Virden’s Draft Horse Show, a two-day event drew a good crowd Saturday, and an even better crowd Sunday, in the canopied bleachers. Despite 30 degree weather, performance classes ran in the heat of the day with chore teams watering and raking the ring.
In the Charity class, entry fees and funds donated by the crowd that day were ear-marked for the Murray House in Brandon – a home away from home for out-of-town medical patients and their families. Including donations from the crowd, the total donation for the Charity Class amounted to $1,120.
Eleven entries included 18.2 HH heavies in teams, cart entries, and ridden under saddle. No matter how large the steed, many youth were involved in the show.
One pony, and attendants, was suited up as a Pittsburg Penguin hockey players, everyone was colourful with this year’s feature colour - yellow.
One small sorrel pony decided the sandy ring would be a prime place to have a roll. The children who were riding bareback slid off as the pony lay down. They did not appear hurt, just surprised and perhaps offended. With help from an adult, the pony continued on in the class carrying the older rider; they were was presented the winning ribbon.
MLA Doyle Piwniuk strode into the ring to award the prize. He recounted the importance of horses in their family – Belgians, Percherons, Fiords, as well as riding ponies in his own growing up days on the dairy farm.
There were classes for youth, as young as seven years, throughout the two days and competition was strong among the open classes with beautifully presented Clydesdales, Belgians and Percherons.
Even in cart classes, the full collar and hames were the norm, although one tall dark and handsome cart horse had a breast collar, as often seen in light horse competition. Judge Justin Shaw from Wolfville, Nova Scotia explained the younger drivers are sometimes hitched that way. He said, “A breast collar usually enhances the neck a little more. They started it for the two-year-old futurity where a breast collar makes it look a little neater, tidier.”
Shaw explained the challenge in driving and judging a six-horse-team. “A lot of people think you have to drive from the front to the back, but you don’t, you drive from the back, forward.” He said the wheel team – the one closest to the wagon, is the team you have to get around the corner.
“In judging, you want to see three horses, you don’t want to see six, or four. You want to see each team working in unison,” he said of the front pair (lead team), the swing team and the wheel team. “You want all horses pulling evenly, no slack traces in the swing team.”
The judge has also driven his share of teams. “Team driving, it’s quite a rush,” he stated. “The more you get on to it, the bigger the rush.”
Entries came from all over Manitoba and into Saskatchewan. Among local competitors Gardiners’ Belgians of Virden showed the Champion Stallion; Cody, for Sha-dy H Farms of Kenton drove the winning Amateur Four Horse Hitch. Sha-dy H also won the Heavy Draft Team class.
In the Charity Class of the Virden Draft Horse Show, Arthur-Virden MLA Doyle Piwniuk presenting the top ribbon to one of several young entries in a class of 11; a participation class with entry fees going directly toward a donation to Murray House, Brandon.
In the Jr. Driver Cart class, this young driver cannot reach the floor, but has her feet braced for stability.
This team of Fiords, plus a team of Belgians, watered and raked the competition ring throughout the Draft Horse Show.
Action in the Men’s Cart class, with the class winner - Lone Oak Percherons in front.
