Amanda Knowles and Luke Tokaruk have opened their hunter, jumper and equitation training business, Bayshore Farms, with locations in Newmarket, ON, and Wellington, FL. Photo by Jennifer Wood

November 22, 2010 – Newmarket, Ontario – Luke Tokaruk and Amanda Knowles have opened the doors of their training operations at Bayshore Farms in Newmarket, ON.

This past August, Bayshore Farms established a full-service hunter/jumper stable offering training, showing and sales with the aim of providing a competitive training atmosphere for clients ranging from ponies to equitation to the Grand Prix jumper ring. Bayshore Farms has aligned itself with top equine care professionals to offer an environment of exquisite horse care and maintenance while also ensuring expertise in matching riders with mounts that will carry them to success in the show ring.

Luke Tokaruk, 26, enjoyed an incredibly successful career in top-level equitation with skills developed under the expert eye of legendary trainer Missy Clark, who is renowned for her expertise in equitation and jumper divisions throughout the United States. After moving with his family at age 12 to Tennessee, Tokaruk amassed an extensive collection of first place ribbons in the jumpers, junior hunter and equitation classes before becoming a working student for Clark and her North Run operation in Warren, VT. While acquiring his Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of Kentucky, Tokaruk began working for Clark in a professional capacity and continued his development and winning ways competing throughout the Northeast and Florida. After graduating with distinction, Tokaruk joined with his brother in Aiken, SC, where they ran a top-level hunter/jumper show stable. While based in Aiken, Luke competed in professional hunter divisions and picked up Grand Prix placings across the country. During this period, he was also developing young riders and training students at major competitions including the Pennsylvania National and Washington International horse shows. After many years spent south of the border, Tokaruk, who was born in Ontario, is excited to be back on Canadian turf and able to offer students a strong foundation in equitation skills.

“Having grown up in southern Ontario and started my riding career here, it has been my dream to move back north in hopes of helping to develop new Canadian riders to their full potential,” said Tokaruk.

Partner Amanda Knowles has also had an enviable career as an equitation rider, having competed and placed in numerous prestigious equitation finals in both Canada and the U.S. and having been named Canada’s Leading Equitation Rider two years in a row. She has spent the last several years honing her show jumping talents and has learned the business side of an elite hunter/jumper training operation while working for U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist, Peter Leone. In the summer of 2008, Knowles competed alongside the U.S. Developing Riders squad on a tour of Europe and earned ribbons in three different countries while representing Canada as an individual rider.

“After gaining invaluable experience competing throughout North America and Europe, I have broadened my horizons and am looking forward to contributing to the continued development of the sport in Ontario,” said Knowles.

Tokaruk and Knowles base their operation at Bayshore Farms North, a picturesque 89 acre property located near Davis Drive and Highway 404 just north of Toronto, ON. During the winter months, the business moves to Bayshore Farms South, a complete training facility ideally located just a short hack from the Winter Equestrian Festival showgrounds in Wellington, FL. Both facilities feature all of the amenities of a top show stable, and are ready to welcome new clients.

For more information about Bayshore Farms, please visit www.bayshorefarms.com.