An American judge spread the winning around last weekend, picking Canadian Western Agribition draft horse halter show champions from each western province.
Richard Derrer of Angola, Indiana, named the grand champion Percheron stallion from British Columbia and mare from Manitoba; Clydesdale stallion from Alberta and mare from Saskatchewan; and Belgian stallion from Saskatchewan and mare from Alberta.
Spade Creek Percherons of Dawson Creek, B.C., showed the supreme champion stallion while supreme champion mare honours went to Banga’s Clydesdales from Canora, Sask. 
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Linda Banga was thrilled to win the mare title with 13-year-old Crystal Doll. She said mares don’t usually show past the age of eight or so.
“She’s out there for those women over 50,” she said. “She still looks so good.”
Banga also showed the reserve grand champion Clydesdale stallion and grand champion gelding.
She said her young stallion, Hank, showed well against older horses. It was also particularly gratifying to do so well with a home-raised colt.
“Anyone can buy a winner,” she said.
Banga has 11 horses and concentrates on training them to lead and drive while teaching full time at the Parkland Regional College.
She said people own a lot of good quality horses that never see the show ring because people use them to pull sleighs, for hay rides and in parades, just because they like them.
She keeps those types of people in mind when she’s training horses.
The horse should “be what you said it is,” she explained.
The other Clydesdale winners were Riverside Clydesdales from Fawcett, Alta., with the grand champion stallion, and Calico Farms from Huxley, Alta., with the grand champion filly.
In the Percheron class, Lone Oak Percherons of Birtle, Man., won senior champion mare, while SanLan Percherons of Markerville, Alta., showed the grand champion filly.
Duhaimes Belgians and Percherons of Paynton, Sask., showed the grand champion Belgian stallion, while Jock River West of Innisfail, Alta., showed the senior champion mare and grand champion filly.
Draft horse events begin two days before the show officially opens.
