SOLD!
That amount is over and above the Brickleys’ annual
contributions to the EHRF through the North American Equine
Ranching Information Council’s (NAERIC) research checkoff
program.
“My philosophy is that we depend too much on the
government to solve our problems and to support programs. We
have to be part of supporting equine health research because it’s
important to our business and to our livelihood. Our expectations
are always high for the researchers at the WCVM so we have to
contribute to their efforts if want to expect results.”
The Brickley production sale attracted many repeat buyers
— including the Tallentires. Three years ago, the young
ranching couple purchased a half-dozen Brickley-raised foals as
potential working ranch
horses. The Tallentires
own Bar T Ranch,
located about an hour
north of Regina, where
they raise 500 head of
Angus-cross cattle along
with some purebred
Texas longhorns.
“We still have two
of those horses — now
three-year-olds — and
we’re impressed with
their athleticism and
temperament. They’re
well put together animals
and they make a good fit for our ranch,” explains Maryse.
A few years from now, Maryse says the EHRF gift foal will
be trained as one of the ranch geldings along with the other
five foals that the Tallentires purchased at this year’s sale. But for the next
couple of years, Maryse says she and her husband will simply “let them be
horses” with plenty of pasture time and minimal handling until they’re ready
for training.
While the Tallentires’ hay crops have been good this year, it’s a different
story for the Brickleys and other livestock producers in southeastern
Saskatchewan. Because of this spring’s dry conditions, the Brickleys have used
pastures as alternate hay cropland, cut slough grass, seeded more oats for
winter feed and will rely more heavily on grain as feed supplement.
“We’ve been gathering up every stalk that we can find for this winter,”
says Bob, who will need to keep nearly 500 cattle and 124 equine ranching
mares in good shape over the winter. Still, he and Lois didn’t hesitate when it came to repeating the foal sale
donation this fall. “We’ve had many positive comments about last year’s gift
horse — everyone has really liked the idea. We felt it was important to keep it
up — I think it just shows people that all of us can contribute to horse health
in many different ways.” H
Visit www.ehrf.usask.ca to learn more about the WCVM’s matching
gift incentive program.
Buckskin colt
raises $1,400 for
WCVM horse health research
For the second year in a row, Saskatchewan equine ranchers Bob and
Lois Brickley of Kennedy, Sask., have generously donated the sale proceeds
of one of their foals to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Equine
Health Research Fund.
The registered Quarter horse foal was sold during the September
Showcase Sale — the Brickleys’ 12th annual production sale — on
September 12 at Heartland Livestock in Regina, Sask. Heath and Maryse
Tallentire of Earl Grey, Sask., purchased the five-month-old buckskin colt for
$700 — $175 more than the EHRF gift foal’s sale price in 2008.
“So often, I hear producers ask, ‘What can we do to help?’” says Bob,
whose family operates Moose Mountain Ranch in southern Saskatchewan.
“Well, I think this is an ideal opportunity to contribute to horse health
research in a unique way that really works for us and the way we run our
business.”
Just as in 2008, the Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Foundation will
equally match the Brickleys’ donation through a five-year matching gift
incentive program at the veterinary college. “Heather (Ryan) and David
(Dubé) are real leaders in the horse industry, and they’re doing the right
thing for the right purpose,” says Bob.
Through their actions, the Brickleys have also taken a leadership role in
supporting horse health research. The equine ranching couple has donated
$1,225 to the EHRF through the past two foal sales — helping to raise a total
of $2,450 in support of vital equine health research and training programs at
the WCVM.
12
Horse Health Lines • Autumn 2009
TOP LEFT: This year’s EHRF gift foal is a buckskin colt, born
May 18, 2009, on the Brickleys’ Moose Mountain Ranch. The
colt is a full brother to the 2008 EHRF gift foal. ABOVE (from
left to right): Bob Brickley; Heath and Maryse Tallentire with
Tye, their one-year old daughter; and Pauline Long-Wright,
sales manager at Heartland Livestock in Regina, Sask.