The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutTimes-Advocate, 1988-04-27, Page 16Page 16 Times -Advocate, April 27, 1988 RIDING SCHOOL - Shirley Rader (left) and Kim Case are two of Adriaan Brand's students at his evening riding school classes, which feature pure-bred Arabian horses. Teacher adds 'R' for 'Riding' to Curriculum at farm. school By Adrian Ilarte Stephen Central teacher Adriaan Brand continues teaching into his evenings and weekends, not for reading and writing, but for riding. Students travel from as far as Lon- don and Godcrich to his farm north of Crediton. to learn horsemanship with Brand's stable of purebred Ara- bian horses. Brand acquired his interest in owning and breeding Arabian horses from Dalton Finkbcincr, one of the area's first specialists in the breed. "I've tried a few breeds, but I've always come back to the Arabian," said Brand. .Arabians are renowned for their temperament and stamina, a quality which also makes them suitable for riding schools. • A NEW ARRIVAL - Dalton Finkbeinerof the Canadian Arabian Registry checks out a new highly Russian filly foal with Adriaan Brand.. What to look for in a diarn.'ad. yCou know about the Four C's: ut, Colour, Clarity and Carat Weight. DISCOVER THE FIFTH C, CONFIDENCE, when you buy a diamond from ANSTETT JEWELLERS. We're AGS Jewellers. We're certified annually for our knowledge and ethics, as AGS has been doing since 1934. You buy with confidence when you buy from us. Come in today for a free copy of our AGS diamond buying guide, "DIAMONDS". SPECIALISTS SINCE 1950 ANSTETT • u.a JEWELLERS 8 Albert St CLINTON 284 Main St EXETER 26 Marn St S . SEAFORTH 13S Queen St Easl ST MARYS 203 Durham SI r WALKERTON 2 The Seuare GODERICH "'Tic is my hobby," said Brand and after looking around the large indoor arena attached to the stable, added "It's a very elaborate hobby." . He says he bought his first horse in 1969 and has "expanded ever since." He built his barn in 1973, acjlied the arena in 1979 and began offering riding classes the same year. Brand now owns 24 horses. "That's about 20 too many," he jokes. He has named the stable Brandale Arabians. He, is also president of the Exeter Agricultural Society and past presi- dent of the Huron County 4-H soci- ety; 4-H meetings arc regularly held in Brand's tack room. Approximately 15 riders attend the riding sessions each week, with usually only five or fewer per class. Weekend classes are cancelled in the summer months when Brand spends much of his time travelling to horse shows. As Brand's horses win more shows the value of the 'foals and stud fees increases. Newcomers into Brand's stable are a marc and stallion of the Russian Arabian breed. They are noticeably larger and stronger than the other horses and Brand has high hopes for their offspring. Brand arranges the eight-year-old stallion's mane, "He's the hor';e that when I saw him a year ago, I wanted him," he said fondly. Brand shows his horses in both English and Western classes of rid- ing style. An older horse in the stable, Zeke, has won his fair share of shows, as a trophy casc attests. "He's something I'm proud of," Brand said. Students of the riding school who express interest in showing horses arc invited to attend the shows and try their hand with one of the Ara- bians. One of Brand's amhitinncis to show at the Royal Winter Fair or at the Canadian Nationals, but he would first have to qualify for and place at the regionals. The possibility of racing has also crossed Brand's mind, but he notes it would be necessary to travel to Michigan, the closest arca where Arabians are raced. The stables and riding school may be only a hobby at the moment, but they may represent a significant investment for Brand's future. The price of a good Arabian is on the increase. "I'm hoping I can sell some in the States, but that's wishful think- ing," said Brand. "They're basically an investment. When, I retire from teaching, it's here." Trail riding in the Hay swamp or on the dunes by the lake is not only a good workout for the horses, but is a form of exercise for the rider which Brand enjoys. Brand encourages parents to bring children as young as three or four years of age out to his riding school to begin their knowledge and exper- ience with horses at the earliest possible age. He also comments that while many girls Tike horses, most lose interest around age 15 or 16. This makes a riding school a wise investment alternative for the parent considering the purchase of a horse. Brand's clearly appreciates the worth of his horses, both as invest- ments and as sporting animals. So it comes as no surprise when he tells a tale of how desert Arabs val- ued their Arabians