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$2.50 / Vol. 36 / Issue 9 / September 2013 www.horsesall.com

Inspired by people and horses

END OF AN ERA

HORSES ALL SHUTS DOWN

It’s been quite a 36-year ride / p4

THE BURWASH BROTHERS

Impacting Alberta’s horse industry / p6

THE CANADIAN SUPREME Canada’s western horse event / p17

REMEMBERING ROGER HEINTZ Legendary Alberta horseman / p22 Publication Mail Agreement 40069240

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

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Inspired by horses and people

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

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CONTENTS

Volume 36 · Number 9 · September 2013 EDITOR Craig Couillard craig.couillard@fbcpublishing.com (403) 200-1019 SALES ACCOUNT MANAGER Crystal McPeak crystal@fbcpublishing.com (403) 360-3210 (866) 385-3669 (toll free) SALES ACCOUNT MANAGER Natalie Sorkilmo natalie.sorkilmo@fbcpublishing.com (403) 608-2238

SPIRIT OF THE WEST

HUGH MCLENNAN

Broadcaster, working cowboy, trainer, entertainer

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SUBSCRIPTIONS subscription@fbcpublishing.com 1-800-665-0502 PUBLISHER Lynda Tityk lynda.tityk@fbcpublishing.com (204) 944-5755 PRESIDENT Bob Willcox Glacier Media Agricultural Information Group bwillcox@glaciermedia.ca 204-944-5751

THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS: Carol Hannson, Amie Peck, Doug Mills, Glenn Stewart, Ted Stovin, Luke Creasy, Robyn Moore, Cindy Bablitz, April Clay, Craig Couillard, Wendy Dudley, Dianne Finstad, Heather Grovet, Darley Newman, Terri McKinney, Mark McMillan, Doris Daley, Amanda McFarlane, Jochen Schleese, Julie McKinnon, Rae-Anne Laplante

PHOTO: SUBMITTED

PROFILES

INSPIRATIONS

HORSE, HEALTH & HOME

HAPPENINGS

PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY: Farm Business Communications 1666 Dublin Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1

Jim Berry

Candice Edwards

Saddle fitting

Bomb proof horses

ADVERTISING DEADLINE Second Monday of the month.

Wins Calgary Stampede’s Guy Weadick Award

Digital photography opens up new world

Tips to see if your saddle is balanced

Wild Deuce horse sale goes Sept. 27-29

SUBSCRIPTION RATES (includes GST) 1-800-665-0502 One Year: $30.45 Three years: $63.59 One Year Overseas & US: $62.00 Make cheques payable to Horses All. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

Published Monthly by Farm Business Communications ISSN 0225-4913

CANADIAN POSTMASTERS Return undeliverable Canadian addresses (covers only)to Circulation Dept., P.O. Box 9800, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3K7.

Return undeliverable US & foreign addresses (covers only) to Circulation Dept., P.O. Box 9800, Winnipeg, MB R3C 3K7.

US POSTMASTERS HORSES ALL (ISSN 0745-7294) is published monthly for $62.00 per year by Farm Business Communications. c/o U.S. Agent, Transborder Mail, 4708 Caldwell Road E, Edgewood, WA, 98372-9221. Periodicals Postage Paid at Puyallup, WA, and additional mailing offices.

U.S. POSTMASTER: Send address changes (cover only) to Horses All c/o Transborder Mail PO Box 6016, Federal Way, WA. 98063-6016, U.S.A. None of the material, written or artistic, may be reprinted or used in any way without the specific permission of the editor. The opinions and statements expressed in the articles and advertisements found in Horses All are not necessarily those of the staff or owners. Therefore, HORSES ALL will not be responsible for those opinions or statements included in the articles or advertisements. However, the staff and owners of HORSES ALL would appreciate written notice of false advertising. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material published, no responsibility will be assumed for advertising received by telephone and in no case will liability be assumed for greater than the cost of the advertising when errors or omissions have occurred. HORSES ALL may not be held responsible for the loss or damage of any photographs, drawings, logos, manuscripts, etc., that are sent or brought to the office.

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT Full, complete and sole copyright in any advertisement or editorial content bought or produced by HORSES ALL is vested in and belongs to HORSES ALL. No copyright material may be reproduced in any form with out the prior written consent of HORSES ALL. Horses All does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Those received will not be returned.

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COLUMNS A Breed Apart . . . . . . . . . .12 Alternative Methods . . . 35 Back Country Travels . . . 33 Doing it my way . . . . . . . .14 Equitrekking . . . . . . . . . .38 From the field . . . . . . . . . . .4 Get a Grip. . . . . . . . . . 32, 37 Going Down the Trail .39, 40 Going in style . . . . . . 24, 29 Hands on horsekeeping . .34 Homeward Bound . . . . . .22 Hooked on bulls . . . . . . . .16 Horse Heroes . . . . . . . . . .12

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FEATURES In it to win it . . . . . . . . . . .13 Inspirations . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Our Way of Life . . . . . . . . . .8 Rhymes from the range . .25 Riding out of your Mind .36 Talking Back . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Time to chill. . . . . . . . . . . .25 Two-Bit Cowboy . . . . . . . . .4 Western Art . . . . . . . . 23, 28 Where are they now . . . . . .9 Women of the West . . . . .11 Young Guns . . . . . . . . . . . .10

@ HORSESALL.COM We're busy updating the Horses All website to bring you more exclusive content about people and horses from across the country. Watch for new features, contests and more coming soon. Visit today and sign-up for the Horses All enews – get the latest news delivered to you via email.

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Follow the daily updates, connect with other horse folks and see what's happening near you.

Association News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42-43 The latest happenings and goings-on

Event Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Stay up-to-date on upcoming horse events

Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45, 46, 47 Classifieds and horse related businesses

Place your classified ad in Horses All! Call toll free: 1-866-385-3669 or email: crystal@fbcpublishing.com

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

OUT FRONT Welcome to Ho rs e s A l l My h ero

From World War II Hero to Two-Bit Cowboy How the heck did I ever get to be a cowboy editor?

TWO-BITS FROM A TWO-BIT COWBOY Craig Couillard - Editor

S

o this is it. The end of an era for Horses All which was started 36 years ago by Doug and Jackie French.

This is my last editorial as ‘cowboy editor,’ a role I’ve been playing for the past 19 months.

Thank you to the many horse people who trusted us to bring their stories to our readers. Your stories have been interesting, and often inspiring.

I could scribble on further about all the people I should thank. But they know who they are, and how much I’ve appreciated their support and friendship.

I thought I would use my last words in Horses All to pay tribute to the original ‘two-bit cowboy,’ my father, M.M. ‘Judd’ Couillard.

Born in Fort McLeod to entrepreneurial parents in 1921, he enlisted in the army in 1939 as a 17 year old. He was street tough, rebellious, and roguishly good-looking.

Over the course of his six years of service to our country, he trained in Ontario and England. Saw duty in Italy, France, and Germany, primarily with the Lanark and Renfrew out of Calgary.

Rose to the rank of Sergeant-Major.

He was injured a few times, and decorated with the Oak Leaf For Valor for successfully sweeping a mine field.

On VE day, a buddy, playing with a grenade, accidently pulled the pin, panicked, and dropped it. Dad picked it up, threw it out of harm’s way but not before it exploded. Shrapnel severed nerves in his right arm, effectively disabling normal use. He had to learn to do things left handed.

After convalescing in England for almost a year, he returned home to Fort McLeod, and within a few months, made the best decision of his life. He met and married my Mom, Theresa Hanrahan, a sassy, smartlooking Irish lass.

After several successful business ventures, they settled into Bow Island, Alberta and raised their four boys.

Downtown businessman and town leader, my Dad was well-respected and well-liked. A true pillar of the community.

fi nal th oug hts

In the field Reflections from our field editors

With tears and a lump in my throat  Working with Horses All these last few years has been a privilege and an honour. I know it certainly has opened my mind to embrace all different aspects of horsemanship.

I truly have been amazed at the little things you learn on a daily basis, no matter the discipline.

Crossing paths with so many different people and listening to their experiences, I have gained a broader perspective and a great sense of appreciation for all who work within the horse industry.

When you really get down to it, we all share the same things: a great love, fascination and appreciation of horses and their capabilities.

I would like to say to our readers and our clients with whom I have had the pleasure to work with these past years, “Thank You,” for sharing your time and knowledge with me, and for believing in our team’s vision. Ultimately, I believe we did achieve many of our team goals along the way.

Most importantly, we wanted to represent people and their horses in a way that got to the heart of our industry. I am proud to have been your representative and thank you for your support, and for making a difference in my life.

I look forward to when our paths cross again someday soon.

— Crystal McPeak

Shared passion and inspiration  The equine industry is one for which an individual’s passion for the horse perseveres through both good times and tough times.

This passion, which our clients and readers have shared with our team over the last few years, has been overwhelming and, at times, touching to the point of tears.

For this I would like to thank all of you.

Yet although we may no longer be sharing the stories of the people and horses who lead us into a deeper level of self-reflection and pride in the industry within the pages of Horses All, not one of us will forget the amazing people we’ve met and the lessons we’ve learned.

May these experiences lead all of us to discover a new avenue for our passion; whether we are looking for an outlet to inspire others, to be inspired by, or simply a new trail to discover.

To you and yours, all the best.

— Natalie Sorkilmo

You can imagine the energy in our home with four sons. One day, Dad figured he needed an outlet for that energy.

He debated whether to buy a ski boat or a horse. With more prairie grass than water around our town, he opted to buy a horse. Then another… and another… and another.

Since we lived in town, Dad boarded the horses at a friend’s farm just outside of town. He built a corral in our backyard, and would bring a horse or two into town for his boys to monkey around on.

But Dad also fancied himself a bit of cowboy, and would occasionally help the guys on the community pasture during fall roundup.

If you’ve ever ridden on the baldassed prairies, you know how easy it is to get disorientated. On one roundup, Dad got a lost. They found him happily pushing about 20 head along a fence line… but going the wrong direction!

Over the years, as we got to drivin’ and drinkin’ age, and went off to school or work, we lost interest in the horses. Dad eventually sold them.

End of an era

O

ne of the great things about the equine community is how dynamic it has been, and always will be.

It’s made up of different breeds, different disciplines, different interests and different businesses. There have always been new people and businesses entering the industry, as well as others who’ve decided to leave.

A decision to leave is never easy, but after much consideration, Farm Business Communications has decided that it’s time to focus more on its other core business publications, and that Horses All must move on to another pasture.

Unfortunately, that means this issue of Horses All will be the last.

We regret having to make this decision, especially since we have had so many loyal readers and advertisers who are looking for information on the horse industry.

Recognizing that, we have made arrangements for any paid subscriptions to be transferred to Western Horse Review, which means you can look forward to receiving excellent coverage of the equine industry.

You will continue receiving a for the duration of your current paid subscription. A letter to subscribers is contained with this issue.

If this arrangement is not suitable for you, please call us at 1-800-665-0502.

— Farm Business Communications

BEHIND THE COVER Front cover photographer

Thank you to Sandy Rogers for this month’s artwork, Checking the Stock.

We lost Dad in 1980 to cancer. He was 58… the same age I am now.

But something continued stirring deep within his boys… some connection back to old Corby and Banner.

Although dormant for many years, it has sprouted as we’ve gotten older.

We’ve bought our own horses, trailers, and tack, and we now share that with our children and grandchildren.

The next time you have to saddle up a horse for a friend or child to ride around your yard, or you make an extra effort to take somebody trail riding, remember that you may be planting a seed, a generational seed that could bear fruits years down the road.

You never know who or when the ‘horse bug’ will bite. Not everybody gets it. There is something about the horse… something deeply emotional… sometimes inspiring… perhaps even spiritual.

It is this emotional connection between man and horse that binds us all together, regardless of breed or discipline. We’ve strived to bring these stories to Horses All each month. We hope you enjoyed riding along with us.

So you can see, I don’t come from

Sergeant-Major M.M. ‘Judd’ Couillard (1921 – 1980)

a ranching background, or a rodeo family. My Dad never owned cattle or rode broncs. Neither have I. But my Dad exemplified the Cowboy Code of Ethics in his love for his wife, sons, friends, and community.

He could have been bitter or harden by his war experiences but he chose to climb back into the saddle when he got back, and built the love and respect of an entire town.

My father continues to inspire me.

He’s the original two-bit cowboy… and still my hero.

See you down the trail.

r ea d e rs speak

Talking back Reader feedback I am SO very sorry to hear that Horses All is done!!

You have done a fabulous job and took a hohum publication and made it into GREAT reading material. We will miss it very, very much. Thanks for doing such a great job!! — Carolyn Latimer

So sorry to hear that September will be the last issue of Horses All. Our entire family looked forward to reading each issue. Topics were always relevant. Many times stories on people we knew.

We will miss Horses All. — Elaine Hardstaff

Sorry to hear that (Horses All is shutting down)!

Thanks for all your hard work over the years.

— Aynsley Cairns, Horse Council BC

I’m flabergasted! I really can’t believe it. I just said to someone a few days ago that I have never seen Horses All look so good and be so interesting ever before and was bragging on you what a great job, and the other person was saying they love advertising there too. We were saying we felt like your magazine had a real “finger on the pulse.” I loved the layout — the colour, the feel, the content. — Dixie Stewart

I’m so sorry to hear this. It’s been so great working with you and especially meeting you! I very much appreciated your patience with me as have no background in agriculture, horses etc… It was always a pleasure to receive your positive feedback.

— Jennifer Sheehan, Northlands, Edmonton Thanks so much for all your great work. I sure will miss my Horses All. I have read it since the very inception. — Pat Hyndman I am so sorry to hear this. I have been proud to be part of Horses All for the last few years. I have greatly enjoyed working with all of you and I have learned a lot along the way, too.

— Carol Upton It is entirely too bad that Horses All is to be discontinued. There is a shortage of excellent horse magazines in Canada, and Horses All was one of them. I wish you the best! — Carol Hannson I’m choked! This is such bad news for the horse industry. It’s been a wonderful ride working with you. — Maggie Tattrie, Spruce Meadows I am so sorry to hear about Horses All. I thoroughly enjoyed working with you these past few years and really enjoyed writing for, and reading, Horses All. It is sad that the magazine is no longer printing.

— Robyn Moore, Horse Industry of Alberta I am very sorry to hear that Horses All is shutting down. It has certainly been a mainstay publication for many years and, I believe, it will be missed. The August issue was fabulous — I especially loved your article on the clean up in High River — it really touched my heart. It has been a pleasure working with you.

— Lisa Murphy, Spruce Meadows Wow. I have to admit that I didn’t see that coming. Not writing for Horses All will leave a gap in my life. I’ve been writing regularly for the magazine since 2009, and have become accustomed to that being part of my life. I liked the job, and learned so much about people and horses that I otherwise wouldn’t have met. — Heather Grovet

Sorry to hear the magazine is finished... it was great working with you. — Mike Copeman Wow, that’s awful. You’ve done so much to make it a great, readable, interesting publication — it’s just sad to see that hard work and credibility vanish. I’m sure horse people will really miss the paper. It’s been an honour to be a part of it. Thank YOU for the opportunity to work with you and be a part of Horses All, and for the chance to visit with some very interesting folks. — Dianne Finstad Well I must say I was quite shocked and saddened. I know how hard you have worked to bring the publication along in the last few years.

— Tracey Foster, Calgary Stampede Thanks for a beautifully presented article (July, 2013); I love the way it honours my Grandma Connie! — Tracy Foster I’m very surprised and sorry to hear that. I know you’ve put tons of work into HA over the last couple of years. — Tyler Riopel, Northlands, Edmonton What a shame! So sad that such a long-standing paper bites the dust. — Wendy Dudley Like so many others, I am devastated with the news that HORSES ALL is shutting down. The gains you have made within the horse industry the last few years have been nothing short of phenomenal. You created an irresistible, sumptuous smorgasbord of all-things-equine that became an absolute ‘must read’ piece of monthly culture regardless of one’s role.

— Pete Fraser, Alberta Horse Industry I am so sorry to hear of this! I looked forward to Horses All and usually read it cover to cover. It was about those who attained ‘greatness’ in the horse world. But more importantly, about everyday horse people. It was that down to earth feel that was the best part of Horses All. — Shelene Williams

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

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profiles Stories from People who Live, Work and Compete with Horses Awa rd winner

Jim Berry

2013 Guy Weadick Award Popular saddle bronc rider honoured at 2013 Calgary Stampede I DID IT MY WAY Personal Profile

By Dianne Finstad Red Deer, Alta.

I

f rodeo had a Mr. Congeniality prize, Jim Berry would definitely be in the running.

Although he’d rather be known for his abilities in the bronc saddle, the good-natured cowboy has friends in all realms of the western world.

That doesn’t go unnoticed, and Berry was chosen for the prestigious Guy Weadick Memorial Award at this summer’s Calgary Stampede. It’s an honour given to the contestant who best combines outstanding accomplishments in the arena, with qualities like sportsmanship and personality.

Called a ‘wonderful ambassador of the sport’ in the official presentation of the accompanying bronze, Berry was clearly moved by the tribute.

“This is the most unbelievable, greatest honour that I think I could ever achieve in rodeo,” the 31-year-old cowboy told the packed grandstand on the final Sunday afternoon, before going on to acknowledge all the hardworking volunteers that made this year’s flood-threatened Stampede even possible.

Later the accomplishment began to sink in. And it made up for the disappointment of finishing in third place on Wild Card Saturday, when only the top two riders made it through to Showdown Sunday at the Stampede.

“All the past champions that have received this, to be amongst those great names and great cowboys is very much an honour,” Berry added.

That list of Guy Weadick winners includes the likes of Duane Daines, Ty Murray, Tom Eirikson, Monty Henson and Blaine Pederson.

Berry, who grew up in the Hanna region, first participated in the Calgary Stampede at the tender age of 14 as a member of his family’s famous wild horse racing team. He also won the novice saddle bronc riding title there in 2003.

“My grandpa actually rode broncs and drove chuckwagons at the Stampede a long time ago, so we’ve been here at Calgary one way or another for a while,” he smiled.

While there was no doubt about growing up cowboy with a family history like that, it was an uncle that helped Jim get interested in saddle bronc riding.

“My Uncle Lane rode broncs quite a bit in the amateur associations. He did really well, riding broncs and bulls there. He won

Jim Berry, his wife Amber, son Coy and daughter Quin after receiving the ‘Wagon Chaser’ bronze in front of the Stampede grandstand from President Bob Thompson.

Photos: Mike Copeman

quite a few saddles, but never really went pro because he had family. He was the one that kind of influenced me into it. I rode his bronc saddle until I won Canada in the novice the first time.”

In his early competitive days, Berry continued to participate in the wild horse racing at many rodeos.

“It helped pay for my bronc riding as I started, when I wasn’t very good at it. I could always usually win a little money horse racing. So it kind of made up for the lack of talent in the bronc riding, and then as it slowly switched over, I slowly phased it out.”

Along the way, Berry heard the call of ‘go west, young man,’ moving from eastern Alberta to Rocky Mountain House. Actually it was the smile of one particular young woman who drew him that direction, and Amber Datema, who has her own rodeo and ranch roots, became his wife in 2007. That began the much enjoyed family phase of his life, which now includes son Coy and daughter Quin.

Jim Berry just missed out qualifying for Showdown Sunday at the 2013 Calgary Stampede.

Berry maintains a job as an oilfield well operator, in addition to his rodeo efforts, which have taken him to the Canadian Finals seven times.

He’s looking forward to being back this November as well.

Berry is also known in chuck-

wagon circles as a buddy of driver Rae Croteau Jr. “Our Dads used to work together a long time ago. One winter I left home and was looking for jobs in the winter. Rae says, ‘I’ve got a job for you if you come up here.’ The

next day I started working up there (Bonnyville) with him, and in the spring just started messing around, and helping him in the wagons. I just love horses and anything that has adrenaline or a bit of speed, I’m in for it,” chuckled the 31-year-old.

Berry would help at Croteau’s barn during the Stampede and at other shows when his rodeo schedule allowed. That’s also where he got to know another mutual acquaintance, Calgary Flames star Curtis Glencross.

“Curt’s Dad, Mel, actually used to sell our calves for us out of Hanna, so it’s a very small world.”

Berry is one of the cowboys who helps Glencross organize his annual Invitational Charity Roughstock event, held at the Daines Ranch in late August.

“I’m on the board there with him.

I try and look after most of the rodeo stuff, with Kyle Daines. I helped Curtis when he had golf tournaments too, doing whatever we could.”

“We need to give back in some sort of way. Anybody who has rodeoed has gotten help somewhere along the way, so it’s about time to give back.”

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

P ROFILES Family traditio n

The Burwash brothers Horse family royalty leaving their mark on Canadian horse industry OUR WAY OF LIFE Making a living with horses

By Heather Grovet Galahad, Alta.

I

f you’re a horseperson living in Western Canada, you’re probably familiar with the name ‘Burwash.’

You might have doctored your horse at Burwash Equine Services, spoken to the horse specialist at Alberta Agriculture, cheered for a Burwash competitor at the CFR, or purchased a halter with the name ‘Burwash’ stamped on its side.

Les Burwash, Manager of Horse Programs with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, commits time to the Soundness Committee for the Annual CWHBA Fall Classic Breeders Sale held in Olds each fall.

But who is this family, and why do they seem to appear everywhere you and your horse turn?

Don and Vi Burwash had a larger than average family with 10 children. Les Burwash, the oldest child, was quickly followed by brother Wayne a year and half later. Next came five girls; Linda, Alice, Sheila, Marion and Wendy.

Brother Robin followed the girls, and then there were two more daughters, Sharon and Joanne.

The family lived on a small farm north of Calgary where they grew grain and hay, plus milked dairy cows. But even though they never formally raised horses or beef cattle, there was always something ‘cowboy’ happening in the Burwash family.

Les Burwash: lifetime commitment to horse industry Horses were always part of the Burwash family.

“Dad had a nice grade mare named Lulubelle that he bred to a local Arabian stallion,” says Les Burwash. “That mare produced three foals through the years, they were all fairly small, athletic and trainable. Wayne and I used those ponies at the local gymkhanas, and did quite well. We barrel raced and stake raced, plus played games such as musical chairs. We also used the horses to bring in the dairy cows twice a day.”

It didn’t take long for the older boys to find a creative way to use those dairy cows.

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Please Contact Gary @ 403-932-3055

“Wayne and I built a bucking chute at home — Dad even helped with it, if you can imagine — and we ran the dairy heifers in and tried to buck them. Dad wasn’t terribly happy with the situation, but he did let us do it.

I guess Dad liked the cattle, but he liked his kids and the horses even more, and sometimes the dairy suffered a bit because of it. It wasn’t unusual for us to get up early and milk the cows, then spend all day at a gymkhana or rodeo. When we were finished riding, we’d have to rush home and milk the cows again.”

“Dad liked the cattle, but he liked his kids and the horses even more, and sometimes the dairy suffered a bit because of it.”

— Les Burwash

Les rodeoed as a youth and amateur until he was 25 years old.

“High River had the first Little Britches Rodeo in Alberta, and Wayne and I competed there,” Les says. “The Daines Ranch also had a junior rodeo where we competed, and there was another junior rodeo at Didsbury. I did a bit of everything at these rodeos included riding bareback horses and cows (cow riding was similar to junior steer riding), and later did some calf roping.”

The rodeo activities stopped when Les went to Montana State University where he took his undergraduate in Animal Sciences.

“After I had my Animal Sciences degree, I went to Colorado State University and earned my Masters in Reproductive Physiology,” Les says.

