Peacefully, surrounded by friends and family, Shelley Brown lost her battle with cancer on the evening of October 8th at St. Boniface Hospital.
Shelley was first diagnosed in September of 2020 and put up an amazing fight until the end. She did not allow cancer to slow her down. In fact, she used the last four years to achieve many goals, like holidaying with family and winning many Thoroughbred horse races.
Shelley had a full life. In the spring and summer, she lived in Winnipeg and raced horses at Assiniboia Downs. There, she won Leading Trainer of the Year in 2012 and topped the board for purse earnings multiple times. She also won the Canadian Derby in Edmonton in 2020, shortly after her original diagnosis.
In the winter months, you could find Shelley developing young horses on her farm in Florida. She began wintering in Florida more than 25 years ago, and she always felt the Sunshine State was her home. When the summer racing season ended in Canada, she could not wait to head south.
Shelley had an eye for Thoroughbred horses with the potential to succeed not only in racing but other sports like show jumping and dressage. Finding new careers for retiring racehorses was one of her passions, and Shelley got a lot of joy watching her former charges thrive with their new owners.
Always generous with her time and knowledge, Shelley leaves a legacy as a remarkable horse trainer. Her impact will continue to inspire and educate riders and horses.
Shelley leaves behind her sister Lynne Brown (Colleen) of Regina and brother Dean Brown of Montreal, along with many dear friends whom she considered family, including Deb Johnson and Shelley Hallick who were at her side until the end.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., at Assiniboia Downs, 3975 Portage Ave, Second Level Terrace Dining Room.
Thank you to the Assiniboia Downs community who showed up for Shelley, time and again, during her long fight with cancer. Thank you also to the Internal Medicine team at St. Boniface Hospital who did their best to keep her comfortable these past weeks.
