麻豆传媒

Delvin Szumutku has raised Clydesdale horses for years near Stockholm.

Through those years he has been an avid supporter of the breed, so when a World Show for Clydesales was launched in Madison, WI. in 2007, he loaded up some horses and took in the show.

Szumutku was at the show again in 2011, and again in 2015 when the show was hosted in Ontario.

So it鈥檚 no surprise Szumutku was back in Madison at the end of October as the fourth annual edition of the world event was held.

鈥淚 took down three, all three were ones that we had raised,鈥� he said.

Szumutku was also quick to note four other mares he had raised were at the World Show being exhibited by their new owners.

鈥淭hat is what we do, we breed horses to sell. To me that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about,鈥� he said, adding he takes a lot of pride in seeing animals he has sold go on to be good enough to take to a major event like the one in Madison. 鈥溾�� That鈥檚 what I call achievement.鈥�

Szumutku said his mares did well, adding at a show the scale of the world show the goal 鈥渋s to make the cut.鈥� The classes are so large they are typically broken into smaller groups with judges asking the best to come back for the final 10.

鈥淵ou want to make the cut, be in the top-10 and get into the final drive,鈥� he said.

One of Szumutku鈥檚 mares finished fourth in a class where four of the top-five were entries from Canada, three being from the Prairies.

鈥淪o Western Canada was pretty well-represented,鈥� he said.

Szumutku鈥檚 mares also ended up in harness at Madison.

鈥淭wo mares I took down I leased out to Greenwood Farms,鈥� he said, adding the pair were used to complete a six-horse hitch that took home to top-10 finishes.

While not earning a championship, Szumutku is happy with his finishes, noting the mares were only four years old and green in terms of show experience.

鈥淭hey鈥檇 never been in a show ring, never been off the farm,鈥� he said.

The strong performance, especially by the best of the trio has Szumutku smiling.

鈥淪he鈥檒l get nothing but better,鈥� he said, adding he did have to fend off a number of suitors offering to buy the two hitch mares.

鈥淲e had numerous offers,鈥� he said, adding the leasee had wanted to simply buy the two mares. 鈥淚 told them I was bringing them home.鈥�

While Szumutku said he typically breeds to sell the two were too good to let go.

鈥淲hen the two were born 鈥� I said I was going to hide them and keep them,鈥� he said.

The pair are perfectly matched, and two younger mares that stayed at home make a perfectly matched set of four. The prospect of four home bred mares as a perfectly matched hitch looms on the horizon, and the next world show is scheduled for Brandon in 2021.

鈥淚f I鈥檓 still alive I鈥檇 sure like to (show the hitch),鈥� said Szumutku.

Of course when Szumutku says about being still alive, he is aware life can take some massive turns. While attending the World Show in 2011 he suffered a major heart attack.

It was then Szumutku said he came to really appreciate the family that is the Clydesdale business. At the most recent event he was asked to speak on the 鈥榝amily鈥� aspect at the banquet in front of 2600.

While it took him more than a month to agree to give the speech he finally said yes.

鈥淛ust to be asked to do it was pretty special,鈥� said Szumutku.

Szumutku鈥檚 speech struck a chord with many in attendance.

鈥淎 lot of people came up and complimented me on it,鈥� he said, adding one in particular stood out for him. A Vietnam veteran wheeled over in his wheelchair. 鈥淗e came over and shook my hand 鈥� saying he had never experienced that sense of comradeship other than with the guys he fought with.

鈥淭hat probably meant the most to me.鈥