Sophie Mongeon to chair the Quebec Jockey Club

There is big news in the world of harness racing in Quebec, as the appointment of Ms Sophie Mongeon as President of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Jockey Club has been confirmed.

She is the first woman to hold this position since the creation of the QJC in 2009.  She is no stranger to the racing industry, being the daughter of Andréa Filion of the well-known Filion family and Dr. Réjean Mongeon, a veterinarian who got his start at Blue Bonnets Raceway. Ms. Mongeon has been at the forefront of the Quebec Jockey Club over the past eighteen months, and her dynamic presence has quickly become apparent.

Claude Lévesque, the president of the Jockey Club for the past seven years, leaves with a sense of accomplishment. It was an immense task, to be sure, but one to which he devoted several hours of his precious time daily.

Mr. Lévesque will have marked in his own way his long involvement on the organization’s board. His vast knowledge of the environment, his experience at many levels, especially as an owner and breeder, has greatly contributed to the growth of the industry during his mandate. He therefore holds out the torch when the industry he helped to develop is in good health.

With the appointment of Ms. Mongeon, we can expect a person who listens to people in the industry and is well aware of what horse people are going through, having spent her youth on a farm. Her experience as the owner of her law firm for more than 25 years, representing accident victims, workers and victims with large companies or government authorities, will be an asset.

She is not afraid to advocate for causes that are close to her heart, there is no doubt that her goal is to promote our industry as a flagship of sports activity in Quebec.

Her experience on the airwaves of 91.9 Sports/BPM Sports, her media interventions on current affairs and her knowledge of social networks ensure that she will bring freshness and fresh eyes to what is happening in this industry that is too little known and too little publicized.

From her own lips, she welcomes this appointment with humility, but also with joy and pride, well aware of everyone’s expectations. We can only wish her the best of luck and the most fruitful of mandates.

by Daniel Delisle, for the Quebec Jockey Club