“When I graduated, I had a decision to make. Should I go to vet school, or should I stay in Colorado and take my PhD? Then a fellow that taught at Olds College came to the Colorado State University to learn more about artificial insemination. He told me that the Alberta government had recently done a survey in the local horse industry. The survey showed that Alberta horse people were wanting extension services similar to what other livestock producers had. I could see a job was going to open in that area, and it interested me. Eventually I was offered a job with Alberta Agriculture as a horse specialist so my wife and I moved back to my home province.”

“An equine specialist’s job is to move science out of the classroom and onto the farm,” Les continues.

“We offer research and education to Alberta horse people.

For example, in the 1970s when I first started my career, there were very few specialized equine vets, and therefore limited assistance with equine reproduction.

So one of the first things we did was establish a Horse Breeder’s School at Olds College where both veterinarians and breeders could come to learn the latest techniques. Another program we set up was an annual Horse Breeders and Owners Conference where we brought in world class speakers to teach on every possible equine topic — how to raise and market a horse, basic care and equine husbandry practices, and equine sports and recreation. 2014 will be the conference’s 32nd consecutive year, and it has been a huge success.

Our first conference had three sponsors and about 100 people attend. Now we have 550 to 850 people attend annually, and we have 60 sponsors!”

This September Les celebrates 39 years working for Alberta Agriculture as an equine specialist, and he still enjoys his job.

“I grew up with a real respect for the horse,” Les says. “Horses have offered me some great recreation, and they’ve also given me a chance to build a really interesting career.”

Wayne Burwash: vet and outstanding volunteer You probably know Wayne Burwash as a successful equine vet, but have you ever wondered how he got his start in the horse world? It may be a bit different than you’d expected.

“I grew up in a large family,” Wayne says. “And we were always involved in horse activities.

We learned to work hard, and to play hard. My parents didn’t tell us what to do; they modeled it in their lives. They worked their guts out to support 10 kids on their small farm, plus they always made time for volunteer work and community activities.

Veterinarian Wayne Burwash, who lost his wife and soul mate Shannon this year, has given generously of his time to the horse industry provincially, nationally, and internationally. He has also influenced countless young people through his involvement at Olds College and Lakeland College.

Their example has helped me set a course in my life.”

“My brother, Les and I first competed in gymkhanas, and then a roping club was started three miles from our farm,” Wayne continues. “We learned to rope there, and they had bucking chutes so we’d also practice riding rough stock.”

Soon Wayne was enjoying the local Junior and Little Britches rodeos.

“Boys were allowed to barrel race in those days,” Wayne says.

“And they had steer undecorating instead of steer wrestling. I wasn’t a very big guy, but those events worked well for me. I also learned to rope, and then started riding the rough stock, eventually doing a bit of everything including bull riding. My first big rodeo win was in 1962 at the Didsbury Little Britches Rodeo where I came home with the all-round championship.”

“...my parent’s good work ethics must have paid off because I knew how to work hard, and not give up.”

— Wayne Burwash

That win led Wayne and Les on a trip to the United States.

“We went to the Little Britches Championships at Littleton, Colorado later that year,” Wayne says. “We took the Greyhound bus, and I can tell you, it was a pretty exciting trip for two boys that had never been farther from home than Banff!”

In high school, Wayne began to contemplate further education.

“I’d always been fascinated by the vets when they came out to treat the cows, but I never thought I could get into university, and I certainly never thought I would be accepted to vet school,” Wayne says.

“But my high school teacher, Mr. Morrow encouraged me to give it a try. I went to the University of Calgary for my first year of pre-veterinarian thinking I’d fail

by Christmas! But my parent’s good work ethics must have paid off because I knew how to work hard, and not give up.”

During Wayne’s third year of vet school he began to focus on horses.

“I was able to do an internship with an equine surgeon in Kansas after I graduated,” he says.

“Then I returned to Calgary in 1970 and joined a large animal service, where I soon became a partner. I would work with horses all day, and then often calf out cows all night long.

Eventually I decided that cattle

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

7

P ROFILES weren’t my passion, and in 1977 I started Burwash Equine Services.”

“I feel so lucky to have a job that I love,” Wayne says. “When I go to work, it’s always so satisfying. One career highlight was being awarded Veterinary of the Year in 2000 by the Alberta Veterinarian Medical Association!

Plus my business has provided an income that allowed me and my wife, Shannon to have our own horses. The breeding, raising and showing of our Quarter Horses has always been mixed in with our vet practice.”

Wayne purchased his first registered Quarter Horse in the early 1970s. “We’ve bred and raised quite a few nice horses through the years,” Wayne says.

“We’ve produced provincial and national champions, and 2010 we had the Canadian National Super Horse. For a while we stood our own Quarter Horse stallion, Kilomax, who was an AQHA champion and superior halter horse.”

“I’ve also been very involved with equine committees through the years,” Wayne says. “I’m a charter member of the Alberta Quarter Horse Breeder’s group, plus been a director for the American Quarter Horse Association and the Canadian Quarter Horse Association. I’ve also been a working member of Equine Canada, member of the Horsemanship Advisory Committee at Lakeland College, on the Olds College Equine Science Advisory Board, and president of the Veterinary Commission of International Competitions such as those at Spruce Meadows. And I’ve tried to help out with Pony Club, and now that I have a granddaughter in 4-H, I’m involved there as well.

“Everything I’ve done as a vet and recreationally with the horses was stimulating, so I enjoyed it even if it was tough to fit everything in,” Wayne concludes.

“I love horses. They are majestic, powerful beasts, and I feel fortunate to have been able to pursue a life with them.”

Robin Burwash: rodeo champion and coach Robin Burwash’s two older brothers were already teenagers when he was born.

“Les and Wayne were both involved with the Little Britches Rodeos, and they thought I should rodeo, too,” Robin says.

“We had a bucking chute at home and the boys were always trying to get me to ride the calves. They’d talk me into climbing on the calf in the chute, but as soon as they tightened the rope, I’d get off. I really didn’t want to ride anything that bucked!”

But Robin’s attitude towards rodeo changed when he turned 13.

“A rodeo club was started in Balzac and I decided to try it,” Robin says. “It turned out that I was pretty good at riding rough stock, and soon I wanted to enter my first Little Britches Rodeo. I needed permission from my parents, so I waited until Mom was in a dress shop, and then asked her if I could ride the bucking horses. I figured she wouldn’t yell in the store, and sure enough, she was calm and finally said ‘yes.’ That first event gave me the rodeo bug and soon I was seriously competing in High School Rodeo.”

The Burwash family had always spent much of their recreational time on horse activities.

“Dad had a one-ton farm truck

Bareback bronc rider Robin Burwash qualified for the Canadian Finals Rodeo 13 times, winning the national title four times. And he qualified for the National Finals Rodeo 11 times.

“I waited until Mom was in a dress shop, and then asked her if I could ride the bucking horses. I figured she wouldn’t yell in the store, and sure enough, she was calm and finally said ‘yes.’

— Robin Burwash

with stock racks,” Robin recalls.

“We’d jump four or five horses into the back of that truck, and spend all day at gymkhanas or rodeos. Often there were no concessions at these places, so we’d bring fried chicken and potato salad and eat together. It was a lot of fun.”

After graduating from High School, Robin traveled to Montana State University to take his teaching degree.

“I competed in their first college rodeo, and won the bareback riding, plus had a great ride on my bull,” he says.

“The college quickly offered me a full scholarship if I’d rodeo for them, and I accepted. I attended college there for two years, and then got my professional rodeo card. I thought, ‘I can always go back to school,’ so I dropped out of college, and began to rodeo full-time.”

Robin rodeoed professionally for 16 years.

“I stopped riding bulls but stuck with bareback bronc riding,” Robin says. “I estimate I got on over 150 head of bucking horses a year! I went to the Canadian Finals 13 times and to the National Finals Rodeo in the States 11 times. I won four Canadian titles and many championships at big rodeos all across Canada and the U.S.”

“When I turned 34, I got off a bucking horse and said, ‘It’s time to do something else.’”

Robin says. “But I didn’t want to go back to school. Life is funny.

Wayne and Les quit rodeoing to go to college, and I’d quit college to go rodeo!”

Robin and his wife, Sue started a tack manufacturing business called Burwash Brand Horse Gear. “We made and distributed nylon tack such as halters, lead shanks and breast collars,” Robin explains. “Basically we sold equine fashion that would last a long time.”

“Then I became Rodeo and Ranch Manager for the Calgary Stampede,” Robin says. “My brothers were well-respected in horse reproduction, and I was able to participate in that, too while working for the Stampede.

You see, you don’t make bucking horses, you breed them. Take Grated Coconut, for example.

Grated Coconut’s sire and dam were NFR bucking horses and he followed in their footsteps. That horse was a big pet that loved

people, but when you opened the bucking chute, he’d jump out and buck sky high. We collected from Grated Coconut and froze his semen. And we also did embryo transfers with the great bucking mares.”

The tack company was eventually sold, and after working for the Stampede for five years, Robin changed occupations to become a rural realtor.

“But I was still interested in rodeo,” he says. “When our youngest son started Junior High Rodeo, I noticed there was no training for kids that wanted to bareback or bronc ride. I helped start a program called, ‘Build a Cowboy’ where we taught kids how to rodeo safely step-by-step.

We taught them how to approach their bronc, how to measure their rein, and how to get off with the pick-up man.”

“Working with these kids has been fun,” Robin says. “I love bucking horses. And if you can’t ride them yourself anymore, then it’s fun to coach the kids that can.”

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Di d You Know

WILL JAMES Did you know that Will James, the renowned sketch artist and cowboy author of such books as Smoky, was a French Canadian from Quebec? While Canada does little to recognize James, a museum in the small town of Hardin, Montana, houses his log studios in which much of his famous work was done. James’ ranch, the Rocking R, is west of the town, where the cabins were moved from several years ago.

An annual Will James Roundup ranch-style rodeo is held each year to raise funds for studio repairs.

photo: Wendy Dudley

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

P ROFILES Passion

Head injury leads to new opportunity Pam Wagner pursues her dream in equine massage therapy I DID IT MY WAY Personal Profile

By Amie Peck Cochrane, Alta.

F

or a horse-crazy girl growing up on a farm, the best day of Pam Wagner’s life was when her neighbours moved away.

“They had an old pony that they decided to leave with us when they moved,” she remembers fondly.

“No one in my family even knew how to put a bridle on — my parents were not horse people. Somehow I figured things out through trial and error.”

In fact the pony, named Rocket, lived to the old age of 34, long after Pam had moved out of her childhood home. However, that stubborn, hand-me-down pony began her life-long love and passion for horses.

Pam married and settled in rural Bienfait, Sask. where she trained client horses and taught lessons.

Pam showed both Arabians and Quarter Horses in local competi-

tions in various disciplines. Barrel racing became a fast favourite, especially as Pam’s daughter became more involved in the sport.

“My daughter and I competed together for many years,” Pam says. “After she went to university, it just wasn’t as much fun alone.

Now I have my granddaughter to compete with and sometimes all three of us get to go out together — it feels like it has come full cycle, generation wise, this love of horses.”

Then, about 15 years ago, disaster struck. Pam brought her seasoned horse to the Estevan fair just to compete in some of the fun events.

During the warmup, Pam was loping beside a friend when her horse suddenly fell, launching her into the dirt. As she came off her horse, Pam struck her head... hard.

“I don’t actually remember anything from that day,” Pam says. “I remember getting my horse off of the trailer and the next thing I knew I was waking up in the hospital.”

Doctors told her that it was a miracle she was waking up at all. A bull fighter with medical training

had come to her aid and treated her for head trauma before she was transported to the hospital.

According to the medical professionals, that bullfighter most likely saved Pam’s life.

“I remember the doctors telling me that they were amazed I had survived the fall,” Pam says softly.

“One of them said to me — ‘God must have a plan for you, because you are a miracle.’”

Recovery was difficult for Pam. Like many survivors of head trauma, she would either sleep all the time or deal with long bouts of insomnia. There were constant headaches, and she was forgetful to the point that it was unsafe for her to be alone.

Eventually, Pam received better treatment and therapy for her head trauma, and her life began to improve. One day, she saw an advertisement for an Equine Massage Course and decided to enrol.

“I couldn’t return to my regular job, but I needed to pay the bills somehow,” Pam laughs. “It was also something that I had always thought about pursuing, but never

had the time. This was the opportunity I had been looking for.”

Since becoming a Registered Equine Massage Therapist, Pam has been building up her clientele in the area surrounding Bienfait — and seeing a lot of success. Her business, aptly named Cowgirl’s Touch, has many repeat customers from various disciplines.

“It is so rewarding to be able to massage a horse and see the benefits — how their spine comes back into alignment, and knowing that they feel better.”

Tamarah Olarie, a close friend of Pam, has seen the positive changes over the past year.

“Pam has struggled with her health but these limitations have not stopped her,” she comments.

“Her drive has helped her to not only successfully deal with her illness but also helped her complete her Equine Massage courses and create a growing business. Her commitment and love for horses is evident and I believe this love has been the driving force for her success.

Pam is a shining example of someone who follows their dreams.”

Pam Wagner suffered a head trauma fifteen years ago after a fall from her horse. She recently started Cowgirl’s Touch, a successful Equine Massage Therapy business in Saskatchewan.

Since her accident, Pam is also a believer in wearing a helmet every single time she rides.

“It’s a good start that helmets are mandatory for every rider under 18 in Saskatchewan,” she says, “but I think they should make it mandatory for everyone. As long as the adults are riding around without helmets, the kids will want to as well. Even if we save one person from head trauma, it will be worth it.”

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Behind the chutes with Brandon Thome Taking the reins with the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sports Med Team OUR WAY OF LIFE

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Making a living with horses

By Luke Creasy Brownfield, Alta.

T

here’s a lot of our practitioners that do it because the population is cool to deal with. Myself, I do it cause it’s a way of life. Rodeo isn’t a sport, it’s the way it is, it’s life,” said Brandon Thome, head of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sports Medicine Team.

“I got into rodeo through Dale Butterwick. He’d asked if I wanted to come and help. He knew I’d come from a rural background and was very familiar with rodeo… said I’d be a perfect fit. So, I came on and enjoyed it ever since. And now I’ve kinda taken the reins, taken over the team, and just recently joined the board of directors for the Pro Rodeo Sports Med Team.

“I took a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Calgary and have an athletic therapy diploma from Mount Royal University,” Thome mentioned, originally from the Medicine Hat area. “For the last two years, I have been the athletic therapy co-ordinator and service manager co-ordinator for the sports medicine team.”

During the week, Brandon is a partner in Prairie Therapy Inc.

“

which has locations in Calgary, Rocky Mountain House, and Sundre, Alta.

The sports med team is a volunteer-operated program and is supported through the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association. CPRA members pay $2 on every entry fee for the sports med program, as well as part of their membership costs. The individual rodeo committees also pitch in to get the med teams to their rodeos.

“This year we have been to the most rodeos since I’ve been on the team. We will have been to 26 events, 22 of which are the CPRA events, plus we get hired on at different bull ridings and open rodeos.

We travel down the road with two trailers, one truck, and about 60 different practitioners. They vary from chiropractors to massage therapists to athletic therapists.

And then behind the scenes back at home, we have doctors through the University of Calgary and surgeons at the University Calgary and at Banff. There’s a scattering of other doctors throughout the country that kind of help us out on a asneeded basis.

“The team dynamics are very interesting. You got to have fun to do it. With the cowboys all the time, there’s usually a couple funny moments at every rodeo we go to.

“CFR the one year Donny Carlyle showed up… somehow he always shows up. He really wanted to be

Brandon Thome (r) is currently the athletic therapy co-ordinator and service manager co-ordinator for the sports medicine team.

part of the team, and he wanted to put a pair of plastic gloves on. So the one year we brought him a pair of A.I. gloves and he showed up behind the chutes with this pair of gloves that came up to his shoulder.

That was pretty entertaining.”

The program isn’t all fun and games. “I’ve seen tons of disgusting stuff, but probably one of the scariest moments was TJ Baird at Ponoka the one year that horn come up under his leg and was cut for 99 stitches and it got infected.”

Thome sighed, “Broken legs and stuff, that’s manageable, we can deal with broken legs, the cowboys can deal with broken legs. The scariest stuff, is when guys get knocked out, the unknown of your head is a difficult one for us.

“Coming from a rural background, rodeo has always kind of been engrained in me, it’s just a part of who you are. When you get a chance to get into sports medicine like this, and you get a chance to work with the athletes of this caliber, you start to realize it’s a population that needs help. And if we can help, great. We don’t do it for the money… no one goes into rodeo for the money. We do it for the love of the sport.”

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

9

P ROFILES Calf roper

Guy Chomistek

Rodeo champ and educator Rodeo has influenced his life as coach, teacher and businessman WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Catching up with heroes of the past

By Dianne Finstad Red Deer, Alta.

R

odeo is one of those games where you have to be ‘all in.’

It’s tough to just ‘dabble’ in the sport.

For some contestants, that means a day of reckoning, to decide if they can keep on the rodeo trail, or need to head in a different direction.

Guy Chomistek came to that crossroads. The successful pro calf roper, steer wrestler and team roper had to make some hard choices about his future. His road has included many interesting journeys in education, business, and family, but it meant stepping away from the sport he enjoyed.

Taking up rodeo seemed only natural for Chomistek, growing up in Tompkins, Saskatchewan in a family of competitive cowboys.

His father Emil finished fourth in Canada for calf roping in 1963.

Uncle Joe was a steer wrestler, while cousin Joe Jr. made the CFR five times in that event. His two older brothers took part in both timed events, and sister Kathy roped a bit too.

“It was a family deal,” acknowledged Chomistek. “There were always horses around. I got involved in the amateurs in my Grade 12 year.”

He did well there, picking up the High Point championship in the CCA, before going on to become the Permit Award winner for the CPRA in 1984. Once the permit was filled, Chomistek turned pro right away.

In 1987, with the help of a big early season win in Regina, he qualified for his first Canadian Finals Rodeo in calf roping. With more rodeos in Alberta, Chomistek spent time at his uncle’s in Scandia. He also benefited from the knowledge and experience of 1976 Canadian calf roping champion Bill Reeder.

“I asked if I could come and hang out with him, and he really influ-

enced me lots,” credited Chomistek.

That helped him get back to Edmonton for a second CFR appearance in 1991. Even though it wasn’t considered a major event back then, Chomistek was also honing his team roping skills, and spending time with the likes of Joe Lucas and Jim Randle. He got to see a lot of the U.S. as a heeler, and remembers some career highlights.

“For me, winning Santa Maria (with Jim Randle) was a big one. It was a four head team roping, and it was quite exciting for Canadians to excel down there.”

“One of my clients asked me to describe rodeo. I responded with, ‘That’s easy. It is just like baseball, except the bases are always loaded, the count is always full, and you are on your last pitch.

You don’t have to hit a home run every time, but you certainly need to get on base.’”

horsepower plays in rodeo success, especially in tie-down roping.

“Those years, how I did was directly related to what I rode.

The first year I went into the U.S. I had a bay horse called Purple. I was young and everything seemed to come pretty easy. But then the horse was killed in an auto wreck, and I just couldn’t seem to win after that. Now I see how all the ropers are talented, but what separates them is the horsepower underneath, and that can make them unbeatable.”

“When I was team roping, I’d do really well on horses that would cheat or be a bit lazy. I’d get way too excited, and the younger horses would get too much excitement from me.”

By the 1991 CFR, things were changing on the home front for Chomistek. Despite not being very impressed with each other on their first meeting, Chomistek changed his mind, and hers, and wound up marrying the 1986 Miss Rodeo Canada, Shelley Sodero. And he’d decided to take a second stab at a post-secondary education.

“Right out of high school, I had scholarships, and went to university in Saskatoon. But that was kind of a bust because I only wanted to rodeo then,” admitted Chomistek.

Guy Chomistek, shown here celebrating his 23rd wedding anniversary, married 1986 Miss Rodeo Canada Shelley Sodero, daughter of former Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede General Manager Dann Sodero and his wife Jackie.

“But after doing quite a few roping schools, I learned I liked working with kids, so I decided to become a P.E. teacher.”

Chomistek enrolled in the University of Lethbridge. But he knew this time, it would have to be different.

“I learned rodeo didn’t mix very well with good marks. I’d take my books and try to study, but it didn’t work. I knew I had to choose which direction I needed to go.”

“With rodeo, it’s tough to do anything else. If you’re not willing to do the practicing, you’re kidding yourself. It was too tough to combine.”

And so, Guy Chomistek put down his rope, and hit the books, quitting rodeo ‘cold turkey.’ He graduated with a major in education and a history minor.

He became a teacher in the Medicine Hat area, and a coach for volleyball, basketball and track. He was also the head football coach at one high school.

Now he’s working with his

brother-in-law Jim Sodero at Solutions Thru Software, developing software for drivers license knowledge testing. As well, both he and Shelley are busy keeping up with their 15-year-old daughter Brittney.

The family lives on land which belonged to Shelley’s grandfather just outside of Medicine Hat so there are still horses around, including a heel horse Guy purchased but never roped off.

Is he ever tempted to get back into the rodeo world?

“Always! Team roping is a little less physical, so I always keep it in my mind that I’m good to go. But then I sneak down to the NFR and see how aggressive those ropers are, and realize its best just to only think about it.”

“For the record, the skills, knowledge and experiences I gained through rodeo have allowed me to be successful outside the arena.

Without rodeo, I am not convinced I would have ever grown up,” smiled Chomistek.

— Guy Chomistek

“It was a bit strange because I had a reputation for heeling quick, but I was fast, or not at all. So it was quite unusual for us to win by roping four in a row,” he chuckled.

Randle and Chomistek were making a run in hopes of being the first Canadians to qualify for team roping at the National Finals Rodeo in 1988, when Randle’s best horse acquired rhino disease which made it unusable, and the rest of their season ineffective.

Looking back now, Chomistek recognizes the important role

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

P ROFILES World Champion s

Painting the town in gold

Canadian pride shines through at World Paint Horse Championships YOUNG GUNS Up and coming stars

By Amie Peck Cochrane, Alta.

T

hree talented young riders from Western Canada made the trek down to Fort Worth, Texas to show their mounts at the 2013 Youth World Championship Paint Horse Show.

Held at the Will Rogers Memorial Centre, the event attracts competitors from across North America to show in 79 world championship classes. Offering over $100,000 in prizes and $20,000 in scholarships, the show is the largest that any of the three Canadians have ever experienced.

Brooklyn Moch, of Alberta, was excited to make her debut performance at the Youth World Show this year, riding RL A Sudden Treasure, better known as Bubbles, her 11-year old Paint horse.

At just 13 years old, Moch was one of the youngest competitors from Canada. She has been traveling back and forth to Texas for the past six months in preparation for the show.

“We purchased Bubbles in January,” she explains, “and I flew back and forth at least one week every month to work with him and my trainer. We really focused on my body and leg position in the saddle and being precise with my aids.”

All of her hard work paid off at the world championships. “We competed in Trail, Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Hunt Seat Equitation and Showmanship in the 13 Years and under divisions,” she says. Her performances garnered her both a Top 10 finish in Hunt Seat Equitation and a Top 5 in Horsemanship.

“My favourite class is Western Pleasure,” Moch says. “I am most comfortable in that class. I think Bubble’s favourite is Showmanship.”

Mackenzie Jagersma, also of Alberta, rode her horse Doc Orlena Patch in the speed events, taking home a top 10 in Youth Barrel Racing, and a Top 5 in the Stake Race.

In Youth Pole Bending, her time of 24.27 seconds bettered all her competitors — winning her the world championship.

