Tailwinds, a horse farm just outside of Yorkton, was the hosting spot for more than a dozen visiting horses last weekend - most of those were Saskatchewan Clydesdales.
The farm鈥檚 owner, Twylla Newton, organized a learn-to-drive clinic at Tailwinds. The clinic brought people from Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta to town.聽
Newton is also the secretary for the Saskatchewan Clydesdale Association.
鈥淭he Saskatchewan Clydesdale Association is hosting this clinic. So we have seven teams and drivers. We have everything from an experienced driver with a new team, to a couple of drivers who have never driven before,鈥� said Newton. 鈥淲e鈥檝e partnered them up with an experienced driver and an experienced team, so they can actually grab the lines and drive the animals.鈥�
The term 鈥榯eam鈥� refers to a pair of horses.聽
Saskatchewan is known worldwide for the raising of quality Clydesdales. According to Newton, a lot of high end show people travel to Saskatchewan to look at the Clydesdales that are born and/or raised right here in the province.聽
To highlight an example of the high level of animals raised here, Newton mentioned Greg Gallagher, a man from Canora, who raised the 2011 World Champion Clydesdale right in Canora. Sadly, Gallagher passed away last year.
鈥淣ot only did he raise the world champion, but the parents of the world champion, too. It was a truly Saskatchewan horse,鈥� said Newton.聽
鈥淎 lot of the horses here today are from his farm,鈥� she added, acknowledging the horses who filled the arena.
While a lot of the drivers and teams who attended last weekend鈥檚 clinics would be mostly pleasure drivers, some do compete in competitions. One of those competitions is the Yorkton Exhibition Harvest Showdown.聽
This year at the Harvest Showdown, there is something very unique happening that Newton said is a 鈥渧ery big deal.鈥�
鈥淔or the first time in Saskatchewan and the first time in Canada, we have introduced a new class. It鈥檚 a show class called the Saskatchewan Clydesdales Breeder鈥檚 Cup Challenge,鈥� explained Newton.聽
The class is a halter class, and is for people who own a Saskatchewan born or raised animal. They are allowed to bring that horse to one of four competitions happening in Swift Current, Nipawin, North Battleford and Austin, Manitoba throughout the summer.
鈥淭he top two Clydesdales from those events will come to the Yorkton Harvest Showdown to crown the champion of the champions,鈥� said Newton. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very big deal because it鈥檚 the first time its done, and there will be prize money well over 1500 dollars.鈥澛�
Newton credited the Saskatchewan Horse Federation as well as Yorkton Carpet One for being big sponsors and allowing the new class to happen so that people in Yorkton will get the opportunity to see the best Saskatchewan Clydesdales right here.
