Janice Rutherford made history last week as the first female driver in Canadian Western Agribition’s 38-year history to compete in the six-horse hitch class.
The news surprised her.
“A lot of draft hitches have women who are very capable,” she said in an interview during the show. “I just think they don’t have the opportunity.”
Rutherford of Grosse Isle, Man., didn’t qualify for the six-horse hitch final, but she didn’t expect to. She said she needs more experience.
“Give me another couple years.”
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Rutherford grew up in Winnipeg and admits she knew nothing about horses. However, since she developed her interest in draft horses she has learned a lot, and something about herself, too.
“It’s, for me, a passion,” she said. “It’s addictive. I’m not a very competitive person, but I’m determined to improve.”
Rutherford began driving Morgans, then learned to drive Perch-erons, helping the Lane family of Lone Oak Percherons near Birtle, Man.
She decided it was easier to have her own Percheron team, so she found a wagon and two horses she describes as “very forgiving.” She spent a winter hauling manure with her team at a dairy farm. The horses became the wheel of her hitch and were scheduled to retire after Agribition.
Rutherford also qualified for the championship final in the four-horse hitch and the ladies cart classes. She was third in her unicorn hitch class.
Her son, Shea, placed third in the junior driver class for eight- to 14-year-olds and daughter Kara was third in junior driver, 15 to 18 years old.
In the halter events, Rutherford’s Trace won the gelding or grade mare heavy draft class, and Frisco placed second in the gelding or grade mare light draft class.
Rutherford credits family and friends for the help they provide at shows and for the pointers fellow competitors provide. She earned her Class 1 licence so that she could drive a semi and haul her horses to shows. Fuel is a huge expense but entry fees are generally reasonable, she said.
“If I do well I might break even,” she said. “Buying the horse is the cheap part.”
Summer winnings often finance Agribition, where she has competed for three years. She would like to drive all her horses at least five times a week but that isn’t always possible.
The Rutherfords have a grain farm and seed processing plant, and she works in the farm office.
“Normally I’d like them a little more fit,” she said. “But real life gets in the way.”
Express Clydesdales of Yukon, Oklahoma, won the six-horse championship, while Prinsview Belgians of Didsbury, Alta., won the four-horse title.
Prinsview Belgians also won the ladies cart class.
Rose Hill Percherons of Viking, Alta., won the men’s cart class. Junior driver winners were Britney Martin of Boulder Bluff Clydesdales at Strathclair, Man., and Rae-Ann Lane from Creek Side Belgians of Birtle, Man.
Nick Denbrok of Rocky Bar Ranch at Esterhazy, Sask., won the championship team title with his Belgians. Jim Lane of Lone Oak Percherons drove the winning team of purebred mares.
