Canadian draft-horse teams notch major wins with Ontario connection
ZD Pickering Family Farms of Prince George, B.C., extended a high-profile run on the heavy-horse circuit, adding podium finishes south of the border just days after claiming a top banner at the 2026 Calgary Stampede. Their momentum intersected with Ontario success as Wilson Farms of Vankleek, Ont., took the overall crown in a marquee six-horse competition in Minnesota.
The Prince George outfit’s Big Six hitch, driven by teamster Tim Sparrow with support from Britney Sparrow, rolled into Saint Paul, Minn., to compete at the World Percheron Congress hosted at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. In a field of 32 entries on Saturday, July 11, the British Columbia team secured the runner-up spot in the supreme Six Horse Hitch. The overall title went to Wilson Farms from eastern Ontario.
They were judged “reserve champions of the supreme Six Horse Hitch competition.”
The Minnesota result followed immediately on the heels of the Calgary Stampede, where the Big Six from ZD Pickering Family Farms earned the World Champion Heavy Horse Hitch designation. The Stampede also capped a standout weekend in the horse pull for the Prince George barn, with multiple tandems earning category wins and a podium in the heaviest division.
Stone-boat pulls underline power and precision
In the Stampede’s pulling events, pairs from the Pickering stable delivered notable lifts. Stoney and Bill captured the middleweight class, moving a load measured at 11,500 pounds. Another team, Lenny and Goose, topped the lightweight division with a pull of 11,000 pounds. The stable also finished second in the heavyweight category.
Heavy horse pulling demands more than raw strength. Teams haul a steel sled—known as a stone-boat—stacked with cement blocks. If no one reaches a 14-foot target distance, the longest measured effort determines the winner. Presentation matters as well; judges assess teams on their turnout and overall condition in addition to performance.
Heritage sport with modern audiences
Draft breeds—Clydesdales, Shires, Belgians and Percherons—once powered Canadian agriculture, moving grain and turning fields in the early 20th century. While tractors replaced them on most farms, the skills of handling and conditioning these large horses continue in competitive arenas. Signature events at the Calgary Stampede and regional fairs such as the BC Northern Exhibition in Prince George keep the tradition visible for new generations of spectators and exhibitors.
For readers in Pickering and across the Greater Toronto Area, the Minnesota outcome also had a local tie. The supreme six-horse title went to Wilson Farms of Vankleek, Ontario, underscoring how Ontario teams remain highly competitive in North American draft-horse rings. Meanwhile, the B.C.-based farm that shares Pickering’s name is marking one of its most successful seasonal stretches with a Calgary crown and a U.S. podium.
What the results show
- Canadian teams are competing at the top level across borders, with Ontario and B.C. barns sharing recent podiums.
- Horse-pull outcomes highlight both conditioning and horsemanship; victory is not only about the heaviest load but also control and presentation.
- Livestreams and fairground venues continue to broaden the audience for a once strictly farm-based test of strength.
At a glance: recent results
| Event | Team | Result | Notable Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary Stampede – World Champion Heavy Horse Hitch | ZD Pickering Family Farms (Prince George, B.C.) | Champion | Big Six hitch |
| World Percheron Congress – Six Horse Hitch (Minnesota) | Wilson Farms (Vankleek, Ont.) | Champion | Field of 32 entries |
| World Percheron Congress – Six Horse Hitch (Minnesota) | ZD Pickering Family Farms | Reserve Champion | Driven by Tim and Britney Sparrow |
| Calgary Stampede – Middleweight Pull | Stoney & Bill (Pickering stable) | Winner | Pulled 11,500 lbs |
| Calgary Stampede – Lightweight Pull | Lenny & Goose (Pickering stable) | Winner | Pulled 11,000 lbs |
| Calgary Stampede – Heavyweight Pull | Pickering stable team | Second | Stone-boat with cement blocks |
The Minnesota show was livestreamed and remains available online for viewers; the Pickering team’s victory lap appears around the 2:43:00 mark of the video. For fairgoers planning late-summer visits in Ontario, these results offer a snapshot of what to watch for when six-horse hitches and pulling contests enter the ring—precise driving, steady teamwork and the hallmark calm under heavy load.
