Kacee Gee controls a couple of tonnes of horse and wagon with ease.
The 13-year-old from Virden, Man., has been doing it since she was six.
At Canadian Western Agribition’s draft horse competition Nov. 21, she earned three first-place finishes in junior events for competitors aged eight to 14. They included the two wheel cart and team driving.
“It’s just about having a good drive,” she said.
Gee and her brother Nic, 16, attend about six shows each year, including the Calgary Stampede. Their older sister, Kelsey, has also participated.
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“I enjoy it,” Kacee said. “It’s part of our life.”
Their parents, Grant and Kim Gee, operate Morsky Roselea Belgians, a joint venture with Wayne and Carole Morsky of Regina. The Gee family, which has had heavy horses for many years, began in the pregnant mare’s urine business in 1975.
They compete at fairs around Manitoba, including Virden and Birtle, and also appear in some parades.
Nic Gee said Agribition is usually a bigger show, but some classes saw just two entries this year.
“It’s Wayne’s hometown so we like to do well,” he said.
He placed third out of five in the cart class, and second of two in the team driving for juniors aged 15 to 18.
He said the competitors get along well.
“When you hit the ring, it’s kind of different,” Nic said. “You put your serious face on. There’s a lot of respect for each other.”
Neither Nic nor Kacee have had any serious incidents with the large horses while in the ring.
“When they start to pull or goof around, you have to take control,” Kacee said.
She also competes in barrel racing on the Manitoba high school rodeo circuit.
Both Gees are using their draft horse show results to apply for awards offered by the Canadian Belgian Horse Association youth program.
SHOW RESULTS
Complete draft horse hitch show results were unavailable before Western Producer deadlines:
•Supreme champion honours in the halter classes went to a Percheron mare from Lone Oak Percherons at Birtle, Man., and a Percheron stallion from Rose Hill Percherons at Viking, Alta.
•Other Percheron results saw Lone Oak also win junior filly and grand champion gelding.
•In the Belgian halter classes, the grand champion stallion was shown by Prins View Belgians of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. Prins View also showed the grand champion gelding.
•Junior champion filly and grand champion mare were shown by Rocky Bar Ranch and Traci Denbrok of Esterhazy, Sask.
•In the Clydesdale events, River Run Farm of Dawson Creek, B.C., exhibited the grand champion stallion. The grand champion mare was shown by Wildwood Clydesdales of Lloydminster, Alta.
•Junior champion filly was shown by Willow Way Farms at Ohaton, Alta., and the grand champion gelding was from Aulie Farms at Rouleau, Sask.
