The Citizen Agriculture, 2003-03-19, Page 46THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2003. PAGE A-21.
Raising Clydesdales an interest shared with dad
A Bud leader
Bellringer “Ringo” was a Budweiser horse at the Royal
Winter Fair this year. Clydesdales have been a hobby for
the Tolls, which includes Vaughn and Marlene and their
children Greg, 24, Bryce, 21, Andrew, 18 and Kate, 14, for
_____as long as any can remember. (Photo submitted)
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
Having gained prominence as the
famous Budweiser horse, the
Clydesdale, once used on farms for
its power, is favoured more these
days for its impressive beauty.
Vaughn Toll of RR3, Blyth grew
up around these majestic
workhorses. Bom and raised on the
farm on which he, his wife Marlene
and their family now reside, he cash
crops 400 acres and raises beef. But
he recalls a time when his father
used Clydes on the land.
A mixed farmer, even after
purchasing a tractor Aubrey kept his
horses and eventually began
breeding and showing them.
“He got into showing them really
heavily in the late 1950s then
through the 1960 and 70s,” says
Vaughn.
He recalls recently seeing a
televised clip from the 1960s of the
Manitoba Winter Fair and catching a
glimpse of his father’s hitch going
into the fair.
When Vaughn took over the farm
in 1973 he didn’t own any horses.
But a life-time of working around
these majestic animals couldn’t keep
him from adopting his father’s
hobby. “I basically bought an old
mare and started raising colts from
her. Everything evolved from that.”
Comparing the breeding of
Clydesdales to other animals, Toll
says they cost no more than a cattle
beast to feed and are relatively low
maintenance. “Foaling season can be
difficult. One year two had
contracted tendons (walking on their
knees). It can’t be fixed. But that
said in all the years we’ve been here
there have only been two cases.”
With these examples being one year
apart, the Tolls suspect that feed may
have been the cause.
The biggest problem with foals is
getting them on the ground and
getting them to suck, says Toll.
“They don’t seem to have much
hybrid vigour, but if you can get to a
week they’re okay.”
The reason for this he explains is
because bloodlines in pedigree
livestock have become so
concentrated.
Today the Tolls have 18 horses, a
number that’s a little greater than
they would prefer. “Ninety per cent
of our sales are to the States and
right now they are concerned about
their investments. It’s a cyclical
thing, but it means we have wound
up with a few more than average.”
Though Toil says Clydesdales
have to pay their way, Marlene adds
that he does consider breeding them
his hobby. “He just says that it’s too
bad it’s the hobby that keeps us
living here. It’s had to become part
of our income. “
“We try to turn enough money out
of the horses each year to take the
place of a part-time job.”
Breeding horses that other people
want requires knowledge in feeding
and shoeing. Judges, Toll said,
expect a Clyde’s foot to be a certain
way. “Good overall quality, wide, a
nice set to the angle, good clean
joints, how they move and show
themselves are all things they look
for.”
There are several good
blacksmiths in the area who can help
breeders obtain this.
In the spring the Tolls will find out
if they have once again succeeded,
when they attend the Clydesdale sale
in Illinois.
With the days of the workhorse
long over, what’s the attraction to
this powerful animals? Who’s
buying?
“Budweiser is the big thing,” Toll
says referring to the highly-
recognizable promotional wagon
and team for the beer company.
“People with a small acreage want a
Bud horse. Though there are a few
like us who were born and raised
around them and want the breed to
buy and sell.”
Toll’s father has actually sold a
few of his Clydes to Budweiser.
Even considering that the
Clydesdales are generally purchased
I
Easter busiest season
Continued from A-20
the Rintouls said some new lambs
are retained for replacement, which
is usually maintained at 12 ewes, and
the rest are sold for the Easter
market, the busiest season for the
industry.
Lee said there is not a lot of money
in sheep as even the ewes don’t earn
much after feed and hay, but there
are also not a lot of expenses. “There
is no machinery and very little land
base.”
The Rintouls own one-and-a-half
acres and rent pasture for the sheep
in the summer.
“As with any livestock, volume is
the business,” said Lee.
The flock is also used an as
educational tool for their
grandchildren, who were each given
a ewe when they were bom. The
older children, at the age of seven or
eight, are able to get hands-on
experience during lambing sea
son.
“They see birthing and it is easier
for them to understand the process,”
said Lee. “They learn about life in
general, about birth and death.”
As the Rintouls decrease their
involvement in the Royal, the sheep
remain a hobby for the pair.
“Breeding and showing our own is
the most rewarding,” said Lila. “Our
own thoughts went into the whole
program.
“We will keep showing sheep as
long as there is still fun in it, “ said
Lee.
“It is in our blood,” added his
wife.
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more as a novelty than for business
or hobby, Toll says there are more
people showing them, particularly
south of the border.
“Their state fairs are big money
makers,” he said. “An attendance of
100,000 people a day is considered
small so the prize money is good.”
Toll’s Clydesdales do well at the
American shows. Three times they
have had the high-selling stallion at
the Illinois event, one of which was
in the lead of the Bud hitch at the
Continued on A-22
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