| 2010 Heavy Horse Show at 103rd Royal Manitoba Winter Fair | | Big Wheels Keep on Turning! | | 4/16/2010 | | | By all accounts, the 103rd edition of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon, Manitoba was deemed a success. With the cooperation of Mother Nature this year, attendance was strong at the 2010 show, which is typically plagued by a spring storm or two.
Always a crowd favourite, the heavy horse division, once again provided great entertainment value for the public, and strong competition for the exhibitors. Twelve hitches took part in this year`s show consisting of a Percheron hitch from Minnesota, one from Ontario, a Belgian hitch from Alberta, two Clyde and one Belgian hitch from Saskatchewan, with the remaining six hitches being local exhibitors from Manitoba – two hitches each of the three predominant draft horse breeds being represented at home.
According to Provincial Exhibition Heavy Horse Chairperson, Ellen Murray, the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair provides a good way to bridge the gap between rural and urban lifestyles, and helps urbanites keep their rural roots in mind. "The heavy horse show is one of the most important parts of the Fair. In consumer surveys conducted, the heavy horse show rates among one of the top reasons why people come to the Fair each year," says Murray.
"We are pleased to have heavy horse exhibitors from Alberta to Ontario and the US here with us this year," she says. "They are what makes our show possible. And we are extremely pleased to have had the ongoing support of our sponsors."
This year, two of the twelve hitches in attendance at Winter Fair were from equine ranches and breeders in the Westman area. Tom Lane of Birtle, Manitoba, a Belgian breeder and exhibitor, as well as second-generation Percheron breeders, Lyle & Kathy Brown of Lenore, Manitoba, took part in this year`s show.
"This year in particular, we`ve had potential buyers making contacts here," says local equine rancher, Lyle Brown. "It`s been a quite a few years since we`ve had the people going through the barns at Winter Fair. Perhaps with the three World shows coming up over the next three years (Percheron Congress in 2010, Clyde show in 2011, and North Amercian Belgian Championship VII here in 2012), it is making a difference. Folks are looking ahead to these events and are planning their hitches accordingly."
Due to unforeseen circumstances, even though the presence of equine ranchers was down at this year`s show, NAERIC-member ranchers were still very well represented in these two hitches. Brown was first place in heat number one of the unicorn hitch, as well as winning the two-horse obstacle driving challenge and heat number three of the six-horse hitch. Lane and his family chalked up wins in ladies cart, ladies team, youth team, heat number two of the four-horse hitch and were the overall winner of the eight-horse hitch competition on Friday evening combined with Rocky Bar Belgians of Esterhazy, SK.
"It is nice to come up against competition from both sides of the border at this show," says Brown. "The calibre has tightened up from the extremes that are sometimes present at this show. Hats off to everyone for having their horses turned-out so well."
Tom Lane of Creek Side Belgians has been in the equine ranching industry since 1985. This year he and his family attended the Fair with a total of seven head of Belgian horses of which two were home-grown, and another two having been raised by neighbouring equine ranchers. Creek Side Phantom and Fran-Way Billy were used in the wheel of the hitch with Creek Side Supreme and Norm in the lead, and Peecos Dirk and Rose in the swing. Gator was along as the extra horse, and used in the wheel of the unicorn at the show. Tom was pleased with their results at the Fair, and is especially proud of his girls and their accomplishments. His oldest daughter Nicole won both her ladies classes, and youngest daughter Rae Ann won her youth class. He feels the highlight of this year`s show was winning the eight-horse hitch competition which was a combined entry with Rocky Bar Belgians.
As a breeder, Tom feels that the Winter Fair venue provides a good place to market the horses their equine ranch raises and promotes. "Something usually comes out of it, if not directly at the show, then in the week or two afterwards," says Tom. "Somebody sees something they like at the show, and they follow up as a result."
Ames Percherons of Jordan, Minnesota with driver Travis Shaw made quite an impression on Winter Fair spectators after he won the four-horse hitch championships on Thursday evening, and then piloted his six-horse hitch to victory during the Saturday evening finale, making his trip to the Wheat City especially worthwhile.
As the saying goes, ‘all good things must come to an end`. The six-horse hitch championship on the Saturday evening of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon, Manitoba signifies a ‘good end` to the week-long event.
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