George and Gail Lauder

I went to school in Brushy Ridge, a one-room school- house from grade 1 to 6 then was bused to Cochrane for grades 7 to 12. I loved sports and played basketball, track and field and rode on the ranch. George excelled at track and field, and all sports, rode horses and later really enjoyed his time playing flag football with the Jumping Pound team. I also belonged to the Springbank 4-H Beef Club and my Dad and Mom hauled me to many High School rodeos to compete in barrel racing and some smaller horse shows. I won that event in Strathmore at the first High School Rodeo. 

I met George Lauder in grade 7 and later we became high school sweethearts and were married September 10, 1966. My Dad had passed away a year earlier and Mom was then moving to Cochrane. George and I moved into the home ranch house where we still live today. George is the son of Kay and Jack Lauder and great-grandson of Doc Lauder, a veterinarian with the Northwest Mounted Police in 1874 (histories in the Innisfail history book). 

George and I have been very fortunate to be able to follow our passion and love the horse industry, passed on to us from our parents and grandparents. We have followed the AQHA circuit (American Quarter Horse Circuit) all the years we were first married and through the years until the children were finished school. When the kids were small Mom (Ida) would travel to the shows with us. We hauled all through Canada and parts of the USA meeting many wonderful people. Gregg and Paige (our children) also went off to follow the horse business in Europe for a time. 

George and I both commuted to work in Calgary. I retired in 2005 from Exxon Mobil and George retired early from TriWestern Insulation in Airdrie in 2000 to assist Gregg with his horse training business. George is the Lauder Ranch’s manager and, along with myself, takes care of all the clients and horses at the ranch. When George is not working hard at the Ranch he actively supports the horse community participating as Ring Steward, National Reining Horse Representative and Scribe at the major AQHA and NRHA shows in western Canada. 

We have two children. Gregg is a professional horse trainer and carded judge. He married Anette Gassner from Germany and operates Gregg Lauder Reining Horses from our home place. Gregg apprenticed in horse training in the USA and Europe. Paige married Jeremy Olsen from South Dakota and lives in Whitesboro, Texas on their ranch. They operate Equine Promotions. Paige completed a course at Colorado State University and has been a breeding manager for some of the prominent Quarter Horse ranches in California and Texas.