“To win the world championship in pole bending was breath-taking,” Jagersma says. “I had spent three years working towards competing at the World Show. So when Doc and I pulled into Fort Worth, my dream had already come true.

Winning the champion title was incredible! Not only did we get to compete, we won!”

Jagersma is also grateful for all the support that she has received on her journey to the World Show.

“I would like to thank my family and our store, The Country Outpost for their continuous support, A.S.R.P.W.F, and a special thanks to my partner, Doc Orlena Patch. I couldn’t do it without him.”

“There is no magic in what I do, but if you do it right it can work miracles.”

-Doug Mills

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At 13 years old, Brooklyn Moch was one of the youngest competitors from Canada to compete at the World Show. Together with her horse, RL A Sudden Treasure, Brooklyn showed in five classes.

Right behind Jagersma in the Pole Bending was Taylor Gardner, of Saskatchewan, with a time of 25.08 seconds. The 17-year-old was ecstatic to win her first of two reserve championships.

It was an incredibly busy show for Gardner as she competes on three show horses in a multitude of events — everything from Barrel racing and Pole bending to Equitation over Fences and Hunter Under Saddle. Together with her speed horse, Mr Sylvester, she brought home her second Reserve Championships in the Youth Versatility Challenge.

“The Versatility Challenge consists of English Pleasure, Western Pleasure, a reining pattern and then running the barrels,” Gardner explains. “Sylvester was awesome — I was so happy that we did so well, especially because I am really just starting out in the gymkhana events. He was just a rock star the whole show.”

Gardner first started competing in Paint shows seven years ago at the age of ten.

“I fell in love with Paint shows right away,” Gardner remembers. “My favourite are the speed events such as pole bending

Mackenzie Jagersma, aboard Docs Orlena Patch, beams as they leave the arena at the Youth World Championship Paint Show. The pair took home the championship in Pole Bending in the 14-18 year old division.

and barrel racing, I just love the adrenaline rush.”

“My favourite thing about Paints is their versatility and work ethic — they will do anything for you. I love that they are all unique in colour and appearance and have such great personalities.”

The experience of the World Show was one that the riders will not soon forget. “It was a pretty amazing experience,” Brooklyn Moch gushes. “It is the biggest show I have even been to and it was pretty great getting to meet new people and compete as a team with my horse.”

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Taylor Gardner of Saskatchewan brought home her second Reserve Championships in the Youth Versatility Challenge.

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

11

PROFILES MUSICAL RIDE

Jennifer McRae – RCMP Musical Ride First female RCMP to attend Changing of the Queen’s Life Guard WOMEN OF THE WEST Personal profile

By Carol Hansson Prince George, B.C.

T

he RCMP Musical Ride visited Prince George, B.C., in July of 2013. The ride is travelling across Canada from Navan, Ontario, in May to High River, Alta., in September, where they will be appearing on the CBC hit show, Heartland.

Jennifer McRae, of Prince George, was able to give me some of her time before readying her Hanoverian gelding, Dancer. The Musical Ride allows each participant to experience riding a variety of horses, especially in their first year.

“We’re assigned one horse per year, so in your first training year (it’s a three-year posting), you ride a variety of different horses. In my first tour year, I rode an 11-yearold mare named Visty. I’m riding Dancer this year.”

Both horses have endearing qualities to Jennifer as she couldn’t choose a favourite between them.

“They’re both wonderful horses, I love them both. They have a little bit of a different personality; just because Visty was a little bit older and I was pretty new to the ride. You just get used to them and you form a bond with them as you’re riding. It’s pretty special.”

Being only seven, Dancer quite often acts his age.

“He can be a goofball sometimes.

He’s still young so he’s still full of lots of energy and spark; I always have to be on my game with him. Just in our last practice we had in Fort St. John, he decided to spin me in circles and that was really fun. I had to latch onto his neck which was pretty exciting. Everybody erupted in laughter.”

“He just has a lot of energy and he likes to play and have fun. You just have to ride him and be on top of him.”

On May 23, 2012, Jennifer and 10 other RCMP members were part of the Changing of the Queen’s Life Guard to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. Jennifer was the first female RCMP member to take part in the ceremony.

Being full-time on the Ride, Jennifer makes her home in Ontario during the off-season and travels across Canada for the performances. The riders and horses practice throughout the winter months, polishing their routine and learning new things.

The team of 33 riders and horses, including the member in charge, perform intricate manoeuvres like the turnstiles, which Jennifer says she finds the most challenging.

“Essentially it’s two rides going at each other and we cross in between each other. So it’s like a revolving door.”

Most of the riders do not have any experience with horses before they join the Ride, but some have a bit of experience, like Jennifer.

“My first memory of a horse would be the horse that we owned when I was young. His name was Jeff.”

When the Riders enter the arena, the excitement and awe that is inspired is palpable, and teamwork is a big key in ensuring everything goes smoothly.

“It’s awesome that we can all work together simultaneously to do this job. I love the reaction that people have when we ride and do a show; people get really excited.”

Jennifer’s time with the Ride has definitely affected her.

“I think I will continue with horses

after I’m finished with the Ride.

Friends of mine are in Alberta so I’ll be able to go out there sometime and get on the back of a horse again.”

All of the horses that participate in the ride are extremely well trained, and well mannered. Many will happily dip their heads over the stall for a pet from horse lovers young and old, and all are gorgeous to watch, whether in motion or not.

The Ride is definitely an experience not to be missed, as the bond between horse and human allows for complicated patterns that prove the trust that is placed with equine and rider.

Jennifer McRae was the first female RCMP member to take part in the Changing of the Queen’s Life Guard ceremony. She was in London last year as part of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

P ROFILES Event ing, Dressag e , B r e e d i n g

T h e rapeut ic riding

Knabstrupper! Gesundheit?

Mac Got Leid Off!

Rare breed from Denmark is nothing to sneeze at A BREED APART Horse breeder profile

By Robyn Moore Airdrie, Alta.

W

h e n E v e n t e r S a ra h Gibbons lived in the United Kingdom and was shopping around for a new stallion, she thought of the time when her friend showed her a Knabstrupper stallion that she was going to breed her mare to.

“I liked the idea that they were to the best of my knowledge the only spotted warmblood around,” says Sarah, “and were so easily trained, easy to work with, and so colourful without compromising on temperament.”

Knabstruppers are a rare breed, even in Europe. Originating in Denmark, they have the conformation of a Warmblood with the colouring of an Appaloosa, although they developed independently of each other.

However, in 1971, three Appaloosa stallions were imported to Denmark to add new blood to the breed. The first Knabstrupper was born in North America in 2002.

So, Sarah searched breeders in Denmark for her next horse to train.

“After looking extensively, I found two six-month-old colts that I liked from different breeders and returned home to think over which one I would choose,” remembers Sarah.

Leo (l) and Rah at age two are a rare breed of Knabstruppers, originally from Denmark.

“After a long deliberation, I decided to go with the one that was most likely to be the easiest to train and breed. I spent the next two to three weeks trying to get ahold of the breeder with no luck.

I finally got a phone call from her when I was at work explaining that she had been going through a lot personally and was splitting up with her husband.

“In the time that I had been deliberating which horse to choose, she had purchased the other one I had liked from the breeder that was desperate for space at her farm. So now both colts I liked were owned by the same lady, and she was selling off all the horses and the farm in the separation. She offered me the other one for a quarter of the original price. I thought about it at length before justifying it, though they are the same breed, they are different styles of horses and are not related at all. So a daughter of one could be bred to the other.”

When Sarah was transferred to the Edmonton area for work, there was no question that she

was going to bring “her spotted boys” with her.

Both boys are now seven and are both just beginning their show and breeding career. Da Vinci, a.k.a. Leo, is a fearless horse and is enjoying the beginning of a career in Eventing.

Lammengården’s Liberty, a.k.a.

Rah, is larger at 17 hands and a more sensitive horse suited for Dressage. Rah is also one of the few fully licenced and graded Knabstruppers in North America.

While Sarah has bred her boys to Thoroughbred, Arabian, Friesian, Welsh, Holsteiner and Hanoverian mares, her focus is training and showing the stallions to their full potential as well as creating awareness of the rare breed.

“I want to spread the word on these lovely animals because they have it all for any level or discipline of rider. They have the quiet temperament along with the willingness to learn and please, combined with talent, and we must not forget the memorable striking colour!”

Robyn Moore is the Manager of Horse Industry Association of Alberta.

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B.C. therapy horse retired after 13 years of service HORSE HEROES Profiles of exceptional horses

By Robyn Moore Airdrie, Alta.

I

t was a night to be with friends to celebrate the retirement of the long-time therapy horse, Mac. Earlier this year in February, the Cowichan Therapeutic Riding Association (CTRA) in Duncan, B.C. had a Hawaiian-themed party entitled “Mac’s Getting Leid Off.” Mac received his guests, sporting a yellow and pink lei, which complimented his shiny dun coat.

Even at his retirement party, he demonstrated his love for people with his welcoming nature.

“The party was a hoot!” says E xecutive Director Jennifer Barnes van Elk. “It was attended by dozens of Mac’s closest friends across the years (current and past participants, volunteers old and new, the list goes on), and everyone really got into the swing of things with Hawaiian leis, Hawaiian music, and too many goodies to count.”

Since being donated to the CTRA in December, 2000, Mac has developed quite a fan base. It is estimated that he helped over 500 people in his years as a therapy horse.

Mac had many achievements throughout his career including medals at the B.C. Summer Games for Athletes with a Disability. Mac also continued to work in the para-dressage arena in addition to his therapy work. His most recent accomplishments include a first place finish in the national ‘Sea to Sea’ video competition in 2011 with rider Ross Wristen.

Mac, or Heljos Image, was born on March 26, 1988 in Cremona, Alta. Prior to coming to CTRA at age 12, he was being ridden and driven as a school horse. However, his training was only beginning when he arrived in Duncan.

As a Norwegian Fjord, his size and sturdiness was well suited for work as a therapy horse. But it takes more than just what is on the outside to excel in this demanding career.

“Mac was an incredibly steady, confident, and personable horse”, states Jennifer. “He was a friend and teacher to so many, and we could always rely on him to be there for even the most delicate situations. He was truly one of the most stalwart horses most of us have ever had the pleasure of working with.”

“Despite what most people think when they think of the work that a therapeutic horse does, this job is very hard work. Although the horses are not running at a fast pace, jumping, cutting, or doing much we think of as strenuous, the work still takes a toll. Compensating for riders with low tone and difficulty with balance is taxing on the horse’s muscular-skeletal system. In addition, the psychological stresses of this work are another serious demand of any therapy horse. It is a very unique job and each horse has their own span of time that they are happy to do this special work. Fortunately for us, with Mac, this turned out to be 13 years of service. Usually we retire our horses around 20 years of age, so when Mac passed 23 years of age, we decided (with much difficulty) to make arrangements for his new life.”

Mac’s retirement home is not far from where he spent the past 13 years. He’s still in Duncan, at Mountain Shadow Farm. The farm is home to three other retired therapy horses who are well cared for by the Crawford/Starter family.

The farm is also a Family Care Home for three adults with developmental disabilities. For a horse like Mac, who’s affinity for people never reaches retirement, it seems like the perfect place for him to live out the rest of his days.

Robyn Moore is the Manager of Horse Industry Association of Alberta.

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Mac celebrated with his friends and fans at his Hawaiian-themed retirement party. photo: Lisa Pink

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

13

PROFILES PARALYMPIAN

Team Canada’s Ashley Gowanlock Therapeutic riding leads to international dressage competition YOUNG GUNS Up and coming stars

By Amanda Macfarlane Guelph, Ont.

A

t 26 years old, Vancouver, B.C. native Ashley Gowanlock has already represented Canada in two Paralympics and the 2010 World Equestrian Games. With a passion for horses and competition, she has her sights set on the 2014 WEG. Para-Equestrian is a sport that allows riders with physical disabilities to compete against other riders with similar abilities all the way up to the FEI level. There are many disciplines at the grass roots level but FEI competition focuses on Dressage.

Riders are given a grade, based on their functional ability, which range from Grade IA to Grade IV with IA being the most severely impaired rider and IV being the least. Ashley is a Grade 1B rider.

A two-year old Ashley, diagnosed at birth with cerebral palsy, was not a fan of the traditional physio-

therapy that her doctors ordered.

Instead of fighting with Ashley, her clever parents tricked her into therapeutic riding instead.

“I spent the next decade improving my muscle strength and co-ordination on horseback,” says Ashley.

When she was 12, she attended her first Para-Equestrian recruiting day.

“I discovered that I could become an international rider while travelling the world. Four years later I began serious Dressage training.”

At 21, Ashley competed in her first Paralympics in Beijing and her first World Equestrian Games two years later in Lexington. She

Ashley Gowanlock credits her competition partner, Donnymaskell for teaching her how to ride.

fondly remembers the nine year old Hanoverian Donnymaskell who, as her first real competition horse, taught her so much about being a rider. His speed and spunk made him stand out from the placid school horses she was used to. Ashley rode Donnymaskell in Beijing.

“I cry every time I leave the ring.

There is so much build up — so much pressure. Then there is this surreal few minutes when it’s you and your horse doing your best in front of a huge crowd of fans and leaving the ring to a thunderous cheer,” says Ashley to describe what it’s like to compete internationally.

About London, her second Paralympics Ashley adds, “There were over 10,000 people watching us in London. That is an incredible feeling.”

Ashley’s human teammates are also important to her success. This close knit team trains, travels and competes together, and even lend a hand when a teammate needs a horse to ride. In fact, her favourite horse Fredonia belongs to teammate Lauren Barwick.

“Donnymaskell taught me a lot about being a rider, but Fredonia and

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At the young age of 26, Ashley Gowanlock has already represented Canada at two Paralympics.

I are a perfect match,” begins Ashley.

“Everything about her is sweet. She constantly checks in with me and always has her head on her shoulders.

That’s really important when you’re asking a horse to perform in front of huge crowds at international competitions. She’s the kind of horse that you know will always have your back.”

With Fredonia injured this year, Ashley is on the hunt for a new competition horse for WEG 2014 and hopes she can find one with that same level headedness to handle the pressure of crowds, competition and traveling.

She uses two whips as her leg aids so it is important too that the horse

carries itself forward and has a natural ‘go’ button. The walk is the most important gate because horse and rider teams perform many movements in this gait, like a turn on the haunches.

Horseback riding represents freedom to many people and that couldn’t ring any more true for Ashley. It is her daily escape from any limits caused by her physical disability.

This incredible young woman has overcome the challenges that she has faced so far — and with her enthusiastic and positive attitude, future challenges don’t stand a chance.

14

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

PROFILES SPIRIT OF THE WEST

Hugh McLennan

Broadcaster, working cowboy, horse trainer, entertainer I DID IT MY WAY Personal Profile

By Mark McMillan Meadow Springs Ranch, B.C.

I

n south central British Columbia, in the hills above Kamloops, you can find the McLennan Ranch nestled in the heart of some of B.C.’s finest cattle range.

It’s actually just a few miles from the little community of Pinantan that Billie and Hugh McLennan call home.

Behind the big impressive looking ranch gate, there’s a fairly new home, outbuildings, and a large round pen. Chances are that one or two horses will be in the round pen, with Hugh on the back of one as he trains the second.

If the truck and trailer are gone, then Billie and Hugh are probably out checking their cows or cowboying for one of the neighbouring ranches.

Most folks probably know Hugh as the voice of the weekly syndicated radio show ‘Spirit of the West,’ a program dedicated to Hugh’s interests and beliefs to preserve the cowboy ways with true western music, stories and news from the rangelands, a horse training file, and a cowboy poetry spotlight.

But Hugh is more than a broadcaster, a working cowboy, and a horse trainer. He’s an entertainer that plays guitar and sings, and a natural emcee.

In between all the cattle work and the radio show, they’re on the road travelling to different events. If you’ve been to the Mane Event, he’s that terrific voice announcing the Trainers Challenge.

He was also the voice in the trainers challenge on the Heartland TV series, and narrated the Trail Blazers series on Cowboy Country TV. Each year he’s the emcee of the B.C. Cowboy Hall of Fame inductions.

At a cowboy concert a few years ago, I told a young female singer that she would be opening for Hugh McLennan. “Is he that big tall cowboy with ‘the voice,’” she asked.

Hugh’s voice is made for radio — deep, pleasant, and extremely recognizable. Years ago he left a message on our answering machine, “Hi Mark, this is Hugh McLennan here...” Oh really, glad he told me — I never would have known!

Now, at over 70 years young, Hugh’s favourite thing is still to ride a good horse — whether it’s in the round pen or out on the range. His second favourite thing, I think, is to tell a good story — especially if it’s about a good horse.

“We were moving some Black Angus heifers for Ken Dalgleish into a corral one day to treat some foot rot,” began Hugh. “Things were going well till one heifer tried to make a break. I dug my spurs into Cody, forgetting that I was riding a colt. I just thought she’d jump right out in front of the critter and turn her back... well, jump she did.

She bogged her head and started to buck. I lost my right stirrup and

in two more jumps I was on the ground. Cody kept on bucking scattering the heifers in every direction.

Ken rode over and said, ‘Hugh your horse just caused quite a mess here — why didn’t you hang on to the reins?’ My answer was easy, ‘when I got to the end of the reins I was still going up!’”

Billie and Hugh celebrated their Golden Anniversary this past April and you can tell when you’re riding with them, that they’ve worked closely together over the years.

They had gathered cows one morning and were moving them up to another pasture. Things were going well until they tried to get the critters to go up a road. Hugh said the only time the cows were on the road was when they were crossing it to get to the heavier bush on the other side! Hugh took it personally.

“I was off my horse and into the bush... both the horse and I were on our hands and knees trying to get those %$@* cows back on the road.”

Billie watched patiently for a while and then said, “Do you mind if I make a suggestion?” “What??!!” gruffed Hugh.

“If you’d stop thinking like a cowboy and more like a cow, we can move this whole heard about 1/4mile to the west, we’ll come to a fence with a right away that we can take them up,” Billie replied.

“And it worked like a charm,” said Hugh, a little sheepishly.

Over the years Hugh has received numerous awards but I think the best prize he got was 50 years ago when Billie said, “Yes!” She does

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Billie and Hugh gathering some cow-calf pairs in the fall at their ranch near Kamloops, B.C.

the bookkeeping, the banking, the cooking, the cleaning, and all the other ranch wife stuff.

She’s also one of Hugh’s cowboying partners and travel companion.

She is cheerful and easy going and her sense of humour is amazing!

That led Hugh to tell another story from bygone days.

“When I ride a colt for the first time, Billie often goes with me. One time we were checking cows that still had to calve down at the Dalgleish Place and there was a black cow missing. This was worrisome as we’d had to pull her last two calves.

We finally found her, upside down in the bush. I stepped off my colt and Billie got off of Ol’ Zip. I took down my rope and was about to hand Billie the reins when the cow gave a groan and a kick. Well the colt thought it was a Sasquatch and took off at a dead run... with Ol’ Zip following close behind. I said, ‘let ’em go we’ll catch them after we deal with this cow.’

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Billie and Hugh enjoying life in January on a cruise ship which they host each year.

“About the time we got the cow straightened out, a neighbour showed up bouncing across the meadow in his pickup. ‘I saw these two riderless horses heading for the gate and thought something must be wrong,’ he said.”

Billie replied, “That’s right. We weren’t sure if we could handle this situation by ourselves so we sent the horses for help.” The stories could go on forever.

Check out Hugh’s website to find out about their annual cruise in January... there will be plenty of good stories from plenty of good folks as they sail through the Panama Canal.

Or take a minute between horse trainers at the Mane Event in Chilliwack to say “Hi.” They’d love to chat with you!

HUGH’S MANY AWARDS

• Founders Award (Cowboy Culture Awards) • Cowboy of the Year (West Quest for National Day of the American Cowboy) • Joe Marten Memorial Award for the Preservation of Cowboy Heritage (B.C. Cowboy Heritage Society) • Western Broadcaster of the Year (Academy of Western Artists) • Best Agricultural Program (Canadian Agri-Marketing Assoc.)

• The Red Sash Award (Charles Russell Historical Society)

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

P ROFILES Horse park

Equine Disneyland Twisted Terrain Horse Park first in Canada

By Amie Peck Cochrane, Alta.

I

f there is a paradise for mountain and trail riding aficionados, it would probably look a lot like Twisted Terrain Horse Park in Hope, B.C. The brainchild of owner Laurie Thompson, Twisted Terrain is a two-acre equine park full of natural obstacles designed to challenge both horses and riders, and the bond between them.

The first of its kind in Canada, Twisted Terrain began to come to fruition in November, 2012. After a visit to the Mane Event Expo in Chilliwack, Laurie was introduced to the sport of Extreme Mountain Trail through a demonstration.

“I recognized some folks in the demo,” Laurie says, “but what I really remember is that they were all smiling and having a good time while negotiating these obstacles. The sport is all about horsemanship and improving the communication between horse and rider.”

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Laurie also knew that she wanted to encourage participation in Extreme Mountain Trail with Canadian riders. Her hope was that the park would provide a specialized area in which to practice the obstacles that riders would encounter during a competition.

The park officially opened in March of 2012.

Around the park, the ‘Twisted Trail’ is available for trail rides, with the obstacles scattered throughout the centre.

These obstacles include everything from log and suspension bridges, gates, rock scrambles, balance beams, railway tracks, and even teeter-totters.

The unique challenges found in the park have drawn clinicians from across Canada and the United States, including Jonathan Field, Natalie Vonk and Debbie Hughes. Competitions have been added to the event calendar for 2013, in part with the Canadian Mountain Trail Horse Society.

“The great thing about this

park is that it isn’t necessarily breed or discipline specific,” explains Laurie. “We have had groups of hunter/jumper, dressage and barrel racers to name a few. The obstacles in the park are a great benchmark of where your horsemanship skills are at, no matter the tack or breed of horse.”

Now in its second year of operation, new obstacles have been added including trenches, more gates, logs and railway tracks, with more to come.

“We recently just purchased another parcel of land directly across the road from the park,” Laurie explains. “This addition offers over two hours of riding trails, and is a great place to go out and practice more of what you worked on in the horse park.”

Although the park attracts a wide variety of horses and riders, it is senior equestrians that have completely embraced the sport.

“I think the senior riders we see in Mountain Trail have done a lot of competing in their lives, such as barrel racing or dres-

Twisted Terrain Horse Park, located in Hope, B.C., challenges horses and riders to overcome exciting obstacles.

sage,” Laurie says. “Now they enjoy the camaraderie of this event but appreciate how technical the sport is. Although the obstacles are very challenging, it really boils down to basic fundamental horsemanship, which I think is something they enjoy.

It is all about trust and the relationship with your horse.”

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Where to go

To find out more about Twisted Terrain Horse Park, visit www.twistedterrainhorsepark.com

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

P ROFILES Bull riding

Pound the Alarm Volz bull moves up in PBR rankings HOOKED ON BULLS Profiles on the PBR

By Ted Stovin Calgary, Alta.

M

aking waves on the Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Touring Pro Division in Canada this spring has been a young red and white paint horned bull known as 917 Pound the Alarm.

The Wild Hoggs Bull is ranked

just outside the top 100 bulls in the world at the moment, according to ProBullStats.com Getting him to that point wasn’t that easy though.

“He was real bad this spring. We put him in the chute for a couple of hours a day for 10 days for him to get used to it,” says trainer and owner Justin Volz.

“He was a professional chute fighter. He’ll lay down every once and a while but stand up and give guys a good shot when he needs to.”

