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| Elmira-area farm to host Eastern Canada Horse Show
» New Canadian horse breed, the Morab, to be star |
| By: Vanessa Moss | Posted: on August 16, 2008 |  |
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HORSING AROUND Carroll Norris tends to two of the seven Morabs she will be showcasing at her Eastern Canada Horse Show Aug. 23 on Sandy Hills Drive north of Elmira. als for girls field lacrosse. |
A farm north of Elmira will be host to a unique horse show Aug. 23, highlighting a new Canadian breed.
The only show of its kind in the country, the Canadian Morab Association’s Eastern Canada Horse Show will feature halter, showmanship, horsemanship, pleasure and trail classes and various breeds.
“It’s a show to show off and highlight our Morabs, but it’s also an open show for anybody else who has horses and wants to go in a show,” said organizer Carroll Norris.
She and her husband John are anxious to introduce horse enthusiasts to a breed they feel is pretty special.
To be registered as a first generation Morab, a horse must be half Morgan and half Arabian. The crossbreed is distinguished by its muscular build, superior breathing and great temperament.
“They take on the nice characteristics of both of those breeds,” Norris explained.
If there are a group of horses out in the field, the Morabs will beat the others to greet visitors at the fence, she added. And at about 15.2 hands high and between 950 and 1,200 pounds, they exude athleticism and power.
Although the horses have been bred in the United States for over 100 years, they were only distinguished as an evolving breed by Agriculture Canada in 2001.
Since then, breeders like Norris have been working hard to generate quality horses to join the registry. Once that number reaches 360 across three generations, they will have an official breed, she said. Currently they are at 125.
John and Carroll are proud to say they own number 100 of the bunch and have a total seven registered Morabs in their care; two of them, a colt and a filly, were born this spring.
In 2003, they showcased one of their horses at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and were pleased with people’s reactions to the new mix.
Going forward, they plan to keep up a project that started when John bought Carroll an Arab as a wedding present 15 years ago.
“We started breeding Morabs and that’s what we’ve been breeding.”
The Eastern Canada Horse Show takes place Aug. 23 starting at 9 a.m. at 435 Sandy Hills Dr., north of Elmira. To register, call 519-669-8028.