MEDIA RELEASE - Calgary Stampede

July 8, 2008MEDIA RELEASEYouth Heavy Horse Show marks start of the Youth Livestock ShowCalgary – The International Youth Livestock Show kickedoff July 7, with the Heavy Horse show. This multidisciplinedevent offers youth an opportunity to honetheir skills and compete against their peers in beef,sheep, and multi-judging, heavy horse and marketingclasses as part of the Calgary Stampede Stock Show.Nineteen youth competed in the Heavy Horse programwhich included classes in decorating, showmanship andconformation. The decorating classes are timed eventswhere youth are asked to do mane rolls and tails (wherethe hair is braided and rolled and decorated with ribbon).The showmanship classes offer an excellent opportunityto see how well they are able to exhibit their animal forthe judge while the conformation classes are based onhow good the quality of the horse is based on the criteriafor a particular breed. Erin Chambers of Wimborne, ABcollected the top accolade in the conformation classeswhile Amy LeClaire of Didsbury captured the Champion showmanship title and Sarah Hunder of Olds, AB wasnamed reserve Champion showman.Judge Scott Nebergall of Arthur, Illinois was impressed. “These youngsters did an excellent job of getting theirhorses ready and fit. I have a lot of respect that they took the time to come out regardless of how they placed.”“Both the Champion and reserve champions in showmanship, I told them, either one of them could show horsesfor me. They did an outstanding job.”Nebergall has been involved in the industry since the mid to late eighties and has been judging for ten years.Amy LeClaire captured the title of Grand Champion showman at the Youth Livestock show for the first time andwas surprised with the achievement. “Showmanship is usually the last thing on my list,” says LeClaire who haswon the conformation title in the past. LeClaire had been helping the Clydesdale horse’s owner, Jason Bexsonall week during the Open show with his horses acquiring plenty of practice time.“I love showing!” says the fifteen year-old who’s been competing here for the past 5-6 years. “I hope to showfor awhile. It’s such a big adrenaline rush before going in the ring. I love waiting for the results, especially ifthey pull you out.”The horse LeClaire decorated in the Youth class and the horse she won with in showmanship were later pairedtogether to win the Open tandem hitch class with Bexson, much to LeClaire’s delight.

Sarah Hunder of Olds, AB captured the Reserve Champion in Showmanship showing LD’s Prince Classy, aPercheron entry. “The most important aspect is when you’re showing, make sure you have a good run so thejudge can see their movement and set up good so he can study the conformation.”This is Hunder’s fifth showing at the Youth Livestock show and she admits that she was pretty successful at itearly on but lost a little momentum. “I started to practice,” she claims and the results are showing.Hunder also got plenty of practice on mane and tails when helping out other stables during the Open show overthe past several days. Hunder places the showmanship pretty high on the list overall. “You have to do well inshowmanship otherwise you won’t do well in the future. A judge can tell if something is not perfect. You wantthem looking their best so they can show their best.”The fifteen year-old horsewoman is certainly trying her best. “I was surprised.” She says of the win, “I knewI’ve been practicing, but I also know that others have been too.”Topping the conformation classes was thirteenyear-old Erin Chambers of Wimborne, AB withher yearling gelding Willow Way Hero. “It’sreally cool,” says Chambers of winning at theStampede.“I was a little surprised because when he wasyoung, he wasn’t very good,” explainsChambers of Hero’s behavior.Chambers’ previous experience’s in the showring was with four years of 4-H beef but shehad always wanted to show in 4-H horse butnever had the right horse.“We had sold all of our cows and Maggie Dubeof Shakespeare Shires brought some horsesover to graze our pasture,” explains the vibrantteen. “Maggie gave Hero to me. He’s my 4-Hhorse.”Chambers is very new to showing heavy horses,only starting in February of this year. In June ofthis year, Chamber’s showed the horse to a reserve Champion conformation win at 4-H on Parade hosted by theCalgary Stampede.“It’s really fun. I really like showing.”Chamber’s plans to show Hero at a show in Olds, AB later this summer and is looking forward to her continuedinvolvement in her 4-H club with plans on ground-driving for next year and cart driving by year three. “I’mreally looking forward to the cart driving.” she grins. “I’ve driven a cart already with another horse.”The Reserve Champion in conformation was awarded to Angelica Sundstorm of Spruce Grove, AB.Nicole Ruzicka of Viking, AB was declared the Heavy Horse decorating Champion.

The International Youth Livestock Show continues July 10-12, 2008 including the awarding of severalscholarships.For more than a century, the Calgary Stampede has been a gathering place for one of the most uniqueagricultural and western event showcases in the world.For further information on the International Youth Livestock Show log on to www.stampedeagriculture.com- 30 -For more information, please contact:Cyndi RowatErin BartlettStampede AgricultureAgriculture Event CoordinatorT 403.261.0162 T 403.261.0336F 403.262.3067 F 403.262.3067E crowat@calgarystampede.comE ebarlett@calgarystampede.comThe Calgary Stampede is a volunteer supported, not-for-profit community organization that preserves and promotes western heritage and values. TheStampede contributes to the quality of life in Calgary and southern Alberta through its world-renowned 10-day Calgary Stampede, year-round facilities,products and services and agricultural programs that foster understanding of the agricultural industry. All revenue generated is reinvested into ourvarious programs and facilities.