Farm Percussion (Study 3 - Water Pump)

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Water Pump Blues

A hydraulic ram pump, with its steady, water-splashing beat.

Guitar and Vocals:  Bottleneck John

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McLaughlin Percherons of 1924

Another "Broadside" from years past.  The "broadside" was a printing usually on card stock weighted paper which was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, produced by local printers.

Here we have an example of James B. McLaughlin's 1924 Percheron advertisement from The Annington Farm Co. located in Hagerstown, Maryland.  At one time, it seems Mr. McLaughlin had a healthy stud operation as he imported 68% of the prize winning stallions from France.

Up, Up and Away!

An increasingly popular alternative to transporting horses via truck with trailer 

and 18-wheeler is by airplane -- nationally or internationally.  

Have you ever wondered how horses are loaded and transported by plane?  

Click Bud's sweet muzzle above and watch!

Thank you FedEx for sharing your video with us on safely shipping precious 

four-legged cargo all over the world by air.

Photo Credits:  J. Ann Brodland

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Got Bottles?

Here's a little kick-start to your day . . . as we head down the slope to Friday.

Enjoy!

Eaglesfield's Kicking Up Dust and Heading Out

Eaglesfield is helping celebrate the Vermilion Agricultural Society's 

108th Annual Vermilion Fair Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

"From Wagon Wheels to Ferris Wheels" is the 2014 Theme.

We are so excited to be competing in the 

Heavy Horse competition.  Here's the line up:

                                          Thursday, July 24   6:30 pm  Heavy Horse Classes

                                          Friday, July 25       8:00 am  Heavy Horse Halter Classes

                                                                       3:00 pm  Heavy Horse Hitches (Grandstand)

                                          Saturday, July 26   8:00 am  Heavy Horse Halter Classes

                                                                       3:00 pm  Heavy Horse Hitches (Grandstand)

If you are attending the fair, please stop by for a visit with us and the horses!

Pas De Deux De L'Attelage!

A pas de deux can either be a ballet or equestrian performance of two people or two horses.  The horses perform dressage movements, mirroring each other, which is almost always accompanied by music.  If you have ever attended an exhibition by the Spanish Riding School, a high level dressage competition, or a Cavalia performance, you have witnessed the pas de deux. 

At the Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Show, with the Calgary Philharmonic's accompaniment, spectators were able to witness pas de deux de l'attelage (in hitch).  Guy and Pride (above) are our leaders who were captured by photographer, J. Ann Brodland, performing in sync.  We share with you this example of what judges want to see in hitch competition -- closely matched horses in size and shape, who work together tirelessly in unison.

To emphasize the mirror image performance in dressage, World Champions Andreas Helgstrand and Jan Brink perform in pas de deux at the World Cup Show in Denmark in 2007.  While watching the video above, keep in mind that these gentlemen ride horses they had never before seen nor ridden.

Echos of a Show Season

Which horse and which hoof will it wear?

In which class will it be churning the soil?

Will it take that hoof for a win?

Collecting dust will be short-lived

as this shoe will soon be wearing another horse.

Prose & Photo Credits:  J. Ann Brodland

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Ode to a Saddlemaker

"No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle." ~ Winston Churchill

(Then if you're creating one, no hour spent is for naught.)

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Click the photo above to step inside Jesse W. Smith's saddlery studio.

Gentle Giant Moose on the Loose

A beautiful day in Alberta's playground.

Generally solitary, the moose has its strongest bond between mother and calf. 

They stand 1.4 - 2.1 m (4.6-6.9 ft) tall at the shoulder.  (Those of you who have visited the hitch horses know that they generally measure in at 6 ft. at the wither.)  The record holder for moose height was a bull in 1897 that weighed in at 1800 lbs and was 2.33 m (7.6 ft) high at the shoulder.

Female moose (cows) have an eight-month gestation period, usually bearing one calf  

or twins, if food is plentiful, in May or June.

Her young will stay with her until just before the next young are born.  

Mating occurs in September and October.  

Cows will generally run off the calves when they are approximately 10-12 months of age.  

Some yearlings regroup with the family several weeks after birth and 

remain with the cow for up to two years of age.

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Here's a little ditty about a Very Handsome Moose

by Brent Holmes

Circus Percheron of 1908

A Circus Girl in Massachusetts 

With Her Beautiful Vaulting Partner (1908)

Equine Chronicle: Extreme Horsepower at Calgary Stampede Results in Drive Off for World Championship Title

Thank you, The Equine Chronicle (Ocala, Florida) for Your Coverage of the

Calgary Stampede World Champion Six Horse Hitch Competition.  

(Click Photo to View)

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

Ricki has no qualms about the size of her youth showmanship gelding, Champ.  

She has an adorable combination of determination and cuteness, 

and has a great coach in Brian Coleman.
Eaglesfield Percherons hosts youth training in showing draft horses in Didsbury, Alberta.

"I think I can, I think I can, I know I can!"

Future female draft horse handler / driver in the making!

Champ warms the hearts of all who observe him taking care of his pint-sized handler . . .

. . . since his handler weighs about as much as his four shoes!

Sweet Percherons -- that is why we love them so.

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We are so proud of the youth that represented us at our first three shows:
Congratulations to

Jack Thiel, Ricki Thiel, Rein Roy and Taylor Coleman.

Photo Credits:  J. Ann Brodland

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Horse Breed 101 - The Belgian ~ Colleen Coleman & Marjorie

Lost & Found: Anyone Lose This Box at the Show?

