Alberta Donkey and Mule Club By Marlene Quiring
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adly we have lost two of our long-time club members. Harold Kohrs, of High River, succumbed to cancer in March of this year and more recently, Fred Godberson, of Barrhead also passed away due to cancer. Many of us will remember riding with Harold and his mule at the Spruce Meadows demonstrations or trail riding with Fred. Our heartfelt condolences go out to their families. Are you a first-time owner of a donkey or mule? New owners might be a bit overwhelmed by the different “characters” that their new donkeys and mules can display as compared to horses. Check out our website (www.albertadonkeyandmule.com) and look under the tab, “RESOURCES,” for helpful articles about keeping donkeys and mules. A donkey is very ‘’space protective’’ and will protect herself from other animals on your property that she has never seen before, such as goats. It is best that she is exposed to them from the other side of a fence, which will safely enable her to start to bond with them without giving her the opportunity to harm them. Mules and donkeys do not generally do well in stalls. Donkeys also need coarser feed than horses. They evolved as desert animals and we in North America tend to overfeed with high protein diets. Better to feed a grass diet and stay away from alfalfa.
Do not be intimidated by your new donkey or mule. Be her herd leader and treat her kindly; but do not let her move your feet. It is your job to teach her that YOU are the mover Mammoth Jenny and her foal with a young of HER FEET, not the admirer. Donkeys belong to Tom Barker and other way around. Mavis Ulansky of Falkland BC. Give her short lessons in grooming, leading, walking around obstacles, etc. - anything that involves the two of you working together will help with your bonding and her learning process. Donkeys are not really stubborn; they ARE very protective and will not do something that they view as possibly dangerous or confusing. Keep a stick or crop with you if you feel that your new donkey or mule is threatening you with her feet or teeth - use it to stop any such action. Make sure this “extension” of your arm is used ONLY as a deterrent, not as a weapon of abuse! Teach her to respect you, treat her kindly and fairly, and give her time to bond with you.
Wild Rose Shows By Karen Podolski
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he Wild Rose Welsh & Open Pony Shows are taking place at Westerner Park in Red Deer. Show #1 is on July 12-13, 2014 (unconfirmed) and Show #2 and Futurity is August 1-3, 2014 (confirmed). A Welsh and Open Pony Show that offers great facilities, judges, and a large variety of classes. The Wild Rose Show takes place twice per summer, with the Wild Rose Show #2 including the Youngstock Futurity and Champion of Champions. Brian McClelland, who put the shows on for the last 16 years, has stepped away from management in the hope of having more time to train and show his own ponies. Thank you to Brian for keeping the Alberta Welsh shows going for so long. Karen Podolski has taken on the 2014 shows. In 2014, we’re looking forward to two great shows with a variety of in-hand classes, including large divisions for Welsh, Sport Pony, and Model Hunter Ponies, plus a range of other in-hand classes including Half-Welsh, grade, horse breed of pony size, Produce of Dam, Get of Sire, In-hand Trail, and more. We also have lots of ridden and driven HCBC 2010 Business of the Year
performance classes with some new fun classes to add to the mix. In an effort to make the shows as affordable as possible while still offering top judges, great prizes and ribbons, we are looking into sponsorship options large and small. If you are interested in sponsoring our show, have questions, or would like to participate in the show, we would love to hear from you! For further information check us out on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ WildRoseShow) or email (piper_p13@hotmail. com).
2013 Wild Rose Show Champion of Champions under judge Prue Richardson of Northwind Farm, Ontario: Welsh Section A mare, Alvesta Cherish (*Nerwyn Gwyn x Alvesta Bubblicious by Gallod Twm Sion Catti) owned by Linda and Bruce Christensen, Alberta. Judge Richardson referred to her overall champion as “a beautiful bodied mare that could really move well.”
2013 Wild Rose Show Champion of Champions under judge Megan Burtness of BridleWood Welsh, California: Welsh Section C mare, USA Railside Rosalee (Pwllmelin Re-Spin x Synod Rosanne by Synod Roy Rogers) owned by Abbey Alexander, Alberta. Rosalee has been a consistent winner in-hand and under saddle at the Wild Rose Shows. She is photographed here with her owner and judges Prue Richardson (left) and Megan Burtness.
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