Reading Time: 3 minutes Growing up with the last name Daines in the town of Innisfail leaves a person with big boots to fill. With legends like Jack, Ivan, and Duane Daines (just to name a few) on your family tree, there is little doubt that a passion for agriculture and rodeo should run in your blood. That’s certainly […] Read more
The tradition continues for famous Innisfail rodeo family
20-year-old cowgirl credits father as her mentor, a former pro calf roper
Big bales are bottom of the barrel for the horse industry
Alberta’s horse industry buys more forage than any other livestock sector, but it has exacting criteria
Reading Time: 2 minutes Forage producers could tap into a huge domestic market for their hay — if they drop their bale sizes. “The horse industry purchases more forage than any other sector in agriculture,” said Les Burwash, manager of horse programs for Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “I’m not saying we use more — we buy more. Of […] Read more
What’s new at this year’s Mane Event
Red Deer event takes place from April 24 – 26, 2015
Reading Time: 2 minutes One of the additions to this year’s Mane Event in Red Deer is a youth essay contest with a big prize — a young filly from the renowned Rocking Heart Ranch. “Mark Garner approached me and said the ranch would be interested in doing something like this,” said Gail Barker. “They raise foundation quarter-horses, and […] Read more
It’s ‘all about the horse’ at The Mane Event in Red Deer
Annual expo focuses on learning and giving people from different horse disciplines a chance to meet and learn from each other
Reading Time: 4 minutes When Tammy Botsford began working with her young horse Jake, she was looking for opportunities where they could both learn. She’d read about U.S. events where top-level clinicians came together in one place, and longed for something like that closer to her home in Chestermere. Then she noticed something new coming to Alberta called The […] Read more
Big Valley rodeo family inspires each other to greatness
Young rodeo champ rides 'Lunatic from Hell' in Houston and comes out on top
Reading Time: 3 minutes There was surprise and delight on the Canadian rodeo scene, when young bronc rider Zeke Thurston rode all the way to the championship and the $50,000 bonus at RodeoHouston last month. Likely one of the least surprised about the whole deal, though, was Zeke’s mother Lynda. “I had a good feeling in my gut the […] Read more
New equine biosecurity guide for horse events
Free guide aimed at reducing the spread of infectious diseases such as strangles, equine herpes virus, and ringworm
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Equestrian Federation and the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association have partnered to create biosecurity guidelines that aim to limit the risk of horses contracting diseases at horse events. “We all want to keep our horses healthy,” says Mikki Shatosky, the equestrian federation’s project manager for its equine biosecurity outreach program. “Disease outbreaks not only […] Read more
Battle of the Breeds still going strong after 25 years
Ten horse breeds pitted against one another in trail riding, barrel racing
Reading Time: < 1 minute From fully feathered Gypsy Vanners to pipsqueak ponies, the Battle of the Breeds horse competition is a spectacle that tests the versatility, bravery and speed of each horse. The event, now 25 years old, pits 10 breeds against one another in trail riding and barrel racing. The trail course at the Spruce Meadows equestrian complex […] Read more
New association for Alberta’s stable industry
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Stables Association has officially converted from a partner-directed initiative to a registered non-profit association for stables. The association aims to involve as many members of Alberta’s stable community as possible in order to create a solid voice for the industry. It has also developed a Standards of Operations manual based on input from […] Read more
‘City girl’ turns love of horses into farm-based business
Running a farm-based business has come with a ‘huge learning curve’ for city girl Sandy Bell, who operates Windhorse Retreat near Rimbey
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ten years ago, city girl Sandy Bell took a four-day trail ride into the mountains that changed her life. “It was not a beginner ride, and I found at the end of it, I had never been so sore, I had never been so tired and dirty, but I had never been so happy,” said […] Read more
Whoa — don’t rush in when buying your first horse
First-time horse buyers can be tripped up in many ways, says trainer Roy Sturgeon
Reading Time: 2 minutes Roy Sturgeon goes on Kijiji four or five times a day to find his next horse. And with the lifetime of horsemanship under his belt, he can afford to be a little less picky than the average buyer. “Most of the horses I buy, I buy thinking there’s some sort of hole in them that […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