At one point he nearly got loose and ran away. “He jumped out of a High Hog ‘S’ alley when we were number branding and tipping him. Those are six feet high,” Volz added. “We’ve finally got him settled down. I’ve put a lot of time and effort into this bull.”

It’s time and effort that’s paying off. Pound the Alarm split the Bull of the Day award with Braithwaite’s 2012 PBR Canada Bull of the Year, Jackson James.

He was also the Top Marked Bull of the Event at the recent 15th

Annual Dodge White Lightning Pro Cowboy Crunch in Oyen, Alta. on July 24.

Corey Chmelnyk and his family bought half interest in Pound the Alarm after Josh Birks rode him for a 90.5 to win the Nipawin, Sask. on May 10, 2013. Chmelnyk also bought half-ownership in Morning Breath at the Canadian Bucking Bulls Inc. Production Sale in June, 2012.

“We gave the buckle to Corey.

I think his daughter Alex stole it from him as she was already wear-

Adam Jamison rides up-and-coming star Pound the Alarm at the 1st Annual Ty Pozzobon Invitational in Merritt, B.C. on June 1, 2013. photo: Ian Webster, Merritt Herald

ing it on the way home we heard,” chucked Volz.

Volz said the name Pound the Alarm comes from a Nikki Minaj tune. “I thought it was fitting cause he’s kind of a wild ass.”

Speaking of being wild, Pound the Alarm doesn’t have a consistent bucking pattern. Weighing in at about 1,400 pounds, he changes it up often.

He went right with Ty Patten in Oyen and did the same with Cody Coverchuk in Eatonia.

“Sometimes it’s a big jump and kick, then he looks right and comes left. He will level out but starts grabbing gears in the spin,” Volz explained. “It’s good if they do something different… it keeps people guessing. He bucks really hard either way.”

At four years old, Pound the Alarm is already a Bull of the Year contender in the PBR in Canada with a shot at the PBR Canadian and PBR World Finals.

“He’s been showing signs of getting stronger. Every out has been better than the last. If he keeps it up, he’s got a shot,” Volz finished.

Bull facts

Name: 917 Pound the Alarm Owners: Wild Hoggs Bucking Bulls; Justin Volz, Ty and Harry Streeter, Ian McKay and Ragner Sather in partnership with Corey Chmelnyk Average bull score: 22.036 out of 25.

Ranking: 129th out of 500 in the world currently on ProBullStats.com Successful rides: One out seven attempts; only score was 90.5

by Josh Birks in Nipawin, Sask.

HORSESALL.COM

Special section

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

CANADIAN SUPREME

17

September 30 - October 6

Nationa l show

Dave Robson

Champion of the Canadian Supreme 30 years as the driving force behind Canada’s top cowhorse event I DID IT MY WAY Personal Profile

By Robyn Moore Airdrie, Alta.

B

ut really, what happened with the Supreme was that, I think in 1981, at a dance party (after a competition), Bill Collins nabbed me and said, ‘Dave, would you like to take over the Supreme, because Gerry Porteous, who had been running it for a couple of years, doesn’t want to do it anymore.’ So I said, ‘Yeah, I guess I’ll do it.’”

Those six words spoken by Dave Robson cemented his 30-year involvement with what evolved from the Alberta Stakes and Futurity Association to the Canadian Cutting Horse Derby and the Snaffle Bit Futurity to the Canadian Reined Cowhorse Association to the Canadian Cowhorse Supreme, finally settling on the Canadian Supreme as it is known today. Dave has been the President of the Canadian Supreme since 1983.

In the beginning, the show was only two days long. 1982 was the first year that Dave was involved with the show, which was held in Claresholm.

The following year in 1983, it was moved to Red Deer to take advantage of the larger facility, where it remains today at Westerner Park.

There are two show rings, including a trade fair. The Supreme is now seven days long with a budget of $800,000 and payouts exceed $400,000. The initiation of the Stallion Program and the Canadian Supreme Nominated Foals has had great success.

While there are likely many secrets to his success, two clearly stand out: the dedication of the people that Dave has involved with the running of the Supreme, and his business approach to running the event. Betty Kunka, the show secretary, has been co-ordinating the Supreme for 17 years with the help of Dave’s businesses Veritas, and later Vada Capital.

“They say it’s a benevolent dictatorship,” laughs Dave.

The success of the Supreme has come with some personal sacrifices from Dave. “I quit riding at the show many years ago, because I am involved in the selection of the judges and I don’t want there to be any discussion about hiring judges. It really comes down to the ethics and culture of the Supreme. I think I quit about 20 years ago.”

And around 20 years ago marks Dave’s best win in Fort Worth, Texas.

Events leading up to the win help make it a memorable experience.

“In the late 70’s, Les Timmons and I chartered a plane and flew into

“

Dave Robson won the Limited Non Pro at the 1992 NCHA Futurity on Sannys Playgirl.

Moose Jaw to a horse sale held

by Art Busse,” remembers Dave.

“And we went there specifically to buy a filly by Peponita out of a Doc O’Lena mare, just a weanling.

There was a raging snowstorm but anyways, we bought this filly and paid $10,000 for her.”

After a successful show career, they bred her to Freckles Playboy, which resulted in Sannys Playgirl, who turned out to be the best horse Dave says he has ever owned. Dave raised her and did most of the training, which resulted in his favourite moment in the show pen in 1992, winning the Limited Non Pro at the NCHA Futurity. “Damn right, I was pretty proud!”

Although he stopped riding at the Supreme, his pride in the event continues, as Dave strives to set the highest standards.

“Maybe we’re trying to set a high standard for others to follow,” says Dave. “It’s a culture of honesty. Initially, we were the only show that shows you the

breakdown of the money. We publish all of the results and all of the money that is earned.”

“The Canadian Supreme is not something that easily attracts the general public because we are really trying to show the elite of the Western horse. And I think we do that well. It’s been great for the trainers to have a big show to show their horses. It really supports the training industry because they can get customers to buy horses to show at the Supreme. It’s really good for the horse industry because trainers have horses for a longer time, resulting in better horses. And that’s one of the reasons it exists.”

Due to Dave’s health, he won’t be as active this year. He puts his faith in the volunteers, whose passion for the Canadian Supreme has spanned decades, mirroring Dave’s own passion.

“Our volunteers know the program pretty well and will be able to confidently execute the show as they have done in past years.”

Dave Robson (left) has been the drive and passion behind the Canadian Supreme for the past 30 years. He’s shown here with Carl Gerwien.

18

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

Special Section

Canadian Supreme

September 30 - October 6

Cutting

Loren Christianson Saddle bronc to cow horse to cutting, he’s done it all IN IT TO WIN IT Competitor profile

By Heather Grovet Galahad, Alta.

F

or professional cutting horse trainer Loren Christianson of Stony Plain, Alta., the path to training cutting horses began at age 14 with a few colts that liked to buck.

“When I was a teenager, I started a couple of colts for myself,” Christianson says. “Soon our neighbours asked me to train their young horses, too. I’d ride those horses for a month or two, and take the roughness out of them. Most of those colts bucked, and that created an interest in trying to ride saddle bronc.”

Before long, Christianson was competing in a variety of rodeo events which included saddle bronc, team roping, and calf roping.

“To prepare for the roping events, I began to train my own rope horses,” Christianson says.

“I taught those horses to follow and rate a cow. Some of them had quite a bit of cow sense and I found myself really enjoying training those ones. Eventually I went to some cow horse clinics from Les Timmons and Bill Collins and kept working at it until I felt I could be competitive in that discipline. I really enjoyed my few years showing at the Canadian

Supreme and the Alberta Reined Cowhorse Association in the Working Cowhorse events and consider it to be the real start to my cutting career.

“My first real ride on a finished cutting horse happened at a horse sale,” Christianson continues. “I had a friend who was selling a cutting horse, and the person that was supposed to ride him at the sale didn’t show, so I did my best to demonstrate what the horse could do when working a cow. I loved the horse’s big stop and the hard turn; it was exciting and sort of felt like riding a saddle bronc as far as your balance point was. When you ride a cutting horse you’re in control, but you’re also out of control at the same time, and it reminded me a bit of rodeo. I knew I wanted more.”

In 1999, Christianson and his wife, Lisa, purchased a young stallion named My Own League, a son of Smart Little Lena.

“We decided not to show Cash as a three year old, he just wasn’t ready,” Christianson says.

“But when he was four, things really picked up speed. We were fortunate enough to win a lot with him including the 2003 Canadian Cutting Horse Association Open Championship and the $3,000 Novice Horse Championship. Then in 2004 we won the NCHA Western National $3,000 novice Horse Championship in Ogden, Utah. When we returned

home from Utah at the next Alberta Cutting show, NCHA Hall of Fame Non-Pro Carl Gerwein strolled over to me and said, ‘Congratulations, you made it to the top, the hard part is to stay there!’”

Christianson estimates he’ll have 15 horses at the 2013 Canadian Supreme.

“My 16-year-old daughter, Carly and I will ride a young sorrel AQHA gelding called Smart Lil Autumn,” Christianson says.

“This horse’s sire, Autumn Acre, won $340,000 cutting, and his dam won $80,000. He’s bred to do the job, and he’s extremely athletic with a nice disposition.”

“I have some great clients who provide me with good horses,” Christianson continues. “I’m happy with my three other futurity prospects right now, and my five- and six-year-old horses can be real crowd pleasers at the Supreme’s Saturday night performance as they are solid, experienced show horses.”

Christianson doesn’t expect his young horses to be cutting super stars, instead he focuses on horses that train consistently.

“The young horses are ridden four or five days a week,” he says.

“Sometimes they’ll work the flag, other days they’ll work cattle or buffalo. Sometimes they just go out for a trail ride. They don’t have to be perfect, I just want them to show some effort and to be consistent.”

Loren Christianson, shown here riding at the 2012 Canadian Supreme on Smart Pepper Cat, has ridden competitively in bronc riding, working cow horse, and now cutting. photos: Barbara Glazer

One of the foundations of any sport is the participation of it is youth, and cutting has been attracting its fair share. Loren Christianson’s daughter, Carly is shown here competing on Ichi Majorette.

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

Canadian Supreme

19

September 30 - October 6

Western horse sa l e

Sold!

Western Horse Sale connecting buyers with quality performance horses GOING DOWN THE TRAIL Places and events of interest

By Robyn Moore Airdrie, Alta.

T

he bleachers are always packed as the western performance horse community comes together on one night every year. It is a social event as well as a great opportunity to find your next western performance horse, prospect, or broodmare.

It is the Western Horse Sale held in conjunction with the Canadian Supreme.

The first Western Horse Sale was held in 1995 with the full support of Dave Robson and the Canadian Supreme Committee.

Elaine Speight has co-ordinated the sale for the last 18 years.

“The first sale was definitely a trial run with only approximately 35 horses consigned,” remembers Elaine. “In the years that followed, it gained in popularity and became a much-looked-forward-

to event to market and purchase quality equine stock.

“From the very beginning, I was advised by the late Mike Barr, to hire the best auctioneer I could find. We finally decided on Dan Skeels of Rimbey, Alta.

He has won several prestigious awards for his auctioneering skills, so I have always depended on him to do a great job. He has a professional bid taking crew that work as a team, so that is encouraging, knowing people

“I think prices right now are more realistic than they have been. A good horse will still be quite marketable.”

— Elaine Speight

Lot No. 55 ‘Catty Jewel’ consigned by Diel Hiner of Oregon sold for $19,000 last year.

A full crowd is expected again at the 2013 Western Horse Sale to be held on Friday, October 4 in conjunction with the Canadian Supreme. Photos: Cheryl Smythe

will be treated fairly. We also have a very good veterinarian, Dr. Wayne Burwash who examines each horse very carefully, and will accept horses that are sale ready, with no lameness or sickness issues. He will often be available to consult with possible buyers to discuss a horse they may be interested in purchasing.”

Administrating a horse sale for almost two decades equips Elaine with specific insight into the horse market and trends.

“Things are always changing, nothing always stays the same,”

Elaine says. “I think if we look back through the last 15 years, there have been ups and downs.

I think prices right now are more realistic than they have been. A good horse will still be quite marketable. Our buyers are now better educated about buying. The internet and social media has helped to educate potential buyers.

“The consignor’s are taking the time now to submit a good photograph of their horse for the online catalogue. Now, most of the pictures are very presentable, only a few now don’t take the

time to send in a good picture. It is so true, the saying, ‘a good picture is worth a 1,000 words!’”

The 2012 sale saw 66 horses presented for sale and resulted in a top 10 average of $9,740, with an overall average of $4,265.41.

“Last year was exceptional as well,” remembers Elaine, “selling that real nice mare, lot No. 55, ‘Catty Jewel’ by High Brow Cat, consigned by Diel Hiner of Oregon (sold for $19,000) and watching Dave Freeland’s horse, lot No. 60, ‘Cee Chickadee’ being shown by Dale Clearwater. What a performance! Both riders really put on a show!”

The 2013 Western Horse Sale takes place on Friday, October 4.

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

Canadian Supreme

Special Section

September 30 - October 6

Performance ho r s es

The reining Kolsun family

Three family members competing at Supreme IN IT TO WIN IT Competitor profile

By Heather Grovet Galahad, Alta.

I

grew up riding horses on my parent’s cow-calf operation,” says reining competitor Cathy Kolsun of Sylvan Lake, Alta.

“Our family used horses for work, but I never had a chance to show. “

But as a kid I really admired reining horses, and thought their sliding stops and spins were amazing.”

Nine years ago, Cathy finally had the opportunity to take reining lessons. “By then I was married and had three children,” Cathy says.

“That year my husband, Darren began taking cutting lessons while our oldest daughter, Bailey, and I started reining. I used my trail riding horse, and Bailey,

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The mother-daughter team of Cathy (shown on her buckskin Do it Different) and Bailey Kolsun (on Tango Holly) were cochampions in their division at the 2012 Canadian Supreme co-champion. photo: Sharon Latimer

who was eight, used her Welsh/ Quarter Horse pony, Twix. Bailey and I immediately fell in love with the sport. I kept thinking, “‘I can’t believe I’m actually out here, doing this!’ What I most enjoyed was learning how they taught those reining manoeuvres to the horses.”

Six months later their reining trainer suggested that mother and daughter compete in a local schooling show.

“We had a blast!” Cathy says.

“That was the beginning of our show careers, and we’ve never turned back. In fact, Darren eventually started reining lessons as well, and now the three of us compete together, showing across Canada and even the United States.”

One of the family’s show highlights is the Canadian Supreme.

This year Cathy will compete on two horses at the Supreme.

“I’ll be riding my nine-year-old buckskin AQHA mare, Do It Different,” the woman explains. “We bought this mare when she was four because we loved her talent, looks and attitude. She’s the sweetest horse, and hates getting in trouble. I’ll also be competing on a three-year-old sorrel Quarter Horse gelding called Surely A Pepto Nic.”

really talented. Plus I’m hoping to ride a three-year-old gelding called Rowdy Reeses Pieces, but it will depend on whether he’s ready or not. You see, Rowdy broke his jaw in a fluke accident a month or so ago, and the vet wired it together.

The poor horse looks as though he’s wearing braces, but it doesn’t seem painful anymore. Recently the vet has allowed us to begin light riding, so now we’ll see if we can finish getting ready for this year’s Supreme, or not.”

Darren will be mounted on Neak, a six-year-old sorrel AQHA gelding the family purchased in Wisconsin. “Neak is a great horse, very laid back and talented,” Cathy says. “The three of us currently take lessons with Locke Duce of High River, Alta. but we keep our horses at home, and do most of the work on them ourselves. This helps make competing more afford-

able, and it also makes it easier for us to problem solve when we’re at shows, because we know the horses so well.”

Last year’s Supreme was special for Cathy and Bailey; they tied for first place in one of their classes.

“It was an incredible experience,” Bailey says. “Both Mom and I were crying when we learned that we had tied.”

“The Supreme is worth visiting, even if you don’t know much about reining, cutting or cow horse,” Cathy Kolsun concludes.

“Our family enjoyed attending the Supreme long before we were competing. We would study the trainers and competitors, and always came home with a tip or two that we could apply on our own horses. Most importantly, the Supreme is a real showcase of our Western heritage and history.”

“Our family enjoyed attending the Supreme long before we were competing.”

— Cathy Kolsun

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Daughter Bailey, who turned 18 in July, will compete on Tango Holly, a grey 10-year-old AQHA gelding.

“I’ll also ride Rock Solid Tag, a five-year-old gelding that’s my alltime favourite,” Bailey says.

“He has a fun personality, and plays with toys like a kid. He makes me laugh, but he’s also

Dad, Darren Kolsun (shown here on Neak), originally trained in cutting but switched over to reining with his wife and daughter. The family now competes together throughout Canada and parts of the United States.

HORSESALL.COM

Special Section

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

Canadian Supreme

21

September 30 - October 6

Working cow ho r s e

Running down the fence Things happen fast in the Supreme’s cow horse competitions IN IT TO WIN IT Competitor profile

By Heather Grovet Galahad, Alta.

N

ineteen-year-old John Murphy hopes to ride six cow horses at this year’s Canadian Supreme held at Red Deer, Alta.

September 30 to October 6. But finding the time to train and show this many equines can be a challenge, especially when cow horse features three different areas; herd word (similar to cutting), reining and fence work.

“I learned to ride as soon as I could sit in the saddle,” Murphy says. “As a youngster I went to horse shows, and then at age 10, I started team penning with my family. When I was 14, I quit team penning with the idea of eventually competing in cow horse which interested me. That year my parents took me to a cow-bred horse sale at Billings, Montana where we bought five

yearlings. When we came home, I began working with those horses, preparing them to compete as cow horses.”

Murphy still owns two of those first five horses. “The others were also nice animals, but I had to sell them to pay the bills,” Murphy says.

“I went to some cow horse clinics, watched a bunch of training videos, and then, with trial and error, trained the two I kept.

They’ve very different from each other, but they’ve both done well for me in the last few years.”

Murphy hopes to compete at the Supreme on both those original horses.

“HR Players Trista is a six-yearold bay AQHA mare,” Murphy says. “She is about 14.3 hh and has a big heart. She also has a big motor, and that made training her a bit of a challenge. My dad kept saying, ‘it will all be worth it in the end’ but there were times I wanted to give up. Then two things happened; I gained more knowledge, and Trista grew up. Now that she’s broke, her attitude can actually be

a benefit. If you get a tough cow in the finals, it’s good to have a fast horse that really likes to run and work that cow.”

The second horse from the Billings sale is Honey Be Smart, a 14.3 hh sorrel AQHA mare.

“Honey is also six years old but she’s very different than Trista,” Murphy says. “Honey is the easiest horse I’ve ever trained. She never gets hot and I never have to worry about her at shows. She might not be the fastest horse, or the most athletic, but she is super easy to work with, and very steady. In fact, we often call her ‘Old Faithful’ because she just never lets me down.

“Cow horse is different than most other equine sports because you have three very different areas you must excel in,” Murphy says. “I think the fence work is fun because it’s fast and exciting, but I also really enjoy the cutting. I love how the horses have to work that cow on their own.

“And I’m not certain which area I’m strongest in,” Murphy chuck-

Nineteen-year old John Murphy road his mare, HR Players Trista last November at the 2012 Canadian Snaffle Bit Futurity Championships to win in the Open Hackamore division. photo: Barbara Glazer

les. “If I got to a show and I’m weak in one place, I’ll come home and work on that problem, but then I forget to work on the other areas so they start to fall apart! One way or another, cow horse is always a great spectator sport because there are so many different things to watch. And it’s always very exciting.

“Last year I almost had a wreck in fence work,” Murphy con-

tinues. “I was running down the fence when I noticed my mecate’s lead rope had come loose and was flapping between my horse’s front legs. If he had stepped on that rope I’d have gone ass over tea kettle! Luckily I was able to reach down and grab the rope, and we were okay.

Those sorts of things happen fast in cow horse.”

22

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

Special Section

Canadian Supreme

September 30 - October 6

Legendary Al be rta n

Legendary Albertan One of the original promoters of the Canadian Supreme HOMEWARD BOUND Celebrating lives lived

By Dianne Finstad Red Deer, Alta.

G

uy Heintz said of his father Roger that he was often the pedigree reader at big horse sales.

“If you asked, he might know all his kid’s names,” joked Guy, one of five children in the family. “But ask about a horse and he could tell you right back three generations! Not only their breeding, but how they travel, and even their temperament.”

Horse show announcer Ron Anderson was a long-time friend and neighbour to Roger Heintz.

“He and Doris were devoted to one another,” he said. “I have a lot of admiration for Roger. He was a tough-minded, but fair guy. He lived life by a steady code that never changed.”

The absence of a familiar face will be felt at this year’s Canadian Supreme with the July 8 passing of Roger Heintz. The High River horse trainer was one of the original promoters of working cow horse events in Canada.

In fact, Roger Heintz was one of the seven noteworthy horsemen in the Alberta Stakes and Futurity Association who decided to have a show in 1976. The very first one was held at Spruce Meadows, and a low number of entries had some wondering if it should be cancelled before it even got going.

Doris Heintz remembers her husband’s voice of determination, urging them to carry on anyway.

“They went ahead with what there was,” she recalled. “Later we found out that in California, they only had three or four contestants at their first one. So ours was bigger than their first show. Roger felt it was important to start little, and grow bigger.”

That’s exactly what happened, and today’s week-long Canadian Supreme in Red Deer is the result.

“You could call Roger a pioneer of the Western horse discipline,” commented Anderson. “He was an absolute fixture in the Quarter Horse world.”

Heintz was raised in Maidstone, Saskatchewan. But when the family moved to Edmonton, Roger got an early start as a working man, driving horses and trucks.

Through friends, he also met Doris, and they began married life in 1954. In fact, this January would have marked their 60th anniversary!

Jobs ranged from hauling logs to construction, but driving truck eventually got Heintz a job with Shell Oil, which brought the couple to the Calgary area. They settled on an acreage in Springbank which was ideal when Heintz’s role with Shell changed, and he was based at the Jumping Pound gas plant.

That was also where the couple pursued a love of horses, starting with two American Saddlebreds before making the switch to Quarter Horses. But getting involved in the horse business is not for the faint of

heart, and the whole family became committed to the riding, showing and training way of life.

Reflecting on what made Roger Heintz so successful in the horse training world, his son Guy sums it up in one word, ‘Work.’

“Sure, Dad was gifted in ways,” Guy Heintz went on to explain.

“There wasn’t a horse anywhere he couldn’t change a lead on. But he worked for Shell, we had a snowmobile business, and he rode horses.

He kept up three jobs to send us kids down the road, to be able to do what we wanted. He worked shift work, so we’d have the horses ready, and he’d ride when he got home. He could be riding at 10 o’clock at night or at five in the morning.”

As one of five children in the family, Guy went on to become a cutter and horse trainer himself, with his daughter Maria now the third generation of the family in the business.

Guy’s sister Vicki Braun is a successful reiner based in Saskatchewan.

“We grew up with it, and all five kids still ride,” adds Guy. “Everyone was involved, whether they wanted to or not. The kids still like to ride with Grandma.”

Along with his own children and grandchildren, Roger Heintz enjoyed helping other young people develop their horsemanship skills. He was involved with the Quarterama youth shows, and was a constant supporter of youth events and awards.

“We always had young kids with us at quarter horse shows,” said Guy. “He got his biggest enjoyment helping kids get started.”

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Roger Heintz was a champion in both Canada and the United States, and was always proud to be riding Alberta-bred horses.

Breeding top quarter horses was another passion, according to Doris.

“Roger and Gerry Hansma were the first Canadians to go to Germany to help teach Europeans about western riding. They were with the Breeders Group that took the first load of horses over, and gave lessons there. Roger just loved sharing his knowledge of horses. He was great that way.”

