10/02/2026
A good horse can come from anywhere.
For decades, Bill and Shirley Matier have been part of the fabric of Alberta horse racing. First as Thoroughbred trainers and owners, then as breeders, they have bred, raised, trained and cheered on generations of horses. Their story is also the story of a time when Alberta racing was smaller, more personal and deeply connected to the people who made it work.
Like most successful racing operations, the name on the form and in the standings is the one that gets the glory. Behind that name, however, there is usually a family and a team of people whose work never appears in the official record.
That is certainly true of the Matiers. For more than 51 years, C.W. Matier was the name printed in the racing program. He was the trainer listed in the standings, the name attached to the wins and the one people saw in the official record. But the Matier story was never just about the name in the program. Behind it was his wife and partner, Shirley, whose work, knowledge and dedication were an essential part of the racing stable and the life they built together.
To understand the Matier legacy, you have to go back to Playfair Racetrack in Spokane, Washington.
“We met at Playfair Racetrack in Spokane, Washington. Bill was a trainer there from Alberta and brought some horses after the fall meet in Calgary and I was working for my sister with a big stable there. She came back to our barn one day and tells me about this crazy Canuck over there ponying two horses on either side of him and riding one, so I went to find out about him.”
And find him, she did.
“Two weeks later we were married and next week this October, it will be our 62nd wedding anniversary.”
Read the full story from Kathy Butkovic on https://thehorses.com/news/thoroughbred/5740-a-good-horse-can-come-from-anywhere-the-matier-family-legacy including the Matier bred entrants for this weekends 2026 CTHS Alberta Division Sales Stakes Festival at Century Downs Racetrack and Casino.
Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Alberta Division)
