from Western Fair Raceway

London, ON — Western Fair Raceway is pleased to announce the appointment of Greg Blanchard as assistant race manager and announcer. He will assume his duties in mid-September.

“We like Greg’s personality, his character and his passion for racing, all of which make him a great fit for us,” noted Western Fair’s chief executive officer Hugh Mitchell. “I had the opportunity to work with Greg during my time with Woodbine Entertainment and know he’ll bring enthusiasm and professionalism to his role here.”

A native of Prince Edward Island, Greg has spent the past 10 years working at WEG, most recently as manager of communications on the Standardbred side in addition to his duties as television commentator and host and back-up announcer.

“I started calling the races at Summerside when I was 17,” Blanchard related. “I then went to Freehold for three years where I worked with Steve Wolf and I have to thank him for taking a shot with me at that time as I was young and unknown.”

Immigration issues brought Blanchard back to Canada where he worked for Flamboro Downs and the Atlantic Lottery Corporation before joining WEG in 2000.

“I love working at Woodbine and I don’t say this lightly, but I consider it a privilege to work there. This opportunity was totally unexpected and the main attraction for me is to add some diversity to my resume which to date has totally revolved around racing,” added Blanchard, who also noted that the move will allow him to spend more time with his young daughter and enjoy some weekends off in the summer for a change.

“I’m looking forward to working with Hugh and Ian (raceway manager Ian Fleming). They are two of the most respected men in the business,” he added. “I am very thankful to Woodbine and they’ve been very supportive of my decision. I’m sure we’ll work together in the future.”