shepherd cross, was the dedicated guard for Ted's herd and loved his job so much, that I had to return him to Copanspin when I left Ottawa to go back to teach at McGill after Kip and I separated. Ted adored Wreck and took him to Florida with him every year. I continued to help Ted with the annual Ottawa Valley Breeders Show and stayed in touch with him until his passing.