Click photo for more details

North American Six Horse Hitch Classic Series Winners ~ Olds, Calgary Stampede and Lloydminster 2014 ~ Thiel Hitch / Eaglesfield Percherons

Thiel Hitch
Olds Regional Exhibition 2014

Central Alberta Draft Horse Classic Show

Olds, AB

Thiel Hitch
The Calgary Stampede 2014

North American Six Horse Hitch Classic Series

World Champion Six Horse Hitch Championship

Calgary, AB
[Click Photo Above: Calgary Stampede Press Release]

Thiel Hitch
Lloydminster Exhibition Colonial Days Fair 2014

North American Six Horse Hitch Classic Series

Lloydminster, AB/SK
(Click the photo above for 2014 Lloydminster Show Results)

Horse Breed 101 - The Percheron ~ Colleen Coleman & Bud

North American Six Horse Hitch Classic Series - Lloydminster Exhibition Colonial Days Fair 2014 Winner

All the boys were on their game Friday night in Lloydminster.

Colleen's mom even enjoyed the ease of getting on the wagon and the
opportunity to catch a ride back to the barn with Brian and Jack, offered by Brian Thiel.

We were certainly glad the weather turned about very early Thursday morning 

and we were able to enjoy the final class at Lloydminster's Colonial Days.
It was a wonderful show and we were so happy to be a part of it.

Photo Credits:  J. Ann Brodland

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Supreme Champion Percheron in Lloydminster 2014: Champ

The handsome hitch wheeler, Champ, was awarded Champion Gelding

and Supreme Champion Percheron in Lloydminster at the 2014 Colonial Days Fair.

Congratulations to the Thiel family on this win.

It was an honor to present this big gentleman to the judges

and Champ will always be a champ in our eyes.

Photo Credits:  J. Ann Brodland

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Like Father, Like Son . . .

Continuing in our tribute to the farriers for National Farrier Week.

The 2013 World Championship Blacksmith's Father-Son Competitors who attended the Calgary Stampede.  You can't help but see the gleam in each of their eyes of how proud each are of each other.
Click the photo above for their video interviews. 

The Adept Farrier Fingers

In Honor of National Farrier's Week, we bring to you sights from the

U.K. Farrier Demonstration at The Paddock Wood Hop Farm (2012)

These are some of our favorite photos of this day by Tony Golding.

Click Here for More of Tony Golding's Images in his Facebook Album.

Eaglesfield Hits the Road!

We are "back in the show saddle" astride the provincial border between 

Alberta and Saskatchewan at the Colonial Days Fair in Lloydminster.

Tonight!  Unicorn, Team & Cart Classes start at 6:00 p.m.
in the Grandstand and South Ring

July 10, 2014:  Halter Show 9:00 a.m. 

with more 4-Horse Hitch & Cart Classes at 5:45 p.m.
in the Grandstand and South Ring

July 11, 2014:  Halter Show 9:00 a.m.

with 6-Horse Hitch and Team Classes starting at 6:05 p.m.
in the Grandstand and South Ring

Stop by for a visit if you are in the area.

An Ancient Craft Lives On

In Honor of National Farriers Week, Meet Tom and Kodi Driscoll as "Sole Traders" . . .

Click Above and Enjoy!

A 60 Year Old Family Affair in Bethany, Connecticut

The Kriz Family Holiday Tree Outside their Shoeing Shop

[The chain belt allows for room for expansion!]

Photo: Joe Kriz Jr.

♔

We Salute the Kriz Family and their deep roots in 

draft horse farrier history during National Farrier's Week.  

Click on the photo above for their story.

"Mt. Kriz ~ Reaching for the Sky"
Photo:  Stacie Lynch

♔

Tony Golding and Jimmy Cooper - U.K. Farrier Demonstration

In honor of National Farrier's Week . . . 

U.K. Farrier Demonstration at The Paddock Wood Hop Farm (2012)

Some of our favorite photos of this day by Tony Golding.

Click Here for More of Tony Golding's Images in his Facebook Album.

Ode to the Ancient (Yet Indispensable) Trade of the Farrier

Marco Schürmann, farrier in the Netherlands, directed a terrific video "Iron Luck" that brings the past and present together in horseshoeing. In honor of National Farriers Week, we share with you Marco's video. Simply click HERE to view & enjoy!

Calgary Stampede Press Release: Eaglesfield Percherons Earn Six Horse Hitch Title Number Five with Thiel Hitch

(Click Above for Calgary Stampede's Formal Press Release of July 6, 2014)

2014 World Champion Six Horse Hitch - Calgary Stampede

Lights!   Camera!   Action!

There were 12 hitches competing this year at the 

Calgary Stampede World Championship Six-Horse Hitch Class.

Click on the lamp above to view the Stampede's short video highlighting all the competitors!

The faces of the teamsters reflect the intensity of the moment . . while on the move . . .

and in the line up before Judges Chad Cole, Gary Nebergall and Jerry Wismer.

We appreciate the enthusiasm of the many people who were spectators at this year's competition.

We were very happy to see new competitors in the Heavy Horse Show from

Canada and across the United States competing in the
North American Six Horse Hitch Classic Series competition.
A huge thank you to the Calgary Stampede Heavy Horse Show staff
who made sure the show went on with the greatest of ease, and
finally, thank you, Bruce Roy!  You were as entertaining as always.

Our thanks to the Thiels for entrusting their beautiful horses they placed in our care and training program,
our 24/7 Eaglesfield staff members, Joe Dolan, Photographer J. Ann Brodland, and Stephanie Gray,
along with the Eaglesfield volunteers who helped make the show what it was.

And finally, a hearty thank you to all the members of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.  

Their symphonic cadence along with the stomp and jingle of harness 

brought even more excitement to the Saddledome 

on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening.

Photo Credits:  J. Ann Brodland