Dr. Ivor Luethy, adventurer and retired Professor Emeritus of modern languages/Germanic studies, and his wife Joyce are long-time members and supporters of Performance Standardbreds. Joyce is a retired teacher and co-founder of Operation Minerva, an initiative to encourage young women to participate in science fields. She is also executive director of Alberta Women’s Science Network.

The Luethys bred and raced harness horses in the ’70s and ’80s. Joyce, with her beloved “Tar,” was for many years a familiar presence at competitions and Standardbred events. No longer able to ride, Joyce now keeps fit playing tennis but she and Ivor maintain a firm connection with the horse world. Lafayette Lady has become a favourite pet and Oporto Bay and Saucy Sammy — jumpers being ridden by Luethy granddaughters — continue to prove that Standardbreds are all-around athletes.

Performance Standardbreds is proud to number this fine, accomplished family among its members, and grateful for the many contributions the entire family has made to the success of the club and promotion of the breed.

Upon Tar’s passing, Joyce sent this moving tribute:

OPORTO TAR (1975-2009)

For owners, Dr. Ivor and Joyce Luethy, the much loved Standardbred race horse Oporto Tar, who recently died at the age of 34, was the horse of a lifetime. He was devoted to Lafayette Lady, also a Standardbred race horse who was his companion for 18 years. He was courageous, gallant, had a lot of heart and was very competitive whether he was racing or competing in English equitation. He was always ready to collect a ribbon or a trophy. He was living proof that Standardbreds are not limited to pacing or trotting races but can have a graceful canter and an easy trot for pleasure riding.

Before Oporto Tar became a riding horse in 1982, he excelled as a race horse. He began his racing career in Calgary in 1978. Tar was born and raised in Ontario. His former owner moved with him to Alberta where he was sold to the Luethys as a two year old. He was slow in developing as a race horse as an early three year old. But under the tutelage of a new trainer, Eddy Stewart, who took him to the Cloverdale Race Track near Vancouver, he won five races in a row and was a winner eight times in the fall of 1978. In the spring of 1979, he won his first Stake Race in Cloverdale and after moving back to Alberta he won an additional three Stake Races in 1979. In the same year, as an Invitational horse, Tar, with a few other horses, paced the mile in under two minutes for the first time in Western Canada. In his brief racing career he won 25 races, placed second 22 times and third 18 times. He retired from racing in early 1982.

As a riding horse he did it all! He competed three times for the Performance Standardbreds in the TELUS Battle of the Breeds at Spruce Meadows. He was willing to try anything from jumping to English equitation, trail riding to barrel racing and even pole bending in many horse shows. He proudly and calmly participated in the Stampede Parade three times and in smaller parades as well. Tar was there too, when the Performance Standardbreds participated in the parade before the Nat Christie Race at Stampede Park.

He will be missed by the entire Luethy family, especially the grandchildren, Anya, Maron and Sophie who took their first riding lessons with him.