more than their wives, bringing the horses inside their tents during sand storms. Ontario Hydro wants 5.5% more, proposes time -of -use rates Ontario Hydro is recommending an average 53 percent increase in 1989 rates, Chairman and President Robert Franklin has announced. The rate proposal will be reviewed by the Ontario Encrgy Board at public hearings beginning at the end of May. Franklin said the proposed rate in- crease would recover projected costs for 1989 resulting from inflation and the addition of new facilities re- quired to meet the continued strong demand for electricity province - wide. "Hydro is facing significant cost pressures over the next few years as. it brings into service new genera- tion and transmission facilities and upgrades existing facilities to meet our customers growing electricity needs," Franklin said. "Hydro is committed to new ini- tiatives dealing with energy conser- vation and the protection of the en- vironment and this cannot be done without some impact on costs. A 5.5 percent increase in rates would cover costs in 1989 and help moder- ate future rate increases," Franklin said. The 1989 rate application in- cludes a proposal for time -of -use rates for municipal utilities and large industrial customers. This in- corporates the rate reform proposal agreed upon by the Association of Major Consumers of Ontario, the Municipal Electric Association and Ontario Hydro. - Time -of -use rates would more ac- curately reflect the cost of produc- ing electricity during peak and off- peak periods. Generally speaking, the cost of producing electricity is higher during the day and in the winter months when consumers are using the most electricity. Franklin said Hydro is imple- mentingtime-of-use rates to give CLASSIHEDS For All Your Needs 4 industrial customers the opportuni- ty to control or reduce their electric- ity costs by managing their own loads. "Iflarge customers use less elec- tricity during peak hours, our use of more expensive generation sources could be reduced. Decreasing elec- tricity use during peak hours could also reduce the need for new gener- ating facilities. These savings would then be passed on to the cus- tomer,'LFranklin said. Municipal utilities would be giv- en the option of time -of -use rates. Those municipalities that take the -time-of-use billing option may in turn offer time -of -use rates to resi- dential customers. Ontario. Hydro is currently testing time -of -use billing with 500 residential cus- tomers with positive resulis so far. Ontario Hydro proposes to in- crease electricity rates by an aver- age of 5.3 percent for municipal utilities, 6.2 for large industrial customers served directly by Onta- rio Hydro and 5.7 percent for rural retail customers. The new rates would take effect January 1, 1989 and increase the average municipal household's monthly bill by about $3.00. Based on consumption of 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, the average municipal household- er's monthly bill is now about $57.50. Franklin said the impact of this proposed rate increase could be moderated or eliminated if industri- al customers and municipal utili- ties alter their pattern of use through time -of -use rates. IF THE HAT FITS - Aleda Struyke and Ina Johns try on hats at Thurs- day's rummage sale sponsored by the South Huron Hospital Auxiliary. For Union Gas All -Season Home Comfort Bonuses MC /9/0tifir Ora OCT- Mik Ask a Union Gas Pro about how you can enjoy the money -saving economy of a modern natural gas furnace from Lennox, Clare, Duomatic Olsen. Roberts Gordon. or Grimsby Stove. Add central air-conditioning for all -season home comfort. For an even cleaner breathing environment in your home, add a specially -discounted" Honeywell Electronic Air Cleaner. 3 Cheers For Great Bonuses! 1oO!2OIP3OO;iO A Honeywell Electronic A Ho•'eywell Elel. • A Honeywell Electronic Air Air Cleaner with the pur- Air Cle ger %.. " - Cleaner with the purchase chase of a conventional chase c' , of arty modern natural • natural gas furnace or nalte.:••• gas furnace and central central air -Conditioning air all -season home co: rnfnrt package More than ever ,1J1 nihrt 10 know you can count on the Pros for great WIiuses ,;-1,; yep,- of dependable home comfort with clean. economical n• • ;r a' gas mall r 'r!mo today. • Extra Special Ott Oil/Elector Conversion Bonus ?-800-265-4173 Uflh'flGFIS We hilly; the el ler' /WO 77-ec ///VCS TOO/ . t 'Applicable to equipment purchases only by res dental customers r, Ih approved Bred., Otter vatld.between Feb 29 -June 17 1988 Installed by July 31 1988 "Air cleaner discounts apply 10 our regu'V selling price wt'i purchase of a furnace and or central air