April 12, 2012 - It can be argued that the origins of the word "horsepower" that permeates modern day car and truck ads can actually be linked to heavy horses, often referred to as draft horses. For generations, heavy horses like the Percherons, Clydesdales, Belgians and Shires represented the power to get things done, from ploughing fields to delivering cargo.

In celebration of this historical horsepower, Canada’s Outdoor Equine Expo will again host the Heavy Horse Happening, sponsored by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), on Saturday June 9th and Sunday June 10th at Iron Horse Equestrian Complex in Burlington, ON.

The 2012 Heavy Horse Happening will feature a continental flare with the North American Six-Horse Hitch Classic Series in addition to four other classes including Women’s Cart, Youth Team, Unicorn and Four-Horse Hitch. Each year, six-horse hitches from across the United States and Canada compete at various events to accumulate points for the Classic Series. Close to two hundred hitches travel and compete at more than sixty qualifying shows in order to build points so that the four top hitches in each of three breeds can compete for $30,000 in prizes at the North American Six-Horse Hitch Classic Series Final Championship.

On Saturday June 9th, the Heavy Horse Happening will be a formal open 5-class competition with internationally renowned judge from Farmington, Missouri, Albert Cleve. Albert has been breeding purebred Percherons for the past quarter-century, has bred three World Percheron Congress Champions, served on the Executive of the Percheron Horse Association of America, and chaired the World Percheron Congress in 2002, 2006 and 2010. He has judged heavy horse competitions from California and Calgary to Maine and Virginia – and all places between!

The mission of the Heavy Horse Happening is to educate, entertain and promote ongoing excellence. It provides the participants with unique opportunities and feedback to help them improve and provides the audience with a chance to better appreciate the dedication and beauty of these teams.
With his vast experiences and expertise, Albert Cleve can fulfill the Heavy Horse Happening’s unique mandate. He will provide debriefings after each class on why teams placed in the order they did and which recommended skills or techniques might help improve each heavy horse hitch at future shows.

Since learning more about "horsepower" is front-and-centre at the Heavy Horse Happening, there will be a Junior Heavy Horse Happening held on Sunday June 10th. This special heavy horse event will centre on education, entertainment and excellence for those getting started with heavy horses and those wishing to brush up on their techniques. Sessions and classes will focus on developing particular skills specifically related to driving, halter/conformation and harnessing/decorating. This Junior Heavy Horse Happening will wrap with two competitions to provide young people with an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.

If you love living breathing "horsepower," be sure to visit Canada’s Outdoor Equine Expo on June 8, 9 & 10, 2012 at Iron Horse Equestrian Complex in Burlington, ON. The Heavy Horse Happening, including the North American Six-Horse Hitch Classic Series, will take place on Saturday, June 9th. The Junior Heavy Horse Happening will run on Sunday, June 10th. For more information, please visit www.EquineExpo.ca or call 1-800-563-5441.