聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The tradition of using working horses in the field is quickly becoming little more than a forgotten memory.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 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.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 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.聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 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.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 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.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 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.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 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.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Both days featured heavy horse demonstrations and a barbecue lunch.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 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.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 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.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 "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.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he younger generation shows no interest and it is very concerning that there is nobody to take over the traditions,鈥� she said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e will continue to do heavy horse demonstrations as long as we can to help preserve the traditions.鈥� she said.