Heintz also was the first Canadian trainer to qualify and attend the inaugural American Quarter Horse Association World Show in 1974, in Louisville, Kentucky, on Ja Bar Dolly, owned by Mary Burwash.

“He led the nation in trail, and for somebody in Canada to do that was quite something,” noted son Guy. “He finished third at the World’s in trail and top 10 for reining, and people were just amazed the same horse did so well in two different disciplines,” added Doris.

Heintz went on to show at the World’s every year from 1976 to 1982, making the finals every year.

“Roger prided himself that every horse he took to the World Show was an Alberta-bred horse that he had the privilege to train.”

Heintz was able to make plenty of U.S. connections, and took every opportunity to learn from fellow competitors. In fact, his holidays

from Shell were often spent travelling south to California to ride with, and learn from the likes of Tony Ameral, Don Dodge and Clyde Kennedy.

“His greatest passion was to go to the cuttings and watch, learn and listen. He always said, ‘you’re not learning anything if you’re talking,’” smiled Doris.

Just four months before his 80th birthday, Heintz suffered a stroke right during the flooding of southern Alberta. Thanks to a temporary lane he’d built earlier for the family over a washed out road, the ambulance was able to get into the yard.

But sadly, Heintz only lasted a short time more.

The large turnout at his memorial in Stavely and cards the family has received from across North America show the impact Roger Heintz had in the horse world.

“Roger’s greatest thrill was to ride a good cow horse and cutting horse,” declared his wife. “Just days before his stroke, he rode Diane Fraser’s mare as she had a show coming up.”

That horse’s name? Glory.

Ranch-raised Dianne Finstad has covered rodeo and agriculture stories for 30 years, on radio, television and in print. She now works from her home in the Red Deer area. You can follow her on Twitter @DianneFinstad.

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Roger Heintz was a regular competitor and remained a big supporter of the Canadian Supreme, even competing on a bridle horse at age 75.

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

INSPIRATIONS Inspired by People and Horses Water colors

Sandy Rogers Loves spurs, chaps and ropes... and butts!

WESTERN ARTISTS Capturing the west

By Cindy Bablitz Calgary, Alta.

S

andy’s art career began early.

In the kitchen. On the wall.

With permission.

“I’ve always drawn, and I took oil painting classes with my mom when I was nine or 10 years old,” says western art painter Sandy Rogers.

Ironically, that class began and ended Sandy’s oil painting career... not that she didn’t love the experience, or the medium. Just that oil takes so long to dry. And you need to paint a lot of layers in oils to achieve the richly nuanced depth for which oil paintings are so well known.

So in time, Sandy found her way to water colours (now her primary medium) and acrylics (the medium she’s learning to love), though underneath it all has remained the same curious eye for detail that makes Sandy’s glimpses of the western life so intriguing.

You won’t often find faces in Sandy’s paintings... at least, not human faces. She captures the gestalt of the cowboy through the icons of the cowboy way: the spurs, chaps and ropes. And the butts!

And she does it with an intensity of colour that defies the typical milieu of water colour works.

When you look at a Sandy Rogers painting, you can almost hear the buzz of the grasshoppers in the background; you can almost feel the dust stirring up from the passing hooves and boots. She does that on purpose. Her paintings are raw and, sometimes ragged.

“I use the heaviest grade water colour paper you can get. You can mess with it. I really scratch it up, wet it, paint it, and paint over it, and make it look like leather. If you look at some of the pics with chaps, you’ll see.”

And you want to see. Sandy’s collection draws you in; you see those boots perched and you can’t help but wonder at the rest of the story. Still, for all the talent and passion for the western lifestyle, her art is her hobby and her own home houses the lion’s share of her collection.

He treatin’ you good?

She’s devoted to her art though, absolutely. She’s an active member of the Cochrane Art Club, (featured in Horses All earlier this year in April), and she’s set to take a course from uber talented and renowned Michelle Grant (who we featured in Horses All in July, 2012).

She sells her originals at the Cochrane Art Club sales in May and November, and also has her work on display in Cochrane at the High Country Art Gallery. A private show in Arizona last year introduced her talent to collectors south of the border.

“I’ve always done portrait drawings, and when we lived in Calgary, I sold pretty much everything I did.

It was when we moved out to the acreage north of Cochrane that we started going to rodeos and I became really inspired to create western art.

I was looking at a lot of art magazines and taking a lot of photographs at rodeos and was really drawn to start painting with water colour,” Sandy says.

It’s a tried and tested truism among the artists whose work really seems to sparkle with that extra something special: the art needs to speak to the artist.

“I have to like it. I have to get excited by the image. All my paintings come from my own collection of photographs. When I take a picture that’s really an interesting angle, or the colours speak to me, or whatever... it’s just a feeling I get when I see an image and I know, this is special.”

Blue Chaps

And she loves the cowboy. The raw, humble cowboy.

“I mean, when they’re all decked out in their spurs and chaps with the fringes... they’re amazing. And I just go crazy chasing them around taking pictures.”

Sandy’s husband, Lee doesn’t mind. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding. And the pudding in this case, takes up a whole wall in Sandy and Lee’s home. Though she admits marketing isn’t her strongest suit, (“I need an agent!” she laughs), this hobbyist is creating western art worth a second look.

Where to buy it

To view more of Sandy Rogers’ beautiful western watercolour art, surf to www.sandyrogers.ca.

Checking the Stock

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

I NSPIRATIONS Artisan

Out West Woodworks Carl Jerome creates one-of-a-kind furniture in southern Alberta GOING IN STYLE Equine fashion and flair

By Cindy Bablitz Calgary, Alta.

I

t was “pretty much all by accident” that Out West Woodworks began.

Some hand me down vintage 1950s wagon wheel furniture complete with western motif embroidered naugahyde came to Carl Jerome and his bride Marilyn from her grandparents.

Marilyn hoped Carl would be able to build some shelves to match the western theme of the hand-me-downs, “and within a year my welding shop turned into a wood shop and that’s how Out

Entertainment centre

West Woodworks began,” Carl chuckles.

There’s something incredibly charming about Out West Woodworks. For starters, if you want to view any of the hat racks, hall mirrors, tables, chairs and decor pieces Carl designs and builds, you’ll have to catch him at a trade show, or visit his ranch and shop near Raymond, Alberta. Because Out West Woodworks isn’t online. Yet. But Carl’s lack of worldwide web presence bears no impact whatsoever on the monthslong waiting list he has for commissioned pieces of his finely crafted, artistic household furniture.

“It took me a lot of years to think of myself as an artist. I design stuff that I like, and people seem to like what I design. I’d just go to trade shows with my things and cross my fingers and hope that people who saw my work would like it,” Carl says with the kind of humility you can’t manufacture.

He remembers in the early years of Out West Woodworks, in the mid-90’s, bringing his wares to his first craft show and making $200, “just before Christmas, thinking, that’s not bad.” Not bad indeed, as these days Out West Woodworks has grown to become a regular portion of the family’s income stream.

“We have a small farm as well... and like every successful cowboy,” he grins. “I’ve got a wife that works in town.”

Aside from the simple functionality of Carl’s furniture creations, his artistry is simply beautiful. He draws a sketch depicting iconic western

scenes, and if his children think his silhouette of a cow is a dog, well, Carl goes back to the drawing board. He routers or scroll saws the scene into the top wood piece of mirrors, hat racks and other accent furniture, into saddle stands and other tack room accessories, into just about anything for the home or barn that can be made from wood.

“The western theme is just something that I like. It’s something that has always been a part of my life, from the get go, and it’s a lifestyle I want to see keep going.”

Carl tells of visiting a long dreamed of cowboy destination and finding the commercialized, mass produced, tourist-centric goods there a disappointment. It was reason enough to continue creating unique, one-of-a-kind pieces for the discerning western lifestyle buyer.

He says, “I’m always trying to create something that a working cowboy or rancher will look at and say, ‘that’s cool.’

“I try to keep my pieces unique; I try to do what other people aren’t doing.”

Collectors of Out West Woodworks have bought and shipped pieces all over the world, from Australia and New Zealand to Japan, Austria and England.

Carl lives and works with his wife and four children — Ty, 16, Morgan, 14, Brody, 11 and Jace, eight — on his ranch southeast of Lethbridge, Alberta. To contact him, phone 403-752-3462 or email outwestwoodworks@gmail.com.

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

25

INSPIRATIONS COWBOY POETRY

BOOK REVIEW

JOURNEY: An excursion to Sable Island with Artist and Photographer Diane Williams By Diane Williams Reviewed: By Wendy Dudley Priddis, Alta.

“When spirit opens the door, mist, heavy skies, equine bonds, earth ties.”

F

rom its flowing script to its pastoral prose and photos, Diane Williams’ soft cover book entitled Journey is a lyrical love letter to the Sable Island horses off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Last summer, Williams, an artist and photographer, spent 10 days on the stormy sand spit that is home to about 500 feral horses that live in small herds of four to 15.

Living primitively, she hunkered down with the horses, stunned at how they accepted her presence. These stocky, muscular steeds have roamed the island since the 1700s.

“To be able to sit down among them and have them lie

down around me. When I put my head back, the stallion also put his head down. It was just amazing,” Williams said in an interview.

Mesmerized by their spirits, Williams walked with a stallion along the tidal pools, their strides in unison. She observed the hardy bands snorkelling as they grazed underwater.

The soft photos are blessed with the prose of Rumi and Hafiz, her two favourite poets. “Their work is still relevant to modern times,” said Williams who describes her connection to horses as spiritual. She imagines the horses to be dancing, floating and soaring.

“Being in the moment with the wind, sand, grass, ponds, and wild horses, captivated my senses,” she writes. “Cherish each day for its play.”

The Pioneer Spirit

By Steve Foote

Journey is not a scientific documentary about the Sable Island herds; instead, it is an artistic exploration of their moods and daily rituals.

Chosen from the 9,000 photos she shot, Williams refers to the horses as “my light,” their beauty emerging in “luminosity onto my canvas.”

Her quoted prose, also taken from the works of Thoreau, Jung and Gibran, decorates the top of each page, in Cezanne font, replicating the French painter’s handwriting. “I wanted to have layers,” Williams said.

Indeed, Journey is a meditative study of the Sable Island equines, revealing various spiritual strata, as rich as the multicoloured layers found within their thick manes.

Journey is an art piece with only 200 copies printed. Email her at dianewilliamsart@gmail. com or call 403-931-0394.

I heard ’em with the rooster, saw their shadows with the dawn, Outside the weathered tack shed as he laid the leathers on.

A soft snort and a nod, the touch of practiced hand, That proud Belgian draft horse was one with the old man.

A sharp flick of the check lines and the blond began to plod, The traces took to groanin’ as the the plow turned up the sod.

Their furrow was straight and true, a sign of the farmin’ craft, A tribute to the teamwork ’tween a buster and his draft.

I watched ’em in the distance while they broke the prairie land, That heavy Belgian work horse and the sturdy farmin’ hand.

Then they faded like a dream with grace and not a sound, In my mind there warn’t a doubt that them two had been around.

While the evidence was sparse and neighbours didn’t hear it, That dawn I won’t forget, I’d seen the pioneer spirit.

Steve lives on an acreage in the Davisburg, Alta. area with his wife Colleen and their horses, donkeys and goats. He has been writing cowboy poetry and essays for over 25 years and much of his inspiration comes from his family history and stories.

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Inspired by people and horses

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

INSPIRATIONS EQUINE PHOTOGR A P H Y

CANDICE EDWARDS Photographic Artist Digital technology opens up new artistic world

WESTERN ARTISTS Capturing the west

By Cindy Bablitz Calgary, Alta.

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I

think I’m a frustrated painter more than a photographer,” Candice Edwards says.

And, although she’s been taking her photography fairly seriously for over two decades — dating back to the old school days when she used to splash around in darkrooms — Candice seems to be really coming into her stride in the last five years or so. With the advent of digital photography tools and software becoming more prevalent, and more accessible, Candice has found a way to take the seemingly representational medium of photography and turn it into something more impressionistic, less definable.

And now she’s brushing this creative stroke even further by printing her photoshopped digital images and then painting with acrylics over top in a mixed media experiment that is nothing short of niche building. Especially since her favourite photography subjects are horses and not kitschy objet d’art.

“

Candice’s grandpa ranched near Brooks, and horses have always been a passion… even though the years, life, and mothering precluded a lot of time spent with them.

“I like movement and mood and just capturing the feeling of what horses represent more than traditional portrait shots.”

When you look at Candice’s current work, it’s clear she’s creating art, capturing essences, composing invitations to appreciate that inexplicable feeling of immediacy, intimacy, vulnerability and strength

that horses have evoked in their human companions for millennia.

She does it by brushing out background details, by blurring the edges of lines, by manipulating some colours to be more dominant and some to be more subdued. She does it by seeing static images with inspired eyes.

“I watched this amazing documentary about cave art, about the myth of the horse and what it represented to the early men and women who drew them,” Candice says.

“When I see people who are

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

I NSPIRATIONS passionate about horses, I see that there’s some kind of other connection we have with horses… whether they admit it or not. You can see it. Some people just have a kind of secret bond with their horses, and it’s the poetry of that connection that I perceive and that I’m trying to artistically communicate.”

Candice talks like a poet, takes pictures like a photographer, uses her computer and her paints like an artist, and taps into her sensory self like an observer of the seemingly irrelevant… minutiae like the whiskery in a horse’s fuzzy muzzle.

“When you shoot film, you have to wait to go to the darkroom, and I was never good at making notes to track what f-stop, what lens, what shutter speed, so if I got something amazing on film, I forgot how I did it. With digital, all the data is stored right there. It’s made it easy

for non-technical people like me to keep track of what I did, and how I did it, and that frees me up to play with tweaking things. I can push my experimentation to the limit and have an immediate feedback loop.”

She insists she’s not technical, but she’s doing things with photographic technology that is uncommon, engaging and captivating to the imagination.

Where to buy it

Candice lives, works and is inspired from her home southwest of Turner Valley, Alberta.

To view more of her work and to inquire about purchasing a Candice Edwards mixed media original, surf to www.ceephoto. com or phone 403-560-5413.

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

I NSPIRATIONS Equine artist

Diane Williams Spirit of play splashes colour on her canvas WESTERN ARTIST Capturing the west

By Wendy Dudley Millarville, Alta.

T

here is a lightness to Diane Williams’ art, like a lilting breeze that plays with a mane, or a spot of sun rippling over withers. It stems from her spiritual approach to horses, whether it be through prose or painting.

Her horses may be running free — many of her subjects are the Sable Island horses — but they aren’t wildeyed or fighting stallions.

Their eyes are soft, peeking through wind-tangled manes, inviting the viewer to get closer, to commune and to share their viewpoint.

It is the dance between the human and the horse that fascinates Diane.

She paints with fluid motion, her backdrops, often featuring vibrant skies and brilliant brushstrokes, are without boundaries. Liberty is at the core of her work, and is the foundation of her own being.

“Light represents the spiritual path of the horse, and I try to find the spirit, that inner landscape of the horse. It is their soul,” said Diane who studied at Sacramento’s School of Light and Color.

She began riding at a young age, working at a barn for a buck a day,

Blue Spirit epitomizes Diane’s love of rich and raw colours. photo: Wendy Dudley

just to be around horses. She had her own horse at age 14, but two years later it died of colic. While attending university, she suffered a mountain climbing injury that left her wearing a knee brace for two years. Horses became her healers, as it was now easier to ride than walk.

Then came a big move, from B.C. to the Alberta foothills west of Millarville. After 31 years of teaching art and photography, she yearned for adventure and an opportunity to paint full-time. Last summer, she travelled to Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia, to photograph its wild horses.

In her studio, Diane works from those images (which also appear in her newly released book Journey). She learned the importance of light from her father, a professional portrait photographer. “It’s in the shadow that the light becomes brilliant,” she said.

Her palette does not include what she refers to as the dead colours — grey, brown and black.

“I use pure pigment, the primary and secondary colours, and layer colours over colours. It’s mixed right on the canvas.”

Like Picasso, oranges and yellows are used to portray brightness, joy, and harmony. She too has painted through a blue period, the hues reflecting her healing. Her print called Blue Spirit hangs from the cabin walls on the set of CBC’s Heartland.

The images — whether a portrait of a wild one with a windtossed mane, a herd of bachelors rubbing shoulders, or a trio of equines tracking across pale beaches — are loose, adding to the flow of lightness.

They reflect Diane’s love of dance, and her sense of play. Her riding is a blend of dressage (often described as equine ballet), but

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This painting, titled Spanish Muse, is typical of Williams’ close-ups, the horses watching the observer through wind-tangled manes, inviting the viewer to commune. photo: Wendy Dudley

Warm Silence displays the warm colours Diane uses to infuse her work with a gentle flow of peace and play. photo: Wendy Dudley

not in a rigid sense. She rides her 22-year-old Amos, a Morgan gelding, bareback and with only a halter or string around his neck. “He just loves the music and begins to lift his legs high when he hears it,” she said.

“I like to think of the art of riding. I tried to pick a discipline that expresses my painting,” Diane added. “It’s not hard-core dressage.

It’s natural dressage.”

She studied under trainer Jonathan Field, but also takes clinics with classical dressage rider Dominique Barbier. Her style is infused with a Spanish flair, an extension of her flamenco dancing.

“I take flamenco into my riding. I play Spanish music, and I play with my horses through dance.”

She attended the World Cup Dressage Symposium in Las Vegas, and was commissioned to paint Lusitano stallions.

Waiting in the wings to be her next dancing partner is Lirica, a six-year-old Andalusian mare.

For now, she frolics with her in the lane, where they can hear the music from Cavalia playing from her parked car. “We do this even if there’s six feet of snow.”

Together, she and her horses are on a journey, travelling a healing path through dance and play, she said. Her paintings reflect deep emotion, where she and the spirit of Equus embrace as one.

Trust depicts the gentleness between the stallion Spirit and a mare. photo: Wendy Dudley

The Sable Island Bachelors was inspired

by Diane’s trip last summer to Sable Island, where she photographed its protected wild horses. She recently published a book about the trek, entitled Journey. photo: Diane Williams

Diane Williams loves to play flamenco music while riding and playing with Amos. She rides bareback and without a bride. photo: Marion Cox

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

29

I NSPIRATIONS Silversmi th

Meet Bill Wilm

Bit maker, spur maker, silversmith and saddle maker GOING IN STYLE Equine fashion and flair

By Cindy Bablitz Calgary, Alta.

W

ilm Saddlery is a cowboy’s cowboy shop, and any real cowboys meandering somewhere near St. Brieux in north central Saskatchewan already know this.

But for the rest of us who love the cowboy way, Bill Wilm is the cowboy’s cowboy who knows a thing or two about teaching how to really put the horse in our horsemanship, first. So much so, he’s earned a hefty reputation for the fine hand he gives to the humblest of horse tack essentials: the bit.

He’s a bit maker, spur maker, silversmith and saddle maker, and as reliable a repair man on any tack or saddles as you could hope to find.

“After 45 years of making a living with a horse between his legs, Bill understands what it takes to keep a horse willing to work.

He knows what they need to be comfortable and happy,” boasts Rhonda Wilm, Bill’s wife and partner of 32 years.

Bill Wilm grew up in a different time; perhaps part of the last generation that would know riding to and from school on horseback as a necessary, not novel, part of his daily life.

“The local country school at Winton (in Saskatchewan) did not hold any love for this shy kid,” recounts Bill.

“My only incentive to attend was the time it gave me to ride the four miles there and back, and all of my spare time was spent on the back of our family horse. I always wanted to be a cowboy... my earliest memories are of falling asleep on the top of my rocking horse. Only then could I be lifted off and carried to bed,” Bill grins.

“After 45 years of making a living with a horse between his legs, Bill understands what it takes to keep a horse willing to work.”

— Rhonda Wilm

He was a teenager when his mom sadly informed Bill that there was no such thing as cowboys anymore and he’d have to go out in search of a real job. So he did.

At the ripe old age of 15 he got his first real job — a ranch hand.

That lasted one month until he got kicked in the shoulder by a horse, and then kicked off the ranch by

the owner who didn’t need a greenhorn getting in the way.

Bill’s travelled a lot of miles on horseback since those $3-a-day wages led him through a string of ranch jobs that eventually earned him the reputation as the cowboy that no horse could throw.

“It was a skill that helped him stay mounted on the job while mostly riding a green horse where the average community pastures he was overseeing were between 10 and 12 sections,” Rhonda says.

“It was a long walk back to headquarters, and long before the days of cell phones and GPS, so you needed to rely on your horse and your skills to get home at night.”

In fact, it was Bill’s ability to stick on the back of a horse like glue — and the constant quest for supplemental income streams — that led him to the rodeo, where he ironically earned the quizzical stares of his gelding riding peers as he strode in on a mare.

You just can’t manufacture that kind of intimacy with a horse. And Bill’s countless hours in communion with horse companions honed his attunement Bill Wilm was a long-time community pasture manager, and learned a thing or two to every twitch, breath and body about bits and tack. language a horse can make to communicate.

This intimacy, partnered with Bill’s insatiable drive to never lie idle, led him to teach himself how to make bits. He recognized that horses hate certain metals in their mouth, and that storebought production bits came in a variety of shapes and sizes that often “did not supply comfort” for the horse.

The Saskatchewan Equine Expo Working cowboys appreciate that Wilm Only true sweet iron is used commissioned Bill Wilm to make a set Saddlery only uses true sweet iron to for Bill’s bits. of spurs. make his bits.

He owned an old snaffle and learned the proper use of a bosal, and, again ironically, admits that he rarely rode with a bit, preferring the rawhide bosal or the mechanical hackamore.

F Later, wanting to make his spurs prettier, he took up the silversmithing art of engraving, and the delicate hand that earned the trust of the horses he rode translated their gentle touch into the creative curlicues of cowboy adornment.

Still, he favours the functional over form, in tack and word.

About horsemanship, he puts it simply: respect your animal, do Hat Materials proper hoof care, fit your saddle 53339 Highway 21 Sherwood Park AB T well, use good rider hands and CanadaaT8A-4V1 quality bit. But above all, “have the common sense to know what you know and learn what you do not.” doubledcustomhats@albertacom.com Working Hats – Don Weller

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www.doubledcustomhats.com

Where to buy it

For more information on Wilm Saddlery, surf to www.wilmsaddlery.com or skilled craftsman, Cam Johnston makes phone 306 275 4704.

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Bill Wilm says the key to a good horse is a comfortable, quality bit and a saddle that fits properly.

Double D Custom Hats today using the same authentic, time-tested tools as hats made in the Old West: blocking, steaming, dying, cutting, marking, and measuring with an antique crowncalibrating device. These traditional practices passed down through time – procedures that have made hand-blown glass and hand-made cowboy hats stand the test of time – are combined to make Double D hats a quality, lifetime hat.

Trained under traditional craftsmen and master hatters in the hat trade, Cam has perfected the skills used to make the Old West hats prized possessions and can create a quality, custom-made

53339 Highway 21 Sherwood Park AB Canada T8A-4V1

Phone: 780.719.2740 Whether for working, rodeoing, or an evening on Don Weller - The ArTisT the town, your custom hat will have the distinctive doubledcustomhats@albertacom.com orses and drawing were early passions for internationally mark of quality, style, and comfort to make you look h renowned artist Don Weller. Growing up in Pullman, the best you can. With Double D, your hat is your Washington, he drewwww.doubledcustomhats.com constantly when he wasn’t riding horses. choice. Hats may be designed in a combination of He graduated from Washington State University with a degree in fine art and moved to California where he had a successful career in graphic design and illustration. He also taught at UCLA and the Art Center School in Pasadena Don’s watercolor paintings depicting contemporary western scenes and ranch life have been printed in national magazines and posters, and his illustrations and photography have been used for children’s books and a coffee-table book. He has painted five U.S. postage stamps.

