The tradition of using working horses in the field is quickly becoming little more than a forgotten memory.
Working to help preserve those traditions are a few dedicated teamsters that welcome the opportunity to showcase their horses. Through draft horse field days they renew interest and recall memories of past times.
The Performing Arts and Leisure Society (PALS) in Rama hosted its seventh annual draft horse field day at the Rama Sports grounds on August 19 and August 20.
There were nine teamsters with 10 sets of horses participating in ploughing, discing and harrowing a field in preparation for seeding. They also displayed how horses were used in the haying aspect of fall field work. All teams had the opportunity to do all aspects of field work.
Teams featured included: Twylla Newton and Michelle Newton, both of Yorkton and each drove a team of Clydesdale horses; Glen Zulyniak of Yorkton with a pair of Belgians; Ken Schreiner of Nipawin with a team of Belgian horses; Kristian Just of Yorkton with a team of Clydesdales; Tom Rowley of Rhein with a team of Percherons; Rae Rosenkerr of Preeceville with a team of Percherons; Keith Neumier of Langenburg with a team of Percherons and Lloyd Smith of Pelly, who drove two sets of Percheron horses.
Saturday's events kicked off with a pancake breakfast followed by the activities and a chicken supper with entertainment provided by members of the PALS group.
Sunday featured a pancake breakfast and a cowboy church service with Loren Stolzfus and family of Sturgis residing over the service. Shauna, Levi and Fayth Stolzfus provided the music for the service.
Both days featured heavy horse demonstrations and a barbecue lunch.
The highlight of the weekend was a threshing demonstration. Lloyd Smith cut the sheaves with a binder prior to the event and Judy Johnson and Walter Hughes did the raking and making of sheaves for the threshing demonstration.
This was the second heavy horse demonstration of the year. One was hosted in May that focused on the spring field work of ploughing and discing the field in preparation for seeding.
"The heavy horse demonstration is great way for the older generation to share fond memories of the past with the younger generations," said Judy Johnson, organizer. "It is very sad that the younger generation is not interested or knows how horses were used in the field before the modern age of tractors.
“The younger generation shows no interest and it is very concerning that there is nobody to take over the traditions,” she said.
“We will continue to do heavy horse demonstrations as long as we can to help preserve the traditions.” she said.
