Prestigious Australian Clydesdale judge Tim Peel will be travelling to Northam for the LiveLighter Heavy Horse Festival of WA.
The festival will run over two days from October 28-29 at the Avon Valley Showjumping and Pony Club grounds, at Equestrian Park in Northam.
Tim is the Commonwealth Clydesdale Horse Society Federal judge and is very well known in the working horse industry.
Over the last fifty years, Tim has won 37 Royal Show Senior Champions in the Clydesdale section and won every individual harness class at Sydney Royal Show over the same period.
He will be holding a seminar on Sunday for interested parties that want to learn how to choose a good working horse, how to fit collars, ploughing and the care and maintenance of wheels.
My grandfather started delivering milk in Sydney in 1907 on horse and cart
- Tim Peel
The 72-year-old said he has been involved with horses his whole life.
“My grandfather started delivering milk in Sydney in 1907 on horse and cart,” he said.
“He continued that ‘till 1964. My dad was involved in it too.”
Tim followed in their footsteps and got involved with breeding and showing Clydesdales.
“I have competed in a lot of horse ploughing contests over the years and won quite a few of them,” he said.
He said the horse fraternity is very close and he is regularly asked to travel interstate to judge competitions.
“I recently did a seminary in New Zealand too,” he said.
They dont work 10 hours a day six days a week anymore – they are lucky if they do an hour a day
- Tim Peel
“I have also been to WA before as a judge in Boyup Brook.”
Both Tim and his wife Julie are credited Clydesdale and heavy horse judges.
Tim said Western Australia moved from working horses to mechanisation a lot quicker than other States.
“WA had a big Clydesdale society, but it faded in the 50’s,” he said.
“There was a big gap until the 70’s.”
He said the horses are very well looked after.
“They are pets,” he said.
“They dont work 10 hours a day six days a week anymore – they are lucky if they do an hour a day.
“True work horses disappeared in the 60’s – it’s a hobby now.”
He said his aim is to try and maintain the tradition and heritage of the work horse in australia
Working Horse Society secretary Lee Smith said she is looking forward to the event this month.
“It is an amazing show that showcases some magnificent breeds of heavy and draught horses,” she said.
“We hope the community will come down and enjoy the event with us."
Ms Smith said a full program of heavy horse breed classes will be on show including Clydesdales, Shires, Percherons, Gypsy Cobs and Sport horses.
Other judges at the event are Mrs Midge Boag and Mrs Margaret Marwick.
Margaret began her love of horses at eight years old when York Pony Club was formed and has enjoyed judging since the late 1980’s.
Midge Boag has been involved with the equestrian world most her life and now lives in North Dandalup where she breeds Welsh Cobs, sport horses and ponies.