Don and his wife, Cha Cha, live in Oakley, a rural farm and ranching community in Utah. Visit www.DonWeller.com to view his Western art gallery images.

Double D hats stands behind each hat to ensure your

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colors and styles to create the perfect hat for you.

Double D hats offers a full line of felt hats made from the finest wool, fur, and beaver felt. The collection also includes straw and the new hybrid hats – hats constructed from both felt and straw.

We specialize in a variety of children’s hats and occasionally cowboy hats for dogs and horses as well.

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

SPECIAL FEATURE

spruce meadows ‘MASTERS’

September 4-8

The world’s top show jumpers compete

The Masters at Spruce Meadows, September 4-8 One can feel the excitement in the air. They’ve arrived!

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n Saturday, August 31, when the Spruce Meadows charter Boeing 747 full of horses, equipment and flowers arrived at the Calgary International Airport from Europe, it unofficially signalled the start of the final and largest FEI Tournament of the Spruce Meadows season — the Spruce Meadows CSIO 5* ‘Masters,’ September 4 - 8.

Top ranked national teams and individuals from the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Ireland, Switzerland, Netherlands and Belgium will all connect from YYC onto the competition rings at Spruce Meadows. The top ranked riders in the sport will compete over the five days of the ‘Masters’ including Christian Ahlmann (GER), Gerco Schroeder (NED), Beezie Madden (U.S.), Kevin Staut (FRA), Steve Guerdat (SUI), RogerYves Bost (FRA), Kent Farrington (U.S.) Pius Schweitzer (SUI) and of course Canadian stars Ian Millar and Eric Lamaze to name a few.

There is always electricity in the air at the ‘Masters’ Tournament with its special ‘International’ feeling. The grounds are prepared with neatly manicured lawns, vibrantly coloured flower beds and hanging baskets. The barns are full of horses. The courses are built after months of consideration by the designers in preparation for the season’s grand finale.

The five days of the ‘Masters’ tournament, September 4-8 are jam-packed with excitement. From international competitions where you are certain to see show jumping’s reigning champions vying for supremacy and national pride in the BMO Nation’s Cup, to those focussed to take the victor’s portion and the global prestige of the richest Grand Prix in the world, the CN International, part of the Rolex grand Slam of Show Jumping.

2013 marks the 30th Anniversary of Equi-Fair and the Exhibit

Colombia’s Daniel Bluman shows intense focus as he pilots his horse Apardi towards the next jump. photos: Wendy Dudley

Halls are bursting with vendors purveying wares for you, your horse, your dog, your house, your yard, or your acreage.

The TELUS Battle of the Breeds has a loyal following like no other — follow the teams and cheer for your favourite breed as they rise and fall in a series of five tests of training and horsemanship! Who will reign supreme this year?

Entertainment can be found all around the grounds: jigs and reels of the Calgary Fiddlers get toes tapping and feet stomping, the games in the BMO Fan Zone Friday Saturday and Sunday will get you moving. Don’t miss meeting your favourite athlete Friday afternoon in the BMO Fan Zone autograph session.

Experience it all September 4-8 at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters.’

American rider Christine McCrae appears to have flowing locks as she completes a jump, but in fact, it is the tail of her horse Zerly that is flipping up behind her.

After navigating the bank, Calgary’s Jonathan Asselin sets Showgirl up for the first jump in the Devil’s Dyke of the Cenovus derby.

HORSESALL.COM

SPECIAL FEATURE

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

spruce meadows ‘masters’

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September 4-8

LOOK OF A CHAMPION: Ashlee Bond, of Santa Monica, Calif., flashes the smile of a champion after winning the Parcours de Chasse during the National Tournament.

Gallery of photos

Canada’s Eric Lamaze gives Power Play a celebratory pat on the neck, as the two turn in a clean round.

BICYCLE BUILT FOR TWO: Lauren Tisbo, of Barrington, Illinois, takes the tricky bicycle jump on King Kolibri

HEY, I CAN’T SEE: Alec Lawler of Atherton, Calif., appears to be riding blind as the mane of his horse Dauphin de Muze flips up in his face.

I SEE YOU: Rothchild doesn’t miss a thing as McLain Ward, of Brewster, N.Y., pilots the horse over a jump.

A LITTLE BIT COWBOY: Rider Charlie Jayne, of Elgin, Illinois, hangs in there as Uraya throws in a buck after successfully completing a jump.

Fourteen obstacles in 60 seconds. Water jumps and steep banks. Giant fences forcing horses to launch off powerful haunches, arc at the peak, and descend with extension.

Whether tackling a derby or taking flight in a Grand Prix, horses and riders must pass the ultimate test of athleticism.

Throughout June and July, equestrians flocked from around the world to compete in the National, Continental, Canada One, North American and Pan American show jumping tournaments at Spruce Meadows.

One thousand horses scaling massive heights, all hoping to be pinned with a champion red ribbon. It is a sport of great expression and intense focus.

In this gallery, Horses All photographer Wendy Dudley celebrates the intense spirit of the sport. Enjoy!

SLIPPERY SLOPE: McLain Ward, of Brewster, N.Y., takes a seat on Wannahave as the two navigate a steep bank in the derby.

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

HORSE, HEALTH & HOME Inside and Outside Your Stable Tra ining

Are you Passive or Aggressive?

Knowing your personality type helps achieve leadership and softness with your horse GET A GRIP Ask the trainers

By Doug Mills Kamloops, B.C.

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believe true softness is a frame of mind that comes from leadership. Leadership starts with respect from me being able to move my horse away from me as it does in the herd environment. In other words, ‘the pecking order.’

The more specific I get with the control in that direction, with a slow build of pressure with a timed release, the stronger the leadership becomes.

I’ve been learning to communicate with horses as long as I can remember. And in the last 20 years, I have developed a simplified step-by-step program that I can teach others.

Two major cornerstones of my program are horses and people.

People have taught me as much as the horses.

Understanding your personality type plays a big role in your ability to connect with horses. There are generally four personality types; however, I will focus on the two opposite extremes — aggressive and passive.

If you are an aggressive, energetic and organized type of person, you will have a hard time letting a horse make mistakes because of the need to control their every move.

Your commands will tend to be fast and hard to follow mentally, more in the mind set of making them do it physically.

You want results and you want them now. You will have control of your horse but he will be rushy, tense and full of anxiety.

Then there’s the more passive personality type, who are quite happy to just go along for the ride, not wanting to ask too much of their horse or upset them. They don’t feel the need to perfect each maneuver because they are happy with minimal results.

Your commands tend to be mundane which is hard for the horse to follow mentally, and not wanting to upset them keeps you from tapping them to move physically.

This relationship will roll along smoothly until the horse doesn’t want to do the task at hand. The problem is the horse is fully aware of our expectations. One refusal turns into two and keeps snowballing until the horse won’t even leave the yard.

In order to be a leader, I need to cause movement in my horse in a specific direction. Stick with that direction through all of his evasions until he mentally accepts that direction.

It also helps to understand what motivates your partner. I believe a horse’s strongest motivation is to conserve energy. His second

Trainer Doug Mills shows how a soft and willing horse will perform extraordinary tasks, in this case with his two stallions.

A soft and willing horse moves better. Notice the balance between one of Doug Mills’ students and her horse.

Leadership and softness doesn’t have an age limit.

strongest motivator is to avoid discomfort.

Knowing that makes my approach very clear.

I need to first make things a little bit uncomfortable until my horse seeks the right response, in the right frame of mind. Then I need to let him rest. Now I am working with his natural instincts to do the right thing because it’s in his best interest.

Another important piece to the puzzle is in understanding all of your horse’s evasions. I believe horses have only three evasions to every command.

First, they will try to leave or run away from the command. You may have heard this called the flight instinct.

Next they will try to lean on the command, often referred to as the fight instinct.

I’m going to apply very light pressure to the lead shank, asking my horse to back up. Remember, I only want to irritate him and add a little discomfort.

If he ignores my suggestion, I start to tap him with a dressage whip on the shoulder very lightly until he moves his feet, while maintaining my original backup command.

If he pushes forward, I don’t want to get into a muscle match.

I want to just maintain the command, allowing him to come forward but the command is not going away.

Wait for him to make a decision to back up, then release for the mental response.

As soon as I release, my horse is going to try to get away from the command by going forward again or lifting his head up to the left or

The third thing they will try is to do the opposite of my command; if I ask for a left turn they will try to go to the right.

The maneuver I’m going to use to illustrate what I’ve been talking about is the backup from the ground. Remember my goal is leadership and softness. I’m using the backup to attain it.

When delivering a command, the only way to gain leadership is to cause movement, then maintain that movement through restarts of the command until the horse softens.

Restarts come from releasing my command for doing a part of the manoeuvre but not all of it.

Softness will be the last response that I release for.

He’s going to try every evasion at least once. The dominant horse will try more.

right. This shows the horse is doing it physically but not mentally.

As a leader, I need to restart my command and continue until he backs up again. I repeat this process until my horse softens his whole body, drops his head down and yields his nose in towards his chest. This is when your horse becomes mentally soft.

When I release the command, my horse stands quietly showing no resistance. This will only happen after my horse has tried all of his evasions, and trusts me as his leader for that particular maneuver. Sometimes this process takes as many as 50 restarts.

When you deliver your commands, be aware of how easy you are to read for your horse. Robotic moves with no emotion are easiest for your horse to understand.

In conclusion, if you are aggressive, slow down; allow your horse to make mistakes and follow through with each command until you get that soft look.

If you are passive, increase your command until the release; don’t be afraid to tap your horse to move his feet. He will still love you!

Demand a little more perfection and follow through to softness.

Have fun, stay safe and enjoy the journey!

Doug Mills is a five-time Mane Event Trainer’s Challenge Champion. Over the past 20 years, he has developed and refined his Training Thru Trust horsemanship program, and now teaches in Canada, U.S., and Europe.

He and his wife, Lynette, live near Kamloops, B.C.

WORKI P M O C N U More stories... MO L E S & G N I WORK O I T I T E P T A N I M U N O O E M C L A G S N T I W RK EC

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

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Inspired by people and horses

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

H ORSE, HEALTH & HOME Saddles

The nine points of saddle fitting Tips to see if your saddle is balanced and comfortable on your horse HORSE HEALTH Expert advice

By Jochen Schleese Certified Master Saddler, Saddle Agronomist

T

his month we will deal with one of the nine key points to consider when determining proper saddle fit.

Each of these tips has an accompanying ‘how to’ video on YouTube (see link below).

Once you have mastered all of the ‘nine points of saddle fit,’ you will be able to diagnose the fit of your own saddle easily. Sometimes you may feel like something is just not quite right without knowing exactly why. The intent of these pointers is to give you some insight into why this is, what to look for, and how to fix it.

At the very least, it will give you the necessary information to have an informed discussion with

your saddle fitter and discuss the options with confidence.

Balance problems are usually very easy to diagnose and fairly simple to remedy. Maybe you have experienced some of the following problems which may indicate saddle balance problems.

Do you feel you are falling backward in the saddle? Do you ride with your legs pulled up? Are your shoulders rolled forward? Are you hunched over your leg to balance?

If your saddle is too high in the pommel and too low in the cantle, this causes a lot of pressure on the horse’s back. It will be very difficult for your horse to engage his back because too much of your weight is on his last two floating ribs and possibly even beyond the saddle support area which ends at the 18th lumbar vertebrae. It’s easy to detect by simply feeling upwards to the spine where the last rib attaches. The lumbar vertebrae have very long transverse spinal processes upon which the saddle should never sit.

Your horse won’t go forward?

Are you leaning back to balance?

If your saddle is too low in the front, it will pinch into the horse’s shoulder which is very restrictive for your horse. If your saddle is too high in the back, you lift your leg and fall into a chair seat to balance which can strain the discs in your lower back.

Remember — horses don’t consciously decide to misbehave; they simply react to outside stimuli. So you need to ensure that the stimuli you provide (i.e., proper saddle fit and balance) delivers the message for the result you want.

Steps to check Saddle Balance: 1. Remove your saddle pad and irons. Place your saddle over the withers and slide it right back behind the shoulder blade.

On a dressage saddle, the cantle should be a little higher than the pommel.

2. Take a small round object (like a pencil or a puck) that will roll.

Place it on the seat of the saddle

The puck is well-centered and balanced on this dressage saddle, a good indication it will be comfortable for horse and rider.

and observe. If the saddle is balanced, the pencil should rest in the centre of the seat. If it rolls too far forward, the pommel is too low (cantle too high). If it rolls too far back, the saddle is too low in the cantle (pommel too high). It will be very difficult in either of these situations for both horse and rider to balance properly.

Your horse will be much more comfortable in a well-balanced saddle because the weight of the rider will be distributed over the proper area (the panels). The saddle will not be driven into the shoulder or back on the loin.

With correct balance, the rider will be able to use the four curves in her back as natural ‘shock absorbers,’ and she will sit balanced on her seat bones. This good posture means she will be able to lean forward and backward without the lower or upper leg swinging back and forth.

But again, the proper position is

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only effected if the rider is sitting in a saddle that accommodates the individual’s requirements. Women need to use saddles that are built keeping their needs in mind.

To see this and the other ‘9 tips of saddle balance’, go to h t t p : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=U2mKz0uP_K8 For more infor mation, go w w w. s c h l e e s e . c o m o r w w w. saddlesforwomen.com.

A properly positioned and wellbalanced saddle on the horse’s back will produce a balanced rider, resulting in harmony with the horse.

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

35

HORSE, HEALTH & HOME NATUROPATHIC

Calming things down Natural remedies to calm your nervous horse ALTERNATIVE METHODS Going natural

By Julie MacKinnon Laodas-Way

I

t’s competition time and horses are either tired or stressed out... and HIGH! Both you and your animals need to show your best so here are the ultimate nerve/calming solutions and the reasons why they work: Valerian is a strong nerve sedation tool. It also heats in the body and helps a cold horse get warm (or injured area). Feed five to 15 ml two times a day. Too much can slow down intestinal function. Feed one hour before full effect. Good for stabilizing the body. Warning: it may drug test.

Kava kava is an effective central nervous system calmer. Not just the muscle but this herb relaxes the mind as well. Feed five ml as needed. Maximum three times a day. Too much will put your horse to sleep literally. Fed best in tea form and soak feed/hay as needed. Good for mental anxiety.

Tumeric works on pain to numb nerve reflexes. This is best on an injured horse and acts quickly. Feed 10 ml two to three times a day. Keep in mind that too much will make your horse forget he’s injured as there will be no pain. Feed as a powder but it can dye the lips. It is a nutrient source too, so has added benefits. Good for trauma nervousness.

Willow is one of the sources that aspirin came from. Need I say more as it is an anti-inflammatory and nerve sedative. Feed 10 ml two times a day. Too much will lower blood pressure. Feed as a powder or for quick relief as a tea. Good for a strong source of pain relief.

Vervain is soothing to the entire body. Physical and mental aspects respond to Vervain by settling down (like an alcohol effect but with no alcohol). It is nice on mares as it helps to balance any hormonal reasons the horse may be reacting to which is very common. Feed 15 ml two times a day. Too much will cause loss of drive in your horse so use as needed. Feed as powder. Good for hormone related nervousness.

Chamomile is a mild calmer with

long term effects. It stabilizes the horse and nerve reflexes for a lot longer than most nerve products and is very safe. As a bonus, it helps digestion. Feed 10 to 20 ml two times a day. Too much will make your horse drowsy. Feed as a powder or tea.

Good for long term calming.

Lavendar is a heart and nervous system calmer. It works by calming the rhythms in the body to basic and general function. It can also break symptoms of a cold/flu bug as an added help. Feed 10 ml two to three times a day. Too much will make your horse very warm/hot. Feed as powder. Good for winter stress.

Do not feed more than one calming agent at a time. Maximum one week use. If nervousness and anxiety persist in a competing or injured horse, you’ll need to consider the cause and take pro-active steps on removing that as well.

For a calming agent to work correctly, the body must be at the correct pH. Your horse’s body can be acidic or alkaline. If you are considering calming agents, add digestive enzymes to your feed regime. As a rule, feed two to five ml of pure enzymes with your nerve calming agents (no fillers needed).

By smelling the urine, you can also

tell what a horse needs. If it’s overly strong, then you can assume the horse is acidic and needs lime/lemon juice concentrate as this helps to realkalize the body. One half cup a day for one week. Or if the urine has zero odour at all and is light in colour, you can assume the animal is too alkaline. Give one-half cup a day apple cider vinegar for one week.

Both of these will aid in getting your horse stable and the calmers will work that much more efficiently.

Have a great summer and I hope you all use these as tools when and if you can.

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

HORSE, HEALTH & HOME JOURNALING

Winning with goals Sports Psychologist April Clay encourages sport journals RIDING OUT OF MY MIND Equestrian sport psychology

By April Clay Psychologist, Calgary, Alta.

K

eeping track of your progress is essential to being efficient with your training and growing your confidence.

This is part of what distinguishes goal setting from wishful thinking.

Every destination you want to reach requires a detailed roadmap… a plan to get you to your dream goals.

Many athletes use a sport journal. This is one book where you can write down daily observations about your practice and as well, keep track of goal progress.

Choose a colour you love, and a size you know you can easily tote around. While some people prefer an electronic version, I am

still a fan of paper. It enables you to explore, erase and revise. You can easily paste in different components, as you will see below.

Lastly, they make wonderful keepsakes for years to come.

You can track and put anything you want in your journal. Really make it your own. Make sure it travels with you to every ride, every show. Here are some other

“Keeping track of your progress is… what distinguishes goal setting from wishful thinking.”  APRIL CLAY

suggestions for sections and/or elements to include.

Goals — Track your short term, long term and dream goals.

Try to make sure that at every ride, you give yourself a daily goal. This will provide direction and focus to your training.

It should directly relate to your short and long term goals. If you ride more than one horse, you can allow for different sections to reflect their individual goals.

Thoughts from training — Here you can write any insights/ breakthroughs you might have had in your session. If it was a great day, comment on why you think it went well and if it was a tough day, feel free to vent and then decide what will be different next time.

Feedback — Record any relevant feedback you got from your coach or other riders. What is the most consistent feedback you are receiving?

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Confidence boosters — If you mastered a new skill or were proud of how you handled a tough situation, write it down!

Maybe someone said something to you that really felt good. Put it in quotes and record it. These thoughts will come in handy when you’re in a future slump or need a confidence injection before a show.

Schedules — Here you can include training, lesson, and show schedules. Where do you have to be and when? What days are rest days? Vet appointments?

Moods — How was your training mood today? You can easily use symbols. You might want to make note of why you thought you were in the mood you were in, and if you did anything to change it.

Training is a great opportunity to practice turning difficult moods around or using your emotions effectively.

Favourite quotes — Inspirational sport quotes from favourite riders or anyone who says what you like to hear! Maybe you want to include news items or stories that particularly inspired you. Your journal can be a great place to go for motivational juice.

Power pictures and words — You could use pictures of riders you admire or include parts of interviews they have given.

Include pictures of yourself that remind you of successful times, of your ability and confidence. Power words can be written out or cut out and pasted into your journal (i.e.a dominate, attitude, etc.)

Show results — Track the dates and results of all the shows you attend, and any other relevant information. Weather, judges, environment, and other variables can sometimes add up to a pattern that informs your training.

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

37

H ORSE, HEALTH & HOME Training

Trail Riding Tranquil or Terrifying?

Some things to think about for creating an enjoyable trail horse GET A GRIP Ask the trainers

By Glenn Stewart Baldonnel, B.C.

W

hile you are reading this, we will be in the mountains 80 miles from the nearest roads, starting young horses, helping a few sort out problems, and riding in some of the prettiest country I’ve ever seen.

The horses are raised in the mountains and there isn’t much we need to do in the way of helping them get through the rivers, creeks, bogs, steep hills or drops, muddy trails and windfall. They are used to the terrain, and walk around in it 365 days of the year with no problems at all.

But if these were ‘town horses,’ they might need some help to get through the rougher spots without a panic. Some riders are on the trails all the time while others never take their horses out on a trail.

You can ride the trails and hope your horse does great... or you can make sure that every trip they get better.

The opposite is also true. They could actually start out as a great trail horse and end up not so great.

The main thing is that horses should be relaxed out on the trail.

This mare is ‘cinchy’... sensitive to the girth. It’s nice if you can keep them from bucking but sometimes it happens.

When it does, it’s best if it happens during the warm up, not out on the trail.

Not be rushing up on other horses, and be able to walk calmly through wet spots, whether being lead or ridden.

They should walk up and down the hills whether the trail is muddy or not. Sometimes they slide down the hill because it’s steep and muddy but they should still be calm.

They should walk well back from the person leading them, and stop when you stop, maintaining the same distance.

They should be able to stop half way up or down a slope if you ask them to, unless it’s too muddy. You should never feel like you need to run or hurry to keep from being stepped on.

They should watch where they are putting their feet so they are not stumbling and stepping in holes.

How are they going to know all this?

First make sure none of it happens in the corral or yard at home. We are the teachers, the ones that help them become the horse we want.

If we panic and run across a muddy spot or scramble up a hill, the horse sees and feels what we do.

Give yourself time to walk calmly through, under, and over... and have your horse wait for you.

Then ask them to follow in the same calm, thinking manner.

Give them time to pick their way through.

For example, if you come to a steep spot and you allow your horse to pick up speed going up the hill, you are telling him it’s OK to get impulsive whenever you get to a hill.

If you come to a wet spot or muddy creek to cross, if you allow the horse to lunge, rush, or bolt through, that is what they learn to do.

Ride calmly down the bank, step quietly into the area that is really worrying your horse, and stay there until you feel the horse relax.

Then calmly step forward and up the other bank.

When you are leading your horse, they should stay at any distance behind you that is sensible for the terrain you’re in. Give the horse lots of rope so you are not pulling him up on you.

When you do ask for them to move forward and they start to rush, slow them down, and cause them to think and walk with a calm mind. We are supposed to be in charge and the ones to set the tone of how the ride will go.

I have seen the funniest things created on a trail ride. One fellow on a long muddy hill had inadvertently trained his horse over the course of the day to walk into him when he led him. On the trail going up the hill, the fellow leading the horse started to run from spot to spot and not because he wanted to. He would hide behind a tree until he caught his breath,

then jump out from behind the tree and bolt to the next tree before the horse stepped on his heels.

Another fellow did something much the same while leading his horse. The horse was following closer than he should have been, and pushing on the fellow without actually touching him throughout the day. When the fellow slipped going up a short hill, his horse used him for traction and never slowed down one bit. Walked right over the top of the guy.

In both cases the people were not injured but they were sure puckered up.

If you are out on the trail riding, think about creating a better horse rather than hoping that they might get great. And have fun on the trails.

Glenn Stewart travels extensively conducting clinics, demonstrations, and colt starting sessions, and also offers Camps and a 3 month Horsemanship Course at his home The Horse Ranch.

He rides 30-60 client horses per year, including young horses, restarts, challenging horses, and foundation training. More information by calling 1 877 728 8987 or visiting www. thehorseranch.com

If you’ve spent the time at home working with your horse, becoming the leader, you should have a great experience riding out on the trails this fall. ALL photoS: Dixie Stewart

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When leading a horse up or down hills, its important the horse keep a safe distance.

It’s best to practice this at home before you get into the high country.

