Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-09-20, Page 13Two numbers to remember 1) 3.99 commission 2) 235-3948 September 20, 1995 • „ S v « r r 4 S•nce 1673 Local educator promote Ross Haugh T -A staff CREDITON - Starting as a one horse operation in 1969, Adriaan Brand of R.R. 2, Crediton has progressed to improve his stock which now con- sists of 22 horses highlighted by 20 purebred Arabians. Now operating as Brandale Arabians located at Lot 18, Concession 6 of Stephen township, north of Crediton, Brand a teacher at Stephen Central School has 15 students enrolled in an apprenticeship program. His students come from Centralia, Zurich, Hensall, Exeter, Thorndale and surrounding areas to participate in his unique program. In explanation. Brand says, "They start from scratch and I really mean that. Their first chores include cleaning out stalls where my horses are sta- bled. They also brush, groom and ride my horses and some go to shows with me as helpers. Some of my students are still at the cleaning out stalls stage, but they are finding out what working with horses is all about." Asked when and how he got started in the horse business Brand replied, "I didn't know anything about horses as 1 lived on a dairy farm and my fa- ther was not interested in horses. l first got the bug when I saw Delton Finkbeiner riding a purebred Arabian at a Santa Claus parade in Exeter in the mid -1960's. I was awestruck by his appearance in native costume. He has -been very instrumental in getting me started in the Arabian horse business." On his first experience in riding a horse, Brand remarked, "I didn't stay on his back very long as I ended up in a barbed wire fence. Since that time I have been able to understand the minds of horses. Arabians are es- pecially strong willed." He continued, "I started teaching in 1965 and had to buy a car so 1 didn't have money to purchase a horse until four years later." At the moment, Brand's prize possession is a 14 year-old purebred Ara- bian mare named El Kassandra which he purchased in 1987. This mare has twice been AHAEC high point western pleasure open and AOTR Champion, 1994 Region 18 Western Pleasure Royal Red ATR Champion and twice Region 18 top five Western Pleasure AOTR Cham- pion. In looking forward to his retirement from teaching in June of 1999, Brand says, "I will be able to start horsing around full-time. My ultimate goal is to breed a National Champion that would be my lifelong accom- plishment." Continuing, Brand says, "I will be able to devote all my time to horses and probably take some holidays. I would like to go to Australia and I can probably mix business with pleasure as there are prominent breeders "down under' and I hopefully will he able to export some animals. 1 will also have more time to check out bloodlines and stallions." About six years ago Brand exported three purebred Arabians to Italy and currently has the intention to export his three-quarter Arabian -Pinto mare "Rosie" to Germany. There are local horse exporters who act as agents. Brand adds, "Marketing is important and I want to get more in- volved in this." He has been very involved in 4-H horse clubs for area youngsters for a number of years and will be exhibiting this coming Saturday at the Exeter Fall Fair. Brand, a past president of the Exeter Agricultural Society will be the master of ceremonies for the Friday evening program of the fair. He adds, "I would like to see 4-1-1 competitions continue at the local fairs. As a teacher at Stephen Central I have taught a number of units on horses and their care to my students." The local horseman hopes to be updating his property with the installa- tion of vinyl fencing for both appearance and safety. He added, " I can't afford to let my horses get out on the road and with new fences visitors will get a good first impression." As for safety he has two good German Shepherd guard dogs. Brand says, "They are more concerned with horses than they are with human and will continue to bark until I investigate. If it happens in the middle of the night I know it's horses out on the loose and not humans trying to tres- pass" The youngest in Brand's barn is a nine month old half Arabian filly called Brandale So Divine. :�nhip Adriaan Brand displays his 14 - year old champion mare El Kassan- dra. Jodi and Jennifer Cronyn with a nine-month old filly Brandale So Divine. County preparing budget with zero tax increase GODERICH - Despite warning that the province will he cutting its grants to the municipalities, Huron County has approved a rec- ommendation that staff prepare a 1996 budget which will bring in a zero per cent tax increase. In fact, council went further and voted to send a letter to thc Huron County Board of Education and the Huron -Penh Roman Catholic Separate School Board pointing out that the county was preparing for no tax hikes and urging the boards to aim at the same target. Exeter Reeve Bill Mickle made thc motion to send the letters. It was hard to explain to taxpay- ers in his town, Mickle said, that last year's tax increase came not from the town or the county but the boardi of education. "I have heard already that there are thoughts of a 10 per cent increase at thc hoards of education." Mason Bailey, Reeve of Blyth seconded the motion. "We have just come through a tax increase of almost 10 per cent," he said of the 1995 education levy. "We need to get the point across that the only way they can justify a 10 per cent increase is if they in- crease the education they give by 10 per cent." But Bill VanStonc, Reeve of Colborne, said the motion was coming at the problem from the wrong direction. The boards of 'education are between a rock and a hard place, he said, because they're having their grants cut while 90 per cent of their budget is in salaries of unionized staff. He said the county should be helping the board gain more con- trol over the salary portion of its budget. Hullett Recvc Tom Cunning- ham said he supported the mo- tion and the aim of no tax in- crease but wondered if council might be setting a trap for itself. If the provincial government cuts grants but doesn't cut the re- quirements for service that it now imposes on municipalities then council will be hard pressed to hold the line on the budget. Mickle, past president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, told council the group's annual meeting had becn told by provincial treasurer Ernie Eves that cuts of 20 per ccnt in condi- tional and unconditional grants to municipalities were in the works. What's more, he said,a senior government officiai"had told him not to be surprised if provincial grants to municipali- ties disappear completely in ,the coming years. Beginning October 1, there will be a 21.6 per cent cut in pay- ments to welfare recipients in Huron. However, people will be allowed to earn more money from working before their pay- ments are cut. In a report to the Huron County Social and Cultural Ser- vices Committee. John MacKin- non, social services administrator, said the cuts made by the provin- cial government will mean a sin- gle person who is employable will receive $520 per month instead of the current $663, a drop of 5143. However, if the person hal a part time job that paid 5200 a month. he or she wouId now los( only $60 of their support instead of $112.50 - the net loss would he $100.50. A couple on welfare will see their support drop $249 but if they earn $1,(XX) a month they'll he able to keep an extra 575, mean- ing a net drop of $174 a month. The changes arc expected to save the province $1 billion it year and could save Huron 541.000 be- tween October and December. and $174,(XX1 next year, based on the same level of cases. MacKinnon's report said. how- ever that the government's deci- sion to drop the johsOntario pro- gram without starting a similar project will make it harder for people to get off wclfarc. The jobs program had helped many people get a job by subsidizing training. There were 613 welfare cases with 1,244 beneficiaries at the end of Junc, down 25 cases last year. Huron's rate of 2.07 per cent of the population receiving munici- pal social assistance is the fifth lowest in Ontario. Kingston is highest at 11.51 per cent. "ONEOFAIUND SPEC1AL" VICON MF 800 Large Square Baler (32"x34"xAdjustable Length Bale), bale chute, hyd. lift on P.U. ONLY USED for approx. 1500 bales. 42,9OO SEPTEMBER SPECIAL EcelLiCC.1.1 FARM EQUIPMENT - EXETER, ONTARIO Sales, Service & Rentals Since 1932 (519) 235-2121 Fax (519) 235-2791.