In the world of Clydesdale horses the world's best was born on a farm near Canora.
Donegal Dr. Pepper was recently named Supreme Champion Clydesdale of the world at the World Clydesdale Show held in Madison Wis. in late October. It was only the second World Show held, the first being in 2007.
The six-year-old stallion was raised by Greg Gallagher of Canora and was chosen Grand Champion Stallion of the show for his current owners Bob and Laura Gookin of Boulevard, Cal. He topped a field of 108 stallions which were eligible for the title.
Donegal Dr. Pepper went on to defeat the Grand Champion Mare and the Grand champion Gelding to become the Supreme Champion Clydesdale of the show topping the 380 Clydesdales eligible.
Gallagher was in the stands watching the show, and the stallion he had reluctantly sold as a four-year-old.
Gallagher explained it was not his plan to sell Dr. Pepper, but when Monty Thomson from Manitoba was judging in California a few years back he suggested to the Gookins Gallagher might be a good source for a stallion.
"They came up and looked at him," said Gallagher, adding they liked the stallion and wanted to know a price. "I said he's not for sale."
The Gookins went home empty handed, but a year later called Gallagher who was on holidays in Mississippi.
"They asked about him again. I said he's not for sale," he said.
But this time Gookin asked what dollars it would take to own the stallion. Gallagher finally stated a price.
"He said 'for that I'll take him'," said Gallagher.
Gallagher hoped to get home from holidays to breed a mare or two to Dr. Pepper, but the Gookins had already arranged him being picked up.
"I never got to see (him) again until the show a couple of weeks ago," he said.
While never standing Dr. Pepper at stud on his farm the bloodline remains.
"I raised his mother and his father and grandmother and grandfather," said Gallagher. "That's what you call homegrown." He added " I have a son, two half brothers and a couple of sisters of his."
In terms of the Madison show, Gallagher said he knew Dr. Pepper was a good stallion.
"But, I don't think you ever presume that your horse is that good," he said, adding the stallion had placed well at Canadian Western Agribition as a junior stallion. "So I knew I was in the right league."
Watching the show in Madison Gallagher said he was confident Dr. Pepper was tops in his own class. "I said he can't be beaten in his own class."
But when Gookin asked "'can he win it all'," Gallagher said he knew there were other good stallions.
When the win did come, Gallagher said "at the moment, it really didn't sink in for me, until about six hours later," he said, adding that then it struck him "my God he's mine."
Looking back Gallagher said he is glad the Gookins were persistent in their pursuit of Dr. Pepper.
"I'm a lot better off I sold him," he said, noting they had the time and resources to properly prepare the stallion for the world show. " He brought him out looking good. I don't have the resources to do that."
Gallagher has been involved in Clydesdales almost since birth. He explained his father was born in 1883, and when he turned 15 "took a team of Clydesdales to the bush in Quebec." He said it was good business since a man made $8 a month, but a man with a team made $30.
Gallagher's father would move west, settling just northwest of Yorkton, where he again raised Clydesdale until retiring to the city in 1960.
"So it's in the blood," he said.
Gallagher would start his own herd of horses in 1977, and remains one of the larger breeders in the province on his farm near Crystal Lake. He has some 60-head, and plans to foal 15 mares in the spring.
And while now 71, Gallagher has no plans to stop raising the big horses. He said when his father left the farm and his horses for a home in the city, his spirit was broken.
"He died within a year. We just buried him seven years later," he said. "That's not going to happen to me. You're not going to separate me from them. As you age you've got to have an interest to stay alive. If you lose interest you're done."
Clydesdales from all over Canada and the U.S. competed, as well as horses from Great Britain.
"People from Western Canada and from this district did very well," said Gallagher.
Delvin and Louise Szumutku of Stockholm placed first in a class of 25 geldings. They also placed second in the three-year-old stallion class; fourth in the yeld mare class (24 entries), fifth out of 20 in the stud foal class and seventh out of 28 in the stallion foal class.
"Linda Banga of Canora placed an amazing third in a class of 44 in the gelding cart class," added Gallagher. "Her perennial winner, Banga's Crystal Doll was fourth out of 44 in the mare cart class as well as placing third in her line class.
The Canadian Prairies dominated in the winner's circle.
As well as the Grand Champion Stallion being bred in Sask, the Grand Champion Mare was exhibited by Wes Gordeyko of Ohaton AB., the Reserve Champion Mare was shown by the Madsen's of Hamiota, MB.
"When you're showing anywhere in Western Canada you're showing against the best, and that became very obvious at the World Show," said Gallagher.
