Hey! That’s Lady! Calgary Stampede 2014 Poster

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For the first time in 101 years, the Calgary Stampede has singled out a draft horse for the 2014 Calgary Stampede poster. Painted by renowned equine artist, Adeline Halvorson, the original painting fetched a near-record price at the CS Western Art auction when the gavel banged down at $125,000. True to her art, Adeline didn’t just “invent” a horse, or even pick a show horse, but rather chose a working horse, an unknown but good natured mare to represent the city’s 127-year history with the draft horse.

The purebred Belgian mare is named Lady; she’s 17 years old and is owned by Joe and Nancy Jeffray of Airdrie, Alta. For the thousands of people who attended the World Plowing Championships in Olds, Alta., in July you would have seen Lady and her three teammates (one’s her daughter), Dolly, Dixie and Meg, pulling an early 1900s Massey twobottom gang plow, an early 1900s Oliver gang and even as part of a team on the walking plow. The mare is hardworking, gentle and she throws lovely foals. Now this well-bred but humble field horse is well on her way to becoming the most famous Belgian mare in Canada!