Roy Calder

Roy Calder, a Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame inductee, was a son of Alexander John Calder and his wife the former Flora MacLennan.

Their farm home was of stone architecture and located on the third concession of Charlottenburgh, not far across the fields from St. Raphael’s and the Johnson Road to Williamstown.

Like most teenage farm boys, prior to the possible ownership of a car, Roy Calder was keenly interested in horses, especially the roadster class. His father held the opposite view but granted his son Roy permission to buy a horse of his choice.

At age 18, Roy Calder had saved enough money to buy his first roadster from John Fraser. This was a ‘Little Bay Mare named Daisy’ to quote Roy Calder in an interview many years ago.

Roy, despite his youth and lack of driving experience in the show ring took great pride and satisfaction competing at Riceville, Maxville, Alexandria, Williamstown, and Cornwall fairs.

Roy Calder had raised his sights to a future beyond the family pioneer farm home. He sold his pet Daisy, completed his high school studies at Cornwall Collegiate, and joined the Two Mountains Sand Company operated by his uncle, the president, north of Montreal. Eventually Roy bought his retiring uncle’s shares and succeeded him to the presidency.

In the meantime, Roy Calder, although devoted to the sand business, maintained his youthful interest in roadsters. Fortified with resources and leisure time he returned to his first love of show ring competition.

Calder bought a horse, Andy Spencer, from Leonard MacEwen of Russell, Ont., and a teammate, Vivian Lee, in Richelieu, Que. He then entered the urban fair circuit; each horse competing individually, then hitched as a matched team roadster class. They were shown at Ormstown, Sherbrooke, Lachute and Ottawa. The horses were kept at the Calder farm, now Laval-Chomedy, and the stable groom was Real Lalonde from Alexandria.

After gaining major success at the fairs, Roy Calder was anxious to get into the ‘big league’ of horsemen. In 1956, he attended the Chicago International Fair and was struck by admiration of a horse named Royal Commander.

Wishing to be assured that this roadster was as good as he appeared, Roy summoned a knowledgeable Ormstown horse judge, Bob Gregg. They travelled to St. Charles, Ill., to meet the owner of Royal Commander and appraised his value and soundness. An intense discussion resulted in the purchase of Royal Commander at $5,000. (We insert here the difference between Williamstown Hall of Fame, Gordie McNeil and his counterpart Roy Calder. Gordie bred, raised and trained his show horses while Roy bought his.)

Royal Commander was transported to his new home by General Motors vice-president Jim Humphries, (not our retired Agrep), in his luxury van.

The following spring Calder and his prized horse competed at the early fairs from Maxville through Quebec circuit and finally the Ottawa fair. They were winners all the way.

In 1960 Calder scaled the ultimate in his ambition to join the elite horsemen by driving Royal Commander in the prestigious Toronto Royal ring.

Here Royal Commander was judged the winner in the roadster class and also the open stake championship.

Eventually age prevented Calder’s horse from competitions. In his sportsmanlike character Calder gave Royal Commander to family friends north of Toronto where he was humanely cared for until he died three years later.