South African stallion making way to area

Klaus and Sandy Weber are in the processing of immigrating to the Yorkton area from South Africa.

Like most immigrants the couple are facing their share of challenges, including one that most do not, the additional work associated with bringing horses with them.

"Our plan is to immigrate to Canada, we have work permits for now, but want to make it permanent," explained Sandy Weber.

The process of immigration has not been a quick one though.

"We started the immigration process about three-years ago, but in December 2010, we came to visit Greg Gallagher, and my husband, Klaus, found a job, so that we would have enough points to immigrate," said Sandy. "Then once we got back, we sold our property, and in July 2010 my husband and son came to Canada, where they bought an acreage in Stenen, and my husband now works for Haas Nissan in Yorkton."

Sandy said the couple has long had an interest in Clydesdales, adding it was a natural to want to bring them to Canada with them.

"In South Africa we did not have a farm, I bred Clydesdales from our small holding as a hobby - which took up a lot of my time," she said.

"We decided to bring our horses, because they are part of the family - the stallion is registered, and is of good breeding, but the real reason is because he is 'my boy' and my daughter brought her gelding because him and the stallion are inseparable, and Bailie is Kayla's best friend.

"Some might say we are totally crazy."

The stallion has shown his quality winning Reserve Champion Draught stallion at the Horse of the Year 2010 the biggest horse event in South Africa.

"There are not many Clydes in South Agroca, and the gene pool is really small, so most of the horses are related," said Weber. "I believe my stallion can compete with the best, and so can a few of the horses in South Africa, however there are a lot of crossbreds in South Africa, more than purebreds."

Sandy said the process has not been an easy one, with the process of importing the horses to Canada a time consuming and costly venture.

"The extra steps were that we had to be away from our family, husband and son, and we have had to travel all over the country for quarantine. We did not have to travel with our horses, but it was safer that way, and my stallion becomes impossible when I am not there - strange as it may seem we have a connection," she said.

Weber did say the paperwork was made simpler by having someone familiar with the process taking the lead.

"The agent did most of the paperwork, and had to arrange the trip, but we were there looking after our horses," she said.

"Firstly we had to go into quarantine in South Africa in Bronkhorstspruit for 26-days, then we flew to Mauritius, where we were in quarantine for a total of 92-days, then we flew to Germany, where we had to be for 90-days.

"We did get a waiver to run the quarantine of 30-days and the residency of 60-days concurrently, but unfortunately our horses got sick, so they will probably end up doing the full 90-days."

The process has been a long one, but Weber said things have gone as well as could be expected.

"The horses are handled quite well, however we have handled our own horses the whole trip, even on the flights, in the stables and on an everyday basis," she said.

"Amazingly the horses have done really well, they took the flights in their stride, as well as all the truck rides. The heat in Mauritius got to them a little, and they had to be hosed off twice a day, but otherwise until now - when they got colds, they have done extremely well. They both did really well with all the different stable changes - I was really surprised."

"While we were busy with quarantine, we look after our own horses, grooming, cleaning stables, feeding them etc.

"The rest of the time we just wait - read books or watch DVD's.

"Unfortunately we do not have enough money to travel and see the country we are in, so 90 per cent of the time we are grooms for our horses, looking after them."

The final part of the process will take place on Canadian soil.

"Once they reach Canada, they will both still be in quarantine, my stallion has to cover two mares, for the final tests and once that is all clear we are officially in Canada," said Weber.

Weber said the process has cost far more than buying a Clydesdale in Canada would have.

"This has been a very costly process - I could have bought 10 new horses for the price of these, but I cashed in all my policies, and was able to bring them, as I said they are part of the family," she said.

As it stands Sandy and her daughter are still overseas with their horses.

"The horses, my daughter and I are in Germany, and my husband and son are in Canada," she said. "We are hoping to be in Canada by mid March, but unfortunately we have found that things change right up to the last minute, so there are no guarantees of an exact date

"I wish there was an easier way to have done it, but I could not leave my horse behind, so I guess it was worth it, we have our four-legged boys with us. I could have bought new ones there, but they would just not have been the same."

And Weber does plan to resume breeding Clydesdales in Canada once settled.

"I do want to breed Clydes in Canada, in fact when I lost my mare in South Africa to African Horse Sickness, in February 2011, I bought three Clydes from Greg Gallagher, and he bred them for me. Greg has been a great help, and is still looking after my horses in Canada, waiting for my arrival."

While not crunching any potential numbers, Weber said she does hope the South African bloodline of her stallion might help her recoup some of the importation costs because it will be a new line for Canadian breeders.

While the process has not been easy Weber said it was a good decision to make the move.

"We decided to leave South Africa -- a really beautiful country -- because of the crime and corruption," she said. "We had a small holding or acreage as you call it, and for safety we had to have a 19-strand electric fence, with a motorized gate - it is too dangerous to open a gate manually.

"Then on our houses we had burglar bars and security gates, which made us wonder why we were in prison.

"Just before we left there was a syndicate stealing horses, so we had to keep our horses under lock and key.

"We could live with all this, but the corruption just started becoming too much to bear, every time you needed something done, there was somebody waiting for a bribe, which is something I do not do."