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38

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

HAPPENINGS Events and News of Note

ECO-TOURS

Five great wild horse tours Organized eco-tour adventures that observe wild horses and ponies

Ever wish you could see wild horses in their natural environment? Darley Newman gives us five eco-tour adventures to do just that.

EQUITREKKING Travelling the globe

By Darley Newman Bethseda, Maryland

A

s I’ve traveled the United States and the world for Eq u i t re k k in g ( ht t p: / / www.equitrekking.com), I’ve been surprised by the diverse destinations where I’ve encountered wild horses, including Waipi’o Valley (Hawaii), Cumberland Island (Georgia), Chincoteague (Virginia), and beyond.

Seeing horses and other wildlife roaming free in a natural setting brings me a feeling of peace, and I find that learning about how they adapt to survive in these different environments fascinating.

Wild horses are an iconic symbol of America, but places where you can actually travel to observe them are on the decline because of development and controversial roundups by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

If you’re interested in wild horse viewing, check out these organized eco-tour adventures where you can view wild horses and ponies from the comfort of a vehicle or the back of a galloping horse.

1. BLACK HILLS WILD HORSE SANCTUARY Hot Springs, South Dakota Started in 1988 and now home to over 600 wild mustangs, the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in South Dakota invites travelers to experience the majesty of the mustang on a variety of guided tours amid typical Western American scenery. Hop in a 4-WD vehicle or take a bus tour to view wild mustangs grazing amid spectacular canyons, miles of the Cheyenne River and 11,000 acres of pristine

prairies. Guests who make a larger donation can even get the chance to help out the wranglers and learn the details of running a horse sanctuary.

If you go, for those who want a multi-day horse sanctuary adventure, affordable accommodations are located 15 miles down the road in Hot Springs or there’s a cabin for rent at the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary. The cabin features a queen size bedroom, kitchen (no oven), sitting area and bathroom with shower and runs $150 per night plus tax. This horse sanctuary is located 65 miles south of Rapid City Regional Airport. More at http://www.wildmustangs.com.

2. NEW MEXICO HORSE ADVENTURES Albuquerque, New Mexico Though based in Albuquerque, Steve Simmons, a horseman and photographer himself, leads travelers on adventures to see wild horses just outside of Albuquerque and beyond. These horse tours take travelers on public land as well as to exclusive private ranches and sanctuaries. Travelers can ride in a vehicle or saddle up to view wild horses from horseback. New Mexico Horse Adventures trips include instruction on how to safely track and photograph wild horses.

If you go, tours are customized for individuals and groups so rates vary. Contact New Mexico Horse Adventures for more information.

Mention Equitrekking and receive a special discount. More at http:// www.equitrekking.com/equestrian_vacations/destination/new_ mexico_horse_adventures/.

3. SPOTTED FEVER RANCH San Acacio, Colorado Located in southern Colorado, this unique ranch invites a small number of guests to enjoy ranching

life and view wild mustangs amid 60,000 acres of plains and mesas in the San Luis Valley. Ride wide open spaces and along the Rio Grande on pretty Paint horses from the ranch or bring your own horse to ride.

The land where these mustangs roam is part of the original Spanish Land Grants meaning these mustangs are not subject to BLM round-ups. Spotted Fever Ranch has a breeding herd of purebred Texas Longhorn cattle and practices intense pasture rotation, allowing travelers to help out on authentic cattle drives and with other ranch work if desired.

If you go, travelers must book a minimum of two nights. Current rates of $200 per night include room and board with private bathrooms, breakfast, lunch on the trail, dinner and up to six or seven hours of mustang viewing (depending upon guests riding experience and desires), and up to

two or three hours of cattle work.

The ranch is located approximately 50 miles from Alamosa Airport, 140 miles from Santa Fe’s airport and 160 miles from Colorado Springs’ airport. More at http:// www.spottedfeverranch.com.

4. RED CANYON WILD MUSTANG TOURS Cody, Wyoming I was able to take and film this special tour for Equitrekking and was happy to hear that Ken Martin, who has more than a decade of observing these wild horses, still leads tours. Travelers are driven about 22 miles from Cody to the McCullough Peaks Wild Horse Management Area which encompasses over 100,000 acres of colorful badlands, desert mountains, cliffs and canyons, and is managed by the BLM. The McCullough Peaks horses are well known for their good

conditioning and beauty. Their variety of coat colors include sorrel, buckskin, palomino and strawberry roan. These horses are striking, especially amid the rugged surrounding badlands. This tour allows for great photo opportunities and in depth information on wild horses. You may also spot other wildlife, including golden eagles and black-tailed prairie dogs.

If you go, these two to 2-1/2 hour van and bus tours leave from Cody twice a day and cost $33 for adults and $31 for children. Group discounts are available. More at http://www.codywyomingadventures.com.

5. BLUE SKY SAGE HORSEBACK ADVENTURES Big Piney, Wyoming Another great trip for adventurers who want to horseback ride to see wild horses is with Blue Sky Sage in Wyoming. Longtime outfitter Bobbi Wade leads travelers out to track and observe wild mustangs amid the sagebrush and rolling hills of the Great Divide Basin. Take in views of the glaciercovered Temple Peak and Roaring Fork mountain as you walk, trot and canter America’s wide-open spaces to see bands of mustangs.

Being an experienced equestrian is a must for this trip as you’ll cover long distances at a variety of paces.

If you go, Blue Sky Sage generally runs a few wild horse-viewing trips each season. Guests camp out in canvas tipi tents with sleeping bags on comfy mattresses, while searching for wild horses. Two trips have already been scheduled for 2014; July 3-9 and July 13-19 for $2,500 per person. More at http://www. equitrekking.com/equestrian_ vacations/destination/blue_sky_ sage_horseback_adventures/.

Darley Newman is the host and producer of the Emmy-winning Equitrekking TV show and an expert on ranch and riding vacations. Learn more and plan your next horseback riding vacation at Equitrekking.com, Top20Ranches.com and EquitrekkingTravel.com.

Darley Newman (right), host and producer of the Emmy-winning Equitrekking TV show, observes wild horses with Ken Martin from Red Canyon Wild Mustang Tours, based out of Cody, Wyoming.

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

39

HAPPENINGS HORSE SALE

WILD DEUCE

broke and bomb proof horses Mountain horse sale a chance to find a terrific trail horse Places and events of interest

By Heather Grovet Galahad, Alta.

“

W

e started our working mountain horse sale because of the difficulty the average person has when trying to find a suitable trail riding horse,” Terri McKinney of Wild Deuce Outfitting says.

“There is no such thing as the perfect horse, but I think people can find the right horse for their needs and personality if they know the whole story about the horse. Being honest and educating people helps buyers, and it also helps my horses because I want them to go to ‘forever homes’ when they leave here.”

Wild Deuce is owned and operated by Chuck and Terri McKinney, professional outfitters that offer customers multi-day trail rides, pack trips, women’s retreats, clinics and horse training.

The couple has hosted the mountain horse sale and competition since 2005. The event has steadily grown and now features multiple fun activities that make the trip worthwhile for spectators, even if they aren’t planning to purchase a new trail horse.

“When we started nine years ago we had only 40 or 50 people attend,” McKinney says. “But it’s been steadily growing. Why, last year our attendance was 1,200 people! This isn’t just a horse sale, it’s a fun weekend!”

This year’s Wild Deuce’s sale and competition runs September 27-29 at Kingman, Alta. The weekend schedule includes three mountain trail competitions, a trade show, numerous demonstrations on topics such as ranch roping and harness driving, wagon rides, and campfire entertainment.

In 2013 Wild Deuce also looks forward to something new — a fun hunt with Mantracker Terry Grant.

The mountain trail horse sale offers only selected horses from consigners who are trainers with the ability to put hundreds of miles of outdoor riding on their horses. Craig and Camille Reesor of Cypress Hills are examples of these types of consigners.

“We run a cow-calf operation on our ranch, and use our home bred Quarter Horses for three or four years before bringing them to the sale,” Camille Reesor says. “There just aren’t a lot of people putting these sorts of miles on horses. The horses that come to Wild Deuce have been well used on the ranch or in the mountains for years, not

months, and they are as broke and bomb-proof as possible.

“On Friday the sale horses all receive a vet check in front of potential buyers,” Reesor says. “Friday also features two open mountain trail competitions, one for adults and the other for youth. On Saturday there is a competition for the sale horses only.”

The mountain horse competition uses natural type obstacles such as water crossings, backing uphill, jumping over logs, opening gates,

If you’re just starting out, looking for a good recreational trail horse, or just a fun weekend, book your calendar to attend this sale, September 27-29.

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Kingman is located 20 minutes north of Camrose, Alberta. For more information, go to www.wilddeuce.com

galloping while wearing a flapping slicker and traveling through camp while passing clotheslines and running chainsaws.

Saturday evening features a unique relay race using the competition horses and pack horses. “Buyer won’t want to miss the relay race,” Reesor laughs.

“Things can quickly go wrong in the race, and it gives you a chance to see how those well-broke horses handle themselves under stressful conditions.”

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Where 4G Satellite service is available. Taxes will apply. 2Actual speed online may vary with your technical configuration, Internet traffic, server and other factors. Traffic management applies to all packages. 3Xplornet high-speed Internet service includes a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you are dissatisfied with your service for any reason, you will receive a refund of all amounts paid to Xplornet if you cancel your subscription within 30 days of activation. 4A router is required for multiple users and may be purchased from your local dealer. Xplornet® is a trade-mark of Xplornet Communications Inc. © Xplornet Communications Inc., 2013.

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FBC SAT HALL EQUIP ADMAT 04/2013

GOING DOWN THE TRAIL

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

H APPENINGS Cowboy Poetry

Rounding up fall Cowboy Gatherings Maple Creek, Swift Current, and Priddis hosting big western festivals GOING DOWN THE TRAIL Places and events of interest

By Doris Daley Turner Valley, Alta.

S

eptember. Saskatchewan.

Songs. Stories. Cowboy poetry and music fans need just one more “s” and here it is: Schedule.

September 20-22 plan to be in Maple Creek for the 24th Annual Maple Creek Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Art and Gear Show.

The three-day event offers large and small venues, a terrific gear show, western designer fashion show, beef supper and Friday and Saturday night feature performances.

The following weekend, September 28 and 29, western entertainment continues at the Ranchman’s Ridin’ and Recitin’ Events in Swift Current. Cowboy poetry and music share the bill with a heavy horse competition, cattle pen show, ranch horse competition, and young ranchman’s competitions for showmanship, grooming and public speaking.

The 24th Annual Maple Creek Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Gear Show The Maple Creek Gathering, set in the heart of Saskatchewan’s Cypress Hills ranching country, is western all the way.

“We love our way of life and the Gathering is a great way to share it,”

B.C. cowboy poet Mag Mawhinney will be headlining at the Maple Creek Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Art/Gear Show on September 20-22.

says spokesperson Eleanor Bowie. “It gives the older generation a chance to reminisce, provides the younger generation with an opportunity to catch hold of the performing cowboy arts, and offers a taste of our lifestyle to those who might not live it.”

Performers this year include Manitoba singer songwriter Ed Brown; Spy Hill, Saskatchewan humorist and poet Morley Thorpe; B.C. cowboy poet Mag Mawhinney; and Meadow Lake’s Linda Nadon, who had so much fun last year that she returns in 2013 with her daughter, also a performer. All poets and pickers entertain at the two daytime stages; night show performers are not yet confirmed.

As with many cowboy poetry festivals, this one is powered by an army of volunteers. The historic Jasper Centre Museum lends administrative and volunteer support through the year. “If it wasn’t for the Jasper Centre volunteers,” says Bowie, “we couldn’t function.”

Swift Current’s Ranchman’s Ridin’ and Recitin’ Activities at this action-packed western event take place at the Kinetic Exhibition Park, 10 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. each day. For the seventh year in a row, cowboy poetry is in the entertainment spotlight with Bryce Burnett as one of the featured entertainers. Open mic sessions encourage newcomers to share a poem or song.

“Ours is fun-filled event for the whole family,” says Event Development Coordinator Lenora Bells.

“We proudly invite everyone to share in events that are part of our ranching and agricultural lifestyle. Cowboy poetry conveys the stories of the real working west.

Combined with cowboy music, our audiences can experience the feelings and traditions of our history and learn about the realities of modern times.

At both Maple Creek and Swift Current, cowboy poetry and music are key in reaching the next generation. “Working hard, helping our neighbours, taking care of animals and crops, and being of strong character — those are all core values of the Cowboy Way,” says Lenora.

Bowie concurs, adding, “We want the next generation to love what we love, and cowboy entertainers articulate what we all feel.”

Judging from the hundreds of fans who attend each event year after year, the great folks in Maple Creek and Swift Current have figured out a great formula for celebrating the past, present and future of the western way of life. And that is Simply Sensational.

High River Gathering Cancelled/Fund-Raiser is Confirmed The Trail’s End Gathering, held every September in High River, and sponsored by the Alberta Cowboy Poetry Association, was cancelled because of the flood.

Instead, a Flood Benefit Con-

cert is confirmed for Friday, September 27, 7 p.m. at the Priddis Community Hall. Confirmed performers include ACPA members Alison Demeter, Jesse Colt, Wendy Vaughan, Perry Jacobson, Harold Webber, Bud Edgar and Ed Brown. All talent is 100 percent donated, and the Priddis Hall waived its rental fee.

If you go

24th Annual Maple Creek Gathering and Art Show Sept. 20-22 Weekend pass: $65. Events take place at the Armoury, Legion and Elk’s Hall www.maplecreekcowboypoetry.com; www.jaspercentre.ca (306) 662-2434 Swift Current’s Ranchman’s Riding and Recitin Event Sept. 28-29 at Kinetic Exhibition Park www.swiftcurrentex.com or call (306) 773-2944 Trail’s End Gathering in High River: Cancelled Cowboy Poetry Fund Raiser for Red Cross Flood Relief Friday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m.

Priddis, Alta.

Tickets: $20. Available from local merchants or call Linda (403) 669-7118.

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The Foothills Fetal Alcohol Society’s main fundraiser is a wonderful mountain horse back ride on private land just west of Longview, Alberta.

Saddlestrings and Heart Strings will happen this year on Sept 7 with breakfast, lunch and banquet supper included in the registration amount of $150.

The four to five hour ride has attracted people from all over Alberta and has always been touted as “the best trail ride around”

because of the beauty of the scenery, the mouth watering food, and the fact that riders ride in smaller groups with individual guides.

This year is especially important to the Society as they lost both of their offices in the High River Flood.

Their business of helping those affected by FASD and promoting alcohol free pregnancy happens throughout Southern Alberta and includes teaching people about resiliency — a very important thing to do right now when so many people have lost so much.

Call Danna at 403-312-8140 or Britt at 403-498-6536.

HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

41

H APPENINGS Bronc riding

Bareback versus saddle broncs horses Luke Creasy explains the difference in horses between the two events

W H AT TO Watc h for

GOING DOWN THE TRAIL Places and events of interest

The subtle differences in the horses

By Luke Creasy Brownsfield, Alta.

E

ver wonder why one horse is under a saddle every weekend, and another only in the bareback riding? For the average rodeo fan, it may seem that if a horse wants to buck, why not throw it in a chute, and either put a riggin’ or saddle on it?

Though nothing about horses seems to be an exact science, I had a chance to catch up to a prominent bucking horse producer and asked what makes his horses tick, and what makes them prefer one event to the other.

Bruce Flewelling is a long-time Canadian stock contractor, and part of Outlaw Buckers outfit. He’s had plenty of experience and success switching some horses from one event to the other but finds little reasoning to what makes a horse prefer a riggin’ to a saddle or vice versa.

Some are natural switch hitter horses, like American Trip, a horse that I rode in the bareback riggin’ the day of this interview.

“He was Saddle Bronc of Ponoka four years in a row. He almost got…

I hate the word, Eliminator, but he got where they couldn’t make a winning ride on him. They could ride him but it wasn’t a winning ride,” Flewelling explained.

Bareback horses tend to be slightly smaller, and tend to duck, dive, and spin more than saddle bronc horses.

Saddle bronc horses are usually a little bigger, tend to travel less ground, and can be more predictable.

photo: thinkstock

photo: thinkstock

“So, last year for Camrose, Rod Schellenberg and I decided, ‘let’s put him in the bareback riding and see what would happen.’ And it’s worked, it’s really worked. He went to Edmonton (CFR) and Vegas (NFR) last year. We were really lucky ’cause he was the rank horse in Vegas one night. I wouldn’t say it would work with all of them but it sure worked with him.”

“We’d like to start ’em all in the bareback riding if we could,” Flewelling revealed, “but you can’t.

There isn’t enough kids getting on ’em. So we start ’em in the bronc riding. In the bareback riding, if a horse gets a little long, you stick him in the bronc riding to slow him down.”

The more I chatted with Flewelling, the more it became clear some horses just liked one event and not the other.

“There’s no rhyme or reason to it. Look at J Bar 9, (Flewelling’s past Canadian Bareback Horse of

the Year). She wouldn’t jump one jump in the saddle bronc riding.

Then look at Blue Moon. He was a bronc forever but he was hard to ride and was dirty. We stuck him in the bareback riding and they’re winning a pile of money on him as we speak. There is no rhyme or reason to it. British Block was a good switch hitter, he started out in the bareback riding, but he took Clint Johnson to the $50,000 pay window three times in Calgary in the saddle bronc riding.”

As breeding horses to buck becomes more particular, matching proven studs to the appropriate mares, figuring out what event a bucker belongs in is still up to contractor, and it’s still a game of watch and see. With the premium stock that is produced in western Canada, there can be no doubt nothing makes for a better rodeo than great stock organized by great men with horse sense.

Saddle Bronc riders like a horse that takes his head, providing a consistent pull on the bronc rein and a consistent measurement for bronc riders to use from rodeo to rodeo on that horse. An inappropriate length of rein makes it very difficult to ride well.

Saddle bronc riders enjoy a horse that stays under himself, doesn’t stretch out too far (covering ground), because it’s hard to keep up. They want them to break over and kick through it.

Saddle bronc horses tend to be larger as a saddle weighs more than a bareback riggin’ so it’s

easier for a larger horse to handle the weight.

Some horses tend to be in the bareback riding because they spin, or make more ducks, dives, turns, and moves in general. These horses end up in the bareback riding because with a firmly wedged in hand, bareback riders are able to stay aboard through more moves.

Bareback riders appreciate a horse that stays under itself, rearing on the front end and then kicking over, without travelling a great distance. But sometimes they have to endure a little wild action thrown in the mix.

CPRA Unofficial Rodeo Standings INCLUDING: DAWSON CREEK STAMPEDE AND ELNORA BULL RIDING SADDLE BRONC 1 SCHEER CORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,023.54 2 CORRINGTON TYLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,805.95 3 FLUNDRA DUSTIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,354.09 4 JOHNSON CHET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,241.95 5 KELTS SAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,738.07 6 GEIGER RYLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,186.56 7 LARSEN TYREL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,487.73 8 BERRY JIM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,295.24 9 BUTTERFIELD LUKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,544.93 10 SCHMIDT CHUCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,364.87 11 CRAWLEY JACOBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,990.38 12 HERZOG TODD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,734.99 BAREBACK 1 VOLD JAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,172.03 2 BOWERS KYLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,552.74 3 LAIT MATT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,875.67 4 LAVALLEY DUSTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,092.80 5 MARSHALL KY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,151.57 6 CREASY LUKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,584.43 7 ADAMS COLIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,365.23 8 BENNETT CALEB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,338.99 9 DENT STEVEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,656.80 10 LAYE CLINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,623.59 11 CANNON CLINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,506.59 12 HODSON LOGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,764.41 BULL RIDING 1 GIRLETZ TANNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2 SCHIFFNER SCOTT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 THOMSON TYLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 BUTTAR DAKOTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5 LAMBERT ZANE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 BROOKS BEAU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7 BYRNE TANNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8 MEZEI DEVON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9 BESPLUG CHAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10 HANSEN JORDAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11 TURNER STEVEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12 PATTEN TY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

28,428.88 22,357.41 21,239.10 20,517.75 20,158.84 19,248.53 19,092.27 17,983.90 17,641.50 16,769.58 15,900.27 15,562.07

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1 MOORE TIMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,853.82 2 GRANT MORGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,390.64 3 BIRD LOGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,680.87 4 DURFEY TYSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,024.16 5 JOHNSON CHAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,332.30 6 EDGE DEAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,107.04 7 BALDWIN NATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,035.30 8 DUBLANKO ERIK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,501.87 9 SOLOMON CORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,279.65 10 CASSIDY CURTIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,779.90 11 ROMBOUGH LEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,304.05 12 SCHAFFER JASON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,946.91 STEER WRESTLING 1 CASSIDY CODY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2 MILAN TANNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 REAY TRAVIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 MILLER JUSTIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5 CURE HUNTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 GRAVES LEE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7 GRANT MORGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8 MOORE CLAYTON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9 WALKER DUSTIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10 MILAN STRAWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11 WOODWARD TODD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12 DELEMONT LAYNE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20,629.17 17,088.45 17,037.04 16,354.04 16,203.15 16,067.94 15,766.90 15,341.73 14,427.29 13,975.70 11,824.48 11,792.92

LADIES BARREL RACING 1 LOCKHART LISA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,781.40 2 MAYS BRENDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,697.56 3 FLECK BRITANY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,057.93 4 TAYLOR FALLON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,345.12 5 BASS KALEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,369.76 6 WALKER MARY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,115.97 7 MELBY JANE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,655.68 8 RUST LEE ANN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,760.80 9 SCHULZE KIM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,749.03 10 STEFFES NIKKI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,912.56 11 GARTHWAITE KATIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,925.38 12 WHITE KIRSTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,360.08 TR HEELER 1 MCCARROLL BRETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,984.54 2 ROBERTSON JOHN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,173.48 3 ROY KASPER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,028.20 4 PETSKA CORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,391.29 5 SIMPSON CHASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,858.50 6 BROWER TAYLOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,657.73 7 RICHARD RHEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,573.03 8 FAWCETT MATT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,311.76 9 FLEWELLING TYREL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,229.57 10 WILSON RILEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,756.15 11 CORNET STACY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,562.76 12 JOHNSON CHAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,458.95 TR HEADER 1 BUHLER CLINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,091.27 2 SIMPSON LEVI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,173.52 3 DEPAOLI STEELE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,028.20 4 ROGERS ERICH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,391.26 5 GALLAIS TRAVIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,884.28 6 DAVIES BRAIDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,858.47 7 SHEFFIELD JESSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,573.01 8 SKOCDOPOLE DALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,016.76 9 MCFADDEN ROLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,775.02 10 LOUIS JACKSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,756.12 11 ULLERY CLAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,653.16 12 MCCARROLL JUSTIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,489.30 ALL-AROUND 1 MARSHALL KY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,954.96 HIGH POINT 1 GRANT MORGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36,157.54 NOVICE SADDLE BRONC 1 MCKENZIE KALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,684.68 2 WATSON JAKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,589.97 3 THURSTON ZEKE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,443.11 NOVICE BAREBACK 1 LAMB KODY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,648.89 2 HARVEY PHILIPPE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,898.36 3 STEMO JACOB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,779.04 STEER RIDING 1 HAY DAWSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,742.16 2 SCHMIDT KAGEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,260.97 3 BROWN CAMERON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,113.37 PERMIT 1 NOVAL KERILEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,868.84 ROOKIE 1 MILLER JUSTIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,354.04

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HORSESALL.COM

HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

ASSOCIATION NEWS Alberta Friesian Horse Association The picture shows the crowds lining the streets to watch the Calgary Stampede parade.

