Vet, farm president Colterjohn dead at age 55

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A funeral reception will be held at Woodbine on Tuesday evening for Dr. Michael Colterjohn, who died at Orangeville’s Headwaters Health Care Centre at age 55 on Wednesday morning following a battle with brain cancer.

The reception will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Northern Dancer Room and follows a service for friends and family which will be held at the Egan Funeral Home chapel at 4 p.m.

Visitation at the Egan Funeral Home, located at 211 Queen Street South in Bolton, will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Colterjohn, a doctor of veterinary medicine, was the longtime president of Gardiner Farm in nearby Caledon.

Gardiner Farm is one of the finalists for the Sovereign Award as outstanding breeder of 2011 with its top performer being Pender Harbour, the favorite for the Sovereign as Canada’s outstanding 3-year-old.

Pender Harbour is a son of the popular sire Philanthropist, one of several prominent Ontario stallions standing at the Gardiner property.

Colterjohn also was the co-owner of Kitty’s Got Class, a 3-year-old filly who was bred by Gardiner and won two stakes in her first campaign.

Colterjohn’s survivors include his wife, Dr. Moira Gunn, and their son, Duncan.