Tom and Joyce Wright were over the moon, when Fred McDiarmid’s hammer fell a last time at their Horse Drawn Equipment Dispersal Sale, Saturday, September 26th. The vintage equipment offered, in perfect working condition, captured public interest. Buyers from British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta were present. The trade surpassed Tom Wright’s greatest expectations.

A Two Seat Democrat sold for $4,500 to Lawrence Clark of Gadsby; Roy Clark of Bassano, paid $2,700 for a Gravel Dump Wagon; while a John Deere Binder sold for $2,100 to a buyer from Grande Prairie. A Number 9 Mower sold to Darryl McGregor from Consul, SK for $900, while Neil Nelson of Veteran, AB, paid $2,000 for the Covered Wagon. The John Deere Walking Plow sold for $475 to Dale Charleton of Carstairs, who will be in great physical shape, when he employs this horse drawn implement.

Two Percheron teams sold. Gloria Taylor of Medicine Hat, AB, paid $4,800 for one; the second sold to Keith Combs of Irricana, AB for $5,200. Well broke, both teams carried harness marks.

FALL COLOURS SALE

Hor semen who at tended Carson’s 2009 Fall Colours Draft Horse Sale held at Carson’s Sale Barn, Listowel, ON, October 23 and 24, witnessed a steady trade. Thirteen Clydesdales, Allan and Wes Gordeyko, Willow Way Farm of Ohaton consigned, averaged $4,500. Well pleased with buyer interest, one mare was passed by the Albertans. The 128 Belgians, Clydesdales and Percherons sold at this year’s Fall Colours Draft Horse Sale averaged $1,845.

Willow Way Gala, the sale high, is a three-year-old, bay mare, bred at Willow Way Farm. She sold for $13,500. The Reserve Grand Champion Clydesdale Mare at the 2009 Calgary Stampede, Daniel McKeowan of Fergus, ON, bought her. Sired by Willow Way Altima, a homebred son of Live Oak Omega, the World Champion Stallion; his dam, Willow Way Carine, is a Donegal Major mare.

Carson’s hammer fell on an $8,000 bid for Willow Way Coral, which Daniel McKeowan also placed. A seven-year-old Live Oak Omega mare, her dam, Hatfield Duchess, is a Clydesdale brood mare par excellent. The progeny of Hatfield Duchess includes Willow Way Annette, a wheel horse in Willow Way’s World Champion Six Horse Hitch of Mares; and Willow Way Hanna, whose daughter, Willow Way Blossom, was Grand Champion Mare at the 2005 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

Reg Wynes of Petitcodiac, NB, wrote an $8,000 cheque for Willow Way Jewell’s Gerard. This three-year-old, Willow Way Altima son, was Reserve Grand Champion Stallion at Calgary’s 2007 Stampede. His 7/8 sister, Willow Way Chanel was Best of Show at Calgary, Supreme Champion at Manitoba’s Clydesdale Classic and Reserve Grand Champion Mare at Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in 2005.

Albertans were also buyers at Carson’s 2009 Fall Colours Draft Horse Sale. Larry Green of Onoway, AB, paid $2,400 for Sunny Lawn Mary, the high selling Belgian. This six-year-old, red sorrel female, whose mane and tail are white, is a Hidden Acres Nevin daughter. Her dam is by Megaforce.

Walkerbrae Alexis, a Percheron colt bought on order for Gordon Ruzicka, Rose Hill Percherons at Viking, cost $3,000. A big, black weanling, the January foal is by Hardy Farm’s Thunder Drew. His dam, the Alberta-bred female, Bear Creek Take a Chance, was Grand Champion Percheron Mare at the 2005 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.

ALBERTA FOAL SHOW

The Caluori Pavilion on the Olsa fairgrounds in Olds was the venue for the 2009 Alberta Foal Show, organized by the Alberta Percheron Club. Thanks to John Ruzicka, President; Julie Roy, Secretary and Karen Ruzicka, Treasurer, the event was a roaring success.

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