The Alberta Friesian Horse Association has participated in several parades and, for many years, the Gull Lake Farm entry has won an abundance of prizes. The AFHA parade entry in the Sylvan Lake parade this year consisted of 13 Friesian horses; a four in hand, a team, and seven members of our Musical Ride Group under saddle. The AFHA entry was truly the highlight of the parade, with the spectators being thrilled with the beauty and nobility of the Friesian horse. The Friesian can be seen in many places, singly or in groups, and they always receive that special attention wherever they may be. The highlight of the year is the annual inspection (keuring) which will be held September 20 at Bosch Farms in Red Deer. For updated info you can find us on Facebook or www.afha.ca.

Canadian Friesian Horse Association Arabo-Friesians have arrived in Canada.

They are not just simply a cross between Friesians and Arabians. They should carry around 10 per cent to 20 per cent selected desert Arabian blood and look like pure Friesians, with slightly less fetlock hair and finer heads. They have smooth gaits and enjoy moving. They have great endurance and toughness, and are thus suitable for the most challenging sport competitions. One of the most important aspects is their disposition. It is the ‘golden character’ of the old proven Friesian blood lines. For more info go to: www.canadianfriesianhorse.ca.

Chinook Chapter, ACDA Driving Club

Alberta Donkey and Mule Club ADMC members participated with Horse Haven 101 at the Calgary Stampede from July 4 to July 9. Ida Newell and Bob Leggette participated with Jessie in driving demos as well as the Pack demo. Jessie is a ‘30 bob mule,’ meaning she can be ridden, driven or packed. After cleaning up at the Nanton Equine Event in June with many red ribbons, Ida and Jessie carried on by charming the crowd at the Stampede. Bob, Ida and Jessie, along with Les Sjorgren and his mule Katie completed Les Sjorgren shows spectators at the Calgary Stampede how to the demo by doing a ‘’tail tie’’ tie a diamond hitch as part of the Club’s packing demontration. and left the demo area with a riding mule leading the pack mule. This demo was definitely a crowd pleaser and allowed the spectators to visit with the mules and their owners. Les and Katie, were also invited to show their Reining maneuvers alongside a Reining horse, and did am impressive job. Ron and Alice Todd, accompanied by granddaughters Kora and Dylan, also attended the demos with Sonney their very special donkey. Sonney had done exceptionally well at the Nanton Equine Event as well, and in her ever so quiet way gave people a reason to smile. Sonney also recently had a part in the movie ‘’Kondike,’’ cast in southern Alberta.

On July 8 and 9, a new group of people and animals arrived for demos including 16 year old Nicole Kroetsch with her mule Doug, and 13 year old Meghan Jagersma and her mule Jessie. Both of these young gals pleased the crowd with the versatility of their 17 hand mules!

Meghan has her sights set on competing at the great Mule Show in Bishop, California. Susan Wensink completed the riding demo aboard her small but athletic Arab Cross mule, Squidge.

The Dykstra family brought their yearling mule who charmed the crowds stopping by the booth. A common comment throughout our stay at the stampede was how wonderful it was that there could even be a show with the recent flooding. Crowds were steady and the most common question asked was, “What is the difference between a donkey and a mule?”

The summer is keeping the ADMC members and animals busy with the upcoming Bruce Stampede, our Trail ride and the Tees Longears Days Show held in August. Our semi-annual meeting has been moved up to October 6, at the Ponoka Drop In Centre. Everyone welcome.

For more information, visit www.albertadonkeyandmule.com

The 14th Annual Chinook Chapter, ACDA Pleasure Show, held on July 20 and 21 west of Bowden, was a great success! Our High Point driver, and winner of the Concours d’Elegance award for most elegant turnout was Kristen Burton from Brooks with her chestnut mare, Montana. The Pratt family, from Carbon, took away all the junior driver awards and nailed the “Longest and Shortest Trot Stride” with Rosie the Standardbred and Bandit the mini. Jay and Jackie Mills brought the most and biggest horses, and had the most carriage changes. And Gordon Fulton schooled us all in dressage. Our president, Bob Legette, won the Reinsmanship class with his responsive mule, Jesse. Larry Ellenwood won the Ground Driving Obstacles class. Drivers also enjoyed a formal Cones class, Drivers’ Challenge (rather like “Trail” for driving), Double Jeopardy (the driver negotiates a Cones course one way, then the groom drives it in reverse), and a timed Scurry Race. The weather cooperated wonderfully — providing sunshine both days.

Bingo Cones was a huge hit with the drivers. This is a new class added this year for the first time. A course of 10 gates is set and the announcer draws for the order in which you do them, so you might get lucky and get a course that makes sense or you might be driving back and forth across the whole field! Your first gate is announced as you drive across the start line, your second as you go through the first, etc. There may have been some announcer bribery going on in this one… apparently chocolate works.

Thank you to Geri McNeil and Gordon Fulton for hosting the weekend and putting in many, many hours of prep work. Thanks to Neil McKinney, our Judge on Saturday; Tricia Piesse, Junior Judge and Judge for our timed events on Sunday; Earl Pratt, our Safety Officer; Anne Allison, Announcer; May McKinnon and Geri McNeil, Show Secretaries; the rest of the show committee and all of the competitors and volunteers for making it such a fun event.“

Parkland Area Alberta Dressage Association

Chinook Team Penning Association

The Parkland Area Alberta Dressage Association (PA/ADA) is again hosting the Parkland Dressage Festival, September 13-15 at Westerner Park in Red Deer, Alta. In previous years, we have hosted a four-day competition consisting of both the Alberta Provincial Championships and the Western Regional Championships. This year we will be hosting the Western Regional Championships on September 13 and 14, and on September 15 the Bronze Fall Classic.

We will be hosting our Gala Evening with Wine & Cheese Social on the Friday night. Competitors and their wonderful horses will dance to music for the spectators and sponsors. The Freestyle to music is an increasingly popular spectator sport as was evidenced by the emotional and sell out crowds who gathered to enjoy the spectacle of the final day of competition at the London Olympics in 2012.

Silver Slate Arena’s final two shows of their Series were completed July 27 and 28 and Hi-Point Teams in the Open, #10, #7 and #5 Classes were awarded big, shiny buckles for their efforts! All Senior and Junior Youth competitors received Gift Certificates from Bar T5 Agra Services as well as Hi-Pt. individual awards in each group.

Checkout www.chinookFlagworks Open Class Winners at Silver Slate Arena on July 28 (l-r) penning.com for complete Darryl Bruce, Michelle McLaren, J.T. Bell. results and pictures of all the winners smiling faces.

Thorlakson’s Bullpen Arena hosted their show on August 24. This final show of the regular season determined the Hi-Point Team awards, as well as Hi-Point Individual Saddle winners.

Those gorgeous Don Rich saddles from Western Specialties will be presented at the YearEnd Awards Banquet during the Regional Finals Competition being held at the Claresholm Agriplex, September 7 and 8.

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HORSES ALL • SEPTEMBER 2013

43

ASSOCIATION NEWS Cutting com pet i t i o n

Calgary Stampede Cutting Horse Futurity Horse and rider demonstrate practical ranch skills still in use today GOING DOWN THE TRAIL Places and events of interest

By Madeline Babinec

M

a ny a g r i c u l t u re a n d equine competitions are designed for entertainment purposes and have no tangible connection to daily ranching tasks.

Cutting competitions, however, originated back in the wild west as not a competition, but as a useful skill that ranchers needed to know in their daily ranching lives. When a rancher has to repeat the same task over and over, it is foreknown that they will get quite good at it; and with the competitive spirit that lie inside both cutting horses and their riders, a new competitive sport was formed.

The year’s biggest Cutting competition happens at the 33rd Calgary Stampede Cutting Horse Futu-

rity, presented by Wrangler, from October 16-20, 2013.

The Stampede’s annual Futurity event showcases the pure athleticism, instinct, agility, and intelligence of the cutting horse. When spectators watch a cutting competition, it is evident that the cutting horses have a distinguishable desire for the task. With horseand-rider teams attempting to cut two to three individual cows out of a herd within 2-1/2 minutes, cutting has evolved into one of the most exciting equine events in North America. It is an event that truly showcases a team in their prime element as cutting has become a fairly perfected second nature to them.

A real life scenario of cutting, for example, happens when a cowboy or cowgirl needs to vaccinate a sick cow. Cattle tend to stay in herds, and when a sick cow is in the midst of a heard, it is vital to know how to reach it safely. In

order to ensure that the correct cow is vaccinated, the cutting horses have to be very agile and precise in acquiring their target.

Cutting is also used when branding occurs; it is very important to brand every cow in the herd to mark them as your own territory, so it is essential to be able to track down those sneaky ones who try to hide in the herd; fortunately, this is what cutting horses thrive to do.

Among the longing for pure competition is a longing for the prize money that is attached to this competition. The Calgary Stampede Cutting Horse Futurity awards more than $300,000 in cash and prizes every year.

So if you, as a spectator, long to see real cowboys and cowgirls hard at real western work in a high-profile event, this is the competition to watch! For more details on times and classes, visit ag.calgarystampede.com/events.

Les Timmons, shown here riding Sindicat, won the 2012 Calgary Stampede Cutting Horse Futurity. photo: James Hudyma

Documentary

Rae-Anne Laplante Young filmmaker going to Sable Island to film wild horses YOUNG GUNS Up and coming stars

By Rae-Anne LaPlante B.C.

I

f you’re a Canadian and love horses, you’ve probably at least heard the name Sable Island. Like most, it was the magic of an isolated island with wild horses that captured my curiosity.

And yet, it wasn’t until I started my project that I truly understood the meaning behind that magic.

I never imagined, at 22 years old, I would be independently producing my first documentary. Let alone that documentary would be about the wild horses of Sable Island.

My adventure began from the answer to the age-old question, “if you could do anything, what would you do?” Without a moment’s hesitation I answered, “I’d produce a documentary about Sable Island.” I didn’t realize then that answer would profoundly

change my life in a very meaningful way.

However, Sable Island posed two very difficult challenges: 1) permission to visit the island must be given by Parks Canada, and 2) once permission is obtained, you have to be able to afford the hefty travel expenses.

I promised myself if I were one of the fortunate few allowed to step on Sable’s sandy shores, I’d somehow find a way to afford the trip. I applied for visitation thinking I’d be denied. I would congratulate myself for trying and then forget such an unrealistic dream.

But I didn’t get rejected. When I read my approval letter, it felt as if all the happiness in the world rushed into my heart at once.

Then I panicked at the thought of the cost.

Just as I began to lose hope, my dear friend introduced me to a crowd-funding website called Kickstarter. In 30 days a creative project needs to reach or exceed their target amount or none of the

money pledged by supporters goes to the project.

I set my fundraising goal for $15,000. Even now that seems impossible to do. I kept convincing myself, “I am only one person.

I can’t do that.”

Every day I’d be ready to collapse in defeat, but just before the moment to quit, something beautiful and inspiring would happen.

A stranger would tell me never to lose that fire in my heart. Or I’d land an interview with a radio station. My insecurities were telling me to give up while the world around me said hold strong.

So I began to ignore all those inner doubts and let the belief of others carry me forward. This once fragile, unsure journalist quite quickly became a tough, driven filmmaker.

On November 16 my dedication paid off — literally. I reached my fundraising goal thanks to the overwhelming support of my family, friends, and newly-made friends.

Alberta Mounted Games Upcoming events for Mounted Games Alberta include our Year End Finals at Whitemud Equine, August 31 and September 1.

This year’s finals will be a part of the Wild Pink Yonder charity trail ride. If you would like more info, please contact Shelby Masse at smasse@live.com or 780-660-9041. We are looking for riders of all ages and abilities! Head over to our blog for more details: albertamountedgames.blogspot.ca.

An avid horsewoman, Rae-Anne Laplante enjoys her time off riding in British Columbia with her horse Scout.

Although I now have a crowd of supporters worldwide, I will be the one holding the camera, interviewing people, and editing this documentary.

It’s a really big project, but just because it’s a huge undertaking doesn’t mean I don’t have what it takes. When I tell myself I’m not ready, I just look back at how far I’ve come.

This documentary has taught me the importance of living my dream.

I need this like I need to breathe.

Sable Island’s magic holds the universal truth that we are all beautifully connected in our fragile yet brave state. We are all intertwined in this paradoxical beauty, and it is our fundamental need to relate to this world in harmony.

By the time you are reading this, I will be mid-way into my journey on Sable Island. To find out how the dream unfolds, go to www.stableisland.com or like me on Facebook at S(t)able Island.

Alberta Ranch Horse Versatility Association

Greg Coffin shows off his horse’s ability in the ranch cutting event.

The Alberta Ranch Horse Versatility Association is continuing to grow throughout Alberta. To date, the ARHVA has hosted four shows, with one more scheduled for October 12, 2013 in Olds and November 8, 2013 at the CFR in Edmonton. These shows combine five events: Ranch Trail, Ranch Riding, Ranch Cutting, Working Ranch Horse, and Ranch Conformation to showcase a well rounded, versatile ranch horse with finesse. There are four divisions: Open, Amateur, Novice Amateur, and Youth. Please visit our website http://www.arhva.com/ or visit us on Facebook to see a complete list of shows and events.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS Send your announcement by email to: Itkdbell@yahoo.ca and we'll include your event or announcement here free.

CLINICS & SEMINARS

SEPTEMBER

August 30-September 2 Winnipeg, Man. Peter Campbell Horsemanship Clinic. For details, call: 204-2226295 or email: gailcornock@yahoo.ca 3-4 Water Valley, Alta.

Natural Horsemanship with Glenn Stewart. Stage 1 Clinic. For details, contact Candice: 403-8040334, email: candy@equivico.ca or visit: www.thehorseranch.com 5-6 Water Valley, Alta.

Natural Horsemanship with Glenn Stewart. Advanced Stage 1 Clinic. For details, contact Candice: 403-804-0334, email: candy@equivico.ca or visit: www. thehorseranch.com 7-8 Water Valley, Alta.

Extreme Horsemanship Canada Clinic & Competition with Glenn Stewart. For details, contact Candice: 403-804-0334, email: candy@equivico.ca or visit: www. thehorseranch.com 7-October 6 Edmonton, Alta.

Advanced Equine Massage Therapy 25 Day Certification Course. For details, contact Sidonia McIntyre: www.equinerehab.ca 13-15 Rocky Mountain House, Alta.

Mother Daughter Riding and Adventure Weekend at Wildhorse Mountain Ranch. For details, contact Diane Baker: 403-729-2910, email: admin@wildhorsecamp.com or visit: www.wildhorsecamp.com 20-22 Water Valley, Alta.

Carriage Driving Clinic. For details, call: 403-846-5194 or visit: www.newbertequine.com 21-22 Fort McMurray, Alta.

Extreme Horsemanship Canada Clinic. For details, contact Heather: clearwaterhorseclub@hotmail.com or visit: www.thehorseranch.com

21-22 Combined TTOUCH/Connect Clinic. Follow-up weekend for those with previous experience with TTOUCH and Connected Riding. $275/Participant, $50 extra with a horse. For details, visit: www.horsesensedk.com 22 Edmonton, Alta.

Horses 101 at the Whitemud Equine Learning Centre Association. 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. For details, visit: www.albertahorseindustry.ca

OCTOBER

7-13 Medicine Hat, Alta.

Equine Massage Therapy Certification Course. For details, contact Sidonia McIntyre: www.equinerehab.ca 14-20 Sakatoon, Sask.

Equine Massage Therapy Certification Course. For details, contact Sidonia McIntyre: www.equinerehab.ca 18-20 Chase, B.C. Double Dan Horsemanship. Level 1, Ground Control. For details, contact Kelly Mezzatesta: 250679-2815 or visit: www.doubledanhorsemanship.com 18-21 Kelowna, B.C. Peter Campbell Horsemanship Clinic.

For details, call: 250-491-8314 or email: info@woodlandstables.ca 18-20 Cochrane, Alta.

Natural Horsemanship with Glenn Stewart. For details, contact Dixie: 1-877-728-8987 or visit: www.thehorseranch.com 21-24 Saskatoon, Sask.

Vertebral Realignment Course. For details, contact Sidonia McIntyre: www.equinerehab.ca

EQUINE EVENTS

SEPTEMBER

4-8 Calgary, Alta.

Spruce Meadows Masters. For details, visit: www.sprucemeadows.com

5-7 Calgary, Alta.

Telus Battle of the Breeds at Spruce Meadows. For details, visit: www.sprucemeadows.com 7-8 Paradise Hill, Sask.

Cowgirl Yoga Retreat at the Buck Paradise Lodge. For details, contact Kelly: 780-872-2585, email: sidorykk@yahoo.ca or visit: www. kt-company.net 14 Red Deer, Alta.

AFHA Musical Ride Demonstration at the Parkland Dressage Festival. For details, visit: www. afha.ca 14 Red Deer, Alta.

Ride Strong: The Jeff Varney Memorial Poker Rally, Supporting the Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada. $40 includes BBQ supper, one poker hand and a chance to win fabulous prizes. Additional hands may be purchased for $10 each. For details, contact Sarah Fritzel: ridestrong@yahoo.ca 20 Red Deer, Alta.

AFHA Annual Inspection and Show at Bosch Farms. For details, contact Annie Muilwijk: 403-8840345, email: kees-annie@muilwijk.org or visit: www.afha.ca 28-29 Swift Current, Sask.

Swift Current Ag & Ex Ranchman’s Ridin’ & Recitin’. Heavy Horse competition, Cattle Penning Ranch Horse competition, Hooves & Feathers, exhibitors, entertainment, supper, Doc’s Town selling chili and pies, stock dogs trials, beer gardens.

NEW:Mounted Shooting demo.

For details, contact Lenora Bells: 306-773-2944 or email: kineticpark@swiftcurrent.ca

SALES

SEPTEMBER

1 Great Falls, Montana 16th Annual Montana Breeders Group AQHA Horse Sale. For details, visit: www.montanabreedersgroup.com 6 Red Deer, Alta.

Ace of Clubs Quarter Horse Production Sale. For details, email: mandi@aceofclubs.ca or visit: www.aceofclubsquarterhorses.com

14 Maple Creek, Sask.

9th Annual Production and Broke Saddle Horse Sale. For details, visit: www.northernhorse.com/ ranchcountry 20 Innisfail, Alta.

Dwight Ungstad’s Annual Production Sale. For details, email: ungstade_qtr@live.com or visit: www.ungstadqtrhorses.ca 21 Maple Creek, Sask.

Cypress Hills 37th Annual Production Sale. For details, contact Eve Erickson: 306-299-5731 or visit: www.cypresshorsebreeders. com 21 Candiac, Sask.

Diamond K Ranch Annual Fall Production Sale. For details, call: 306-424-2967, email: diamond@ sasktel.net or visit: www.diamondk.ca 21 Great Falls, Montana Weaver Quarter Horses 18th Annual Production Sale. For details, contact Stan or Nancy: 406-378-2600, email: 7sweaver@ mtintouch.net or visit: www. weaverhorses.com 28-29 Billings, Montana Cow Country Classic Catalog Sale and Fall Rope Horse Sale. For details, visit: www.billingslivestock.com

SHOWS & COMPETITIONS

CHARIOTS & CHUCKWAGONS

SEPTEMBER

August 29-September 1 Bashaw, Alta.

World Professional Chuckwagons Qualification Run Off. For details, visit: www.halfmileofhell.com

TRAIL RIDES

SEPTEMBER

7-8 Price Albert, Sask.

Saskatchewan Long Riders Hillbilly Highways Run. For details, contact Diane Trundle: 306-7714566 or email: altair.arabians@ gmail.com

WESTERN PERFORMANCE

SEPTEMBER

6-8 Melville, Sask.

Melville Agri-Park Barrel Racing Futurity & Derby. For details, visit: www.canadianbarrelfuturities.com 13-15 Ponoka, Alta.

Reining Alberta Fall Classic. For details, visit: www.reiningalberta. net 14-15 Dawson Creek, B.C. Peace River Cutting Horse Association Finals. For details, email: prchahorse@yahoo.ca

SEPTEMBER

August 31-September 2 Dewinton, Alta.

2013 High Country Driving Club Combined Driving Event at the Calgary Polo Club. feature dressage tests,cross country marathon and the cones course. This year includes two new obstacles and a new fenced in practice dressage ring. Admission is free! For details, visit: www.highcountrycarriagedrivingclub.org

20-22 Red Deer, Alta.

Alberta Reined Cow Horse Show at Westerner Park. For details, visit: www.cowhorse.ca 30-October 6 Red Deer, Alta.

Canadian Supreme at Westerner Park. For details, visit: www.canadiansupreme.com

14-15 Fort St. John, B.C. Extreme Horsemanship Canada Competition. For details, contact Dixie: Dixie@thehorseranch.com or visit: www.thehorseranch.com

Riding out of your mind

equestrian sport psychology services

April Clay, M.Ed., Registered Psychologist Seminars and Consultation in Equine Sport Psychology • Individual or group sessions • Keynotes • On the ground or mounted • Email consultations

The perfect topic for your next association meeting!

Call or email to find out more: 403.283.5525 april@ridingoutofyourmind.com www.ridingoutofyourmind.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

‘Running of the Horses’ at the Writing-on-Stone Rodeo this past August.

PHOTO: FATHER FRED MONK

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If phoning in your ad you must pay with VISA or MasterCard to qualify for discount.

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Your complete name and address must be submitted to our office before publication. (This information will be kept confidential and will not appear in the ad unless requested.)

VARIOUS EQUINE SERVICES

Hot Heals Crossfire

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Advertising rates are flat with no discount for frequency of insertion or volume of space used.

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Advertising deAdline NOON on the Wednesday following 10th day of the month for publication.

CLASSIFIED CATEGORIES Visit the Horses all website to view the classified categories availble for classified ad listings.

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403-601-9057

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Prairie-Wide Classifieds give you great exposure!

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Alberta 50/50 Pot O’Gold Futurity & Colt Sale October 18,19 & 20

Clinics: Extreme Cowboy Western Pleasure Patterns

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ACREAGES/HOBBY FARMS

CANADIAN PINTO HORSE ASSOCIATION

Registering Canadian Pinto Horses & Ponies – Since 1963 Color Your World With A Pinto!!

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HORSES FOR SALE

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ACREAGES/HOBBY FARMS

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Mares 3 yr Caught Me Lookin, in training - $4,000 7 yr old Whiz and Tag All Round - $8,500 2 yr Blue Roan mare very quite, halter broke - $450 9 yr Clydesdale team with beautiful harness - $5,000 For more info and pic please call 403-850-5691 or 403 651-6928 | Cochrane, AB ACREAGES/HOBBY FARMS

ACREAGES/HOBBY FARMS

HawkRVaanlclhey

• 106 acres total.

• 2 separate titles.

• 90 acre home property and an additional 16 acre parcel.

• Ranch house yard has 6 paddocks.

• All new fencing.

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• 2 hayfields.

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State of the art stables with In floor heating in alleyway & office, bathroom 16 stalls, 2 convert to foaling stalls complete with camera systems.

Indoor turnout area, Complete wash bay with hot and cold water, Stall drains.wall treatments. moisture control and air movement systems Office and utility room and tack-feed room. Over hang shed. Exterior metal roofing and siding on buildings.

The spacious workshop is 40’x 40’ and has 14’ ceilings. 220 wiring. Ceiling fans. Large workbench, exhaust fan, infrared heating. Concrete slab floor with floor drain.

Price for this property is

999,000

$

Trades will be considered.

Gene Ingham Phone: (403)505-1707 Email: info@hawkvalley.ca www.hawkvalley.ca

47

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