(1951-2023) of Fergus, died peacefully at the age of 72 on February 22, 2023 at Hospice Wellington in Guelph, Ontario. Mike was surrounded in love by close friends and family after a recent cancer diagnosis and sudden stroke. Mike was the son of the late Neil and Flora Carroll, of Carlisle, Ontario. He was also predeceased by his twin brother James. Mike was a well-loved friend and mentor to many, and a respected thoroughbred horseman extraordinaire – whose wisdom, generosity and kindness were well-known. Mike’s accomplishments were vast and cannot be fully listed, but to do him justice we must include a few. He owned and operated Grandview Farm in Belwood, Ontario, which was a premier thoroughbred breeding and boarding facility between 1992 to 2018. His many career highlights included the breeding of Maryfield, a champion racehorse, with his business partner, John Harvey Jr.. Maryfield won the Filly and Mare Sprint Breeders Cup in 2007. Mike and his partner were named Breeder of the Year in 2008. One of Mike’s mottos was, “Always do a better job than the other guy!”. This was apparent in the meticulous manner in which he managed and maintained his farm – both inside and out. Over his twenty-six years on the farm, his work ethic didn’t allow him many vacations, although he often went to Kentucky to visit friends, attend sales and to check in on his horses. During his short retirement, Mike was able to visit Europe and to take trips with friends to the Caribbean and to the US Southwest. He loved to play golf as well as cards, and to visit with friends and family. He could always be counted on to help out whenever and wherever needed – he was one of a kind. His passing leaves such a large void in many hearts. A Celebration of Life will be held at Centre Wellington Museum in Fergus, Ontario on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 1pm. Please RSVP by June 1, 2023 if planning to attend to lenbailey58@gmail.com. Donations in Mike’s honour would be greatly appreciated and can be sent to Hospice Wellington (hospicewellington.org/donate) or to LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society (longrunretirement.com).
