Long-time Morgan horse breeder Merton (Bud) Hanson of Lunenburg, Ontario, passed away November 8, 2009 at age 86.

Born April 9, 1923 at Woodstock, New Brunswick, he is survived by his wife of 60 years Virginia, and son Calvin.

Horses were Bud’s passion, owning the highly successful Big Oak Morgan Horse Farm established in 1967 with his wife and son, where offspring from the farm won and or produced champions at the world, grand national, international, regional, state, and provincial level. Morgan horses that have generated from the Hanson bloodline have won 16 World Championships, 10 World Reserve Championships, 29 Grand National Championships, and 46 Regional Championships.

As a builder in the equestrian sport, Hanson served many capacities: president of the Canadian Morgan Horse Association 1973-1979; member of the board of directors of the American Morgan Horse Association 1973-1980; and chairman of the horse show committee of the Canadian Morgan Horse Association 1968-1973. For several years, in the American Morgan Horse Association he was chairman of the open competition awards committee, and bylaws committee member; Morgan horse breed director to Canadian Live Stock Records Corporation; in Equine Canada he was a member of the board of directors and chairman of the national Morgan Horse rules committee; and locally served on the Stormont County Fair light horse committee in the 1960s.

Bud served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. He did topographical surveying in New Brunswick, and in unexplored areas of northern Canada.

He gave 40 years of public service, and was Cornwall’s resident civil engineer with the St. Lawrence Seaway Authority Corporation (retired).

In his younger years, he had a passion for basketball, playing for Woodstock New Brunswick High School in 1941 (captain/center); and the University of New Brunswick in 1946, 1947 (Maritime Intercollegiate Senior Varsity Basketball Champions), and 1948. His nickname was "Hammer."