The chair of the 2015 Draft Horse Show committee says heavy horse enthusiasts are eagerly looking forward to the 128th Annual Northwest Territorial Days fair.
Interest in the draft horse show has been increasing over recent years among spectators and participants. This year, 60 Percherons, Clydesdales and Belgians are expected to be on site, similar to last year's number and double previous years, says Erin Mitchell.
"The week will begin for many of our exhibitors on Monday, Aug. 10 at the 7 p.m. parade," says the committee chair.
The committee, including Albert Duhaime, Emma Duhaime, Marcel Duhaime, H. Don Heidel, Kathy Heidel, Michelle Turner (new addition), Wilf Perlinger, Marie Perlinger, John Sack, Louise Sack, Calvin Sack, Tom Pain, Connie Button and Colin Mack, has been dedicated to making the 2015 show even better than 2014 says Mitchell.
"We are expecting the same exhibitors as 2014 to bring us 60 draft horses to show – Sanguine Clydesdales, Duhaime’s Clydesdales, Duhaime’s Belgians, T & C Clydesdales, Lindequist Percherons, Back Road Percherons, High Plains Clydesdales, Battle River Ranch, Amethyst Clydesdales, Darren Seaman, Mort Seaman, Bryan Scott and Fargo’s Clydesdales, as all who attended mentioned how much they had enjoyed themselves in 2014 and expressed their intent to return in 2015," says Mitchell.
"It is interesting to note that when some of our committee and local exhibitors are not busy at Northwest Territorial Days, they have been in the news in 2015 in the horse industry," she adds.
Duhaime’s Belgians of Paynton (Albert, Emma, Pauline and Nichole Duhaime) have been exhibiting a yearling Belgian filly this year that is successfully following in her big brother and sisters’ hoof prints as, among other awards in 2015, she was grand champion Belgian female at the 2015 Calgary Stampede.
"She will be at the fair," says Mitchell, whose family operates Battle River Ranch Clydesdales.
Mitchell herself, operating as Amethyst Clydesdales of Marsden, is proud to have bred the 2015 grand champion Clydesdale stallion at the 2015 Calgary Stampede.
Mitchell was also awarded the 2015 Equine Welfare Leadership – Award of Distinction by the Saskatchewan Horse Federation and Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan. The award was presented in February. She was cited by the presenters as "a dedicated horse owner who has very high standards of care for her horse herd. She is an equine enthusiast fully committed to her horses and their health. Known for her ability to teach others on how to provide high quality care to animals, Erin provides one-on-one support to those who want to learn and donates her time to heavy horse organizations, including the Saskatchewan Clydesdale Association and the Alberta Clydesdale Association, as well as to local horse clubs and horse shows."
This year's Heavy Horse Show schedule includes:
Monday, Aug. 10, 7 p.m. Northwest Territorial Days Parade
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 10 a.m. Halter Classes. (Mitchells says, "This is a change in the time from previous years as we need more time for the judge to sort through the large numbers in the halter classes.)
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 4 p.m. Feed Team Race
Thursday, Aug. 13 noon Harness Classes – Best Dressed Team, Team of Registered Mares, Lady Driver, Senior Driver, Junior Driver (2 classes) and Four Abreast.
Thursday, Aug 13, (tentative time) 4:30 p.m. Eight Horse Hitch Driving Demo
Thursday, Aug. 13 5:30 p.m. Harness Classes – Men’s Cart, General Purpose team, Light Draft team, Heavy Draft team.
Friday, Aug. 14, noon Harness Classes – Six Horse Hitch, Four Horse Hitch, Unicorn Hitch, Two Horse Tandem, Junior Cart, Ladies Cart and the Parade of Champions Finale.
New for 2015 is a barn display competition. It will be a fans' (people's) choice award.
"Please come through the barns and meet us (people and horses) and vote for your favourite stable to win this award," says Mitchell. "The award will be presented at the Parade of Champions Finale on Friday, Aug. 14."
