Donna Johnston (left) with sisters Marion and Linda (right) and their horse Wire Me the Money in the Assiniboia Downs backstretch. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)
By G.S. Thompson
Remembering Donna Johnston
Longtime Assiniboia Downs trainer Donna Johnston passed away last Saturday, December 6, at the age of 79.
Donna was a fixture in Barn C over the past few years at the Downs, and it was always a pleasure to stop by and say hi to her in the mornings. Donna had trained a few horses at the Downs since 1976, compiling a record of 103-130-130 from 861 starts, with her best horse being a big, tough Manitoba-bred named Arikana.
A son of Gala Double, Arikana won the 1984 Manitoba Stakes, the 1985 Manitoba Maturity, and the Ivan Dowler Memorial twice (1984, 1985). He also finished second in the Osiris Plate, the Harry Jeffrey Handicap, the Agassiz Handicap, and the R.J. Speers Handicap, retiring in 1987 with a record of 13-8-5 from 51 starts and earnings of US$112,134.
Born in 1946 in Solsgirth, Manitoba, Donna grew up on the family farm alongside her sisters Marion, Linda, and Marlene. Like many rural Manitoba kids of that era, the Johnston girls made the trek to school in a horse-drawn sled during the winter months, an experience that no doubt contributed to Donna’s lifelong connection with horses.
After finishing school, Donna pursued her passion for horses by taking a horse master’s course in Maryland. Upon returning to Manitoba, she taught riding to a few students before finding work with Dr. Anderson and Dr. Elder, caring for horses on their farm, but eventually, the pull of the racetrack proved too strong to resist. Donna worked briefly for Dr. Elder at Assiniboia Downs before striking out on her own as a trainer.
“She was very dedicated,” said son Julian, whose daughter Ashley gave Donna four great-grandchildren. “You never had to motivate her to get up and get going. When it had anything to do with the horses and the track, she was trying to motivate everyone else. She loved it.”
That passion for the game remained strong even in recent years. Just a few years ago, Donna was still buying racehorses and bringing them up from the United States. “She did her research,” said Julian. “She saw potential in horses that other people didn’t. She’d bring that horse up to a different climate and atmosphere and track conditions, and the horse would do amazingly well.”
Donna also worked in the race office doing entries for a couple of years, contributing to the Downs’ operations in yet another way.
Beyond the track, Donna was a devoted mother to her daughter Jade, who now lives in Australia with her two sons. Despite the distance, Donna maintained close contact with her daughter and grandchildren, even travelling to Australia to visit when her first grandson was born.
The Johnston sisters, Marion, Linda, and Donna, made quite a team over the years at Assiniboia Downs. In August 2020, the Winnipeg Free Press featured a story about The Fightin’ Johnston Sisters, with a photo showing the three sisters giving their horse Wire Me the Money a bath, a snapshot of a family bound together by their love of horses, even if they sometimes squabbled along the way.
Donna will be remembered by the backstretch community at Assiniboia Downs as someone who truly loved the game. Whether she was watching her horses train, researching pedigrees, or simply caring for her charges in the morning, Donna brought dedication and passion to everything she did.
Our sincere condolences.
A celebration of life for Donna Johnston will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 13 at Assiniboia Downs.