2008 Manitoba Provincial Hay Competition 

The competition was cancelled.

Competition classes available:

• Legume (greater than 75% legume)
• Legume/grass (combination of legume/grass)
• Grass (greater than 75% grass)
• Greenfeed
• Horse (for maintenance of a mature horse)
• Horse (for growth and performance

Hay Competition Entry Form

2007 Provincial Hay Competition Winners

Good hay was generally a rare commodity this year. In some areas early season rains pretty much squashed any dreams of good quality hay on the first cutting. Then in some areas the taps turned off and there was very little hay to be cut on the second or third go rounds. Even with the weak US dollar, markets were quite strong for any good hay in the US. I know that good hay had no trouble finding a home this past year.

Despite the yearly problems with putting up good quality hay the Hay Competition had some very fine hay to judge this year. It was also our first year to display the hay finalists at Ag Days and I am happy to report that Ag Days organizers and participants seemed happy with the interest.

Below are three years of data from the mold spore counts done for the Horse Hay classes. You can see there is quite a range and each year can be quite different from the previous year indicating that molds are always present, you just need the right conditions for them to grow.

Mold spore counts range from year to year and sample to sample:

Year 22 deg C Colony Forming Unit/g 35 deg C Colony Forming Unit/g
(range) (range)

2005 40 to 700,000 10 to 280,000
2006 6,000 to 65,000 1000 to 18,000
2007 350 to 23,000 200 to 5,000

While I use these mold counts for judging purposes there is no research that indicates at what level they become detrimental to the horse’s health. Therefore, my motivation for using them in the judging is to bring awareness to the hay producer and buyer as to the significant impact they can have on horse health.

I would like to thank the hay producers for taking the time to enter into the Hay Competition and the Manitoba Forage Council for their sponsorship of this competition. This year first place winners receive a lovely fleece jacket. Keep up the good work and I look forward to your entries in 2008.

By Jane Thornton, MAFRI

Congratulations to our 2007 Hay Competition Winners!

Class A – Legume > 75% legume

1st Place – David & Harley Henry of Rossendale – 3rd cut alfalfa Lot 2
2nd Place – Chapman Bros. Farms of Virden – 3rd cut Gala alfalfa
3rd Place – David & Harley Henry of Rossendale – 3rd cut alfalfa Lot 3

Class B – Legume/grass

1st Place – David & Harley Henry of Rossendale – 3rd cut alfalfa/grass Lot 1
2nd Place – Chapman Bros. Farms of Virden – 2nd cut Gala alfalfa/Baridana orchard grass
3rd Place – Dennis Friesen of Wawanesa – 2nd cut Gala alfalfa/Fleet meadow brome Lot DF-07-L/G

Class C – Grass > 75% grass

1st Place – Dennis Friesen of Wawanesa – 2nd cut Fleet meadow brome

Class E – Horse hay for maintenance of the mature horse

1st Place – Sunnyside Farms Ltd. of Russell – 1st cut Drummond timothy Lot MBS 03
2nd Place – Kooistra Hay Sales of Swan River – 1st cut quackgrass/timothy/alfalfa
3rd Place – E & E Newfield of Winnipeg – 1st cut orchard grass/meadow brome/timothy

Class F – Horse hay for growth and performance

1st Place – Kooistra Hay Sales of Swan River – 1st cut timothy/alfalfa
2nd Place – E & E Newfield of Winnipeg – 1st cut orchard grass/Fleet meadow brome/timothy/alfalfa
3rd Place – Chapman Bros. Farms of Virden – 1st cut meadow brome/quackgrass

2006 Provincial Hay Competition Winners

Congratulations to our 2006 Winners!

Class A – Legume > 75% legume

1st Place – Chapman Bros. of Virden – 3rd cut Pickseed 8925
2nd Place – David & Harley Henry of Rossendale – 3rd cut alfalfa
3rd Place – Kooistra Hay Sales of Swan River – a 3rd cut alfalfa

Class B – Legume/grass

1st Place – Dennis Friesen of Wawanesa – 2nd cut Proven
Legend II alfalfa/Fleet MBG blend
2rd Place – Kooistra Hay Sales of Swan River – 1st cut
timothy/alfalfa blend

Class C – Grass > 75% grass

1st Place – Chapman Bros. Farms of Virden – 1st cut Fleet
MBG/Able alfalfa blend
2nd Place – Dennis Friesen of Wawanesa – 1st cut Fleet MBG
3rd Place – E & E Newfield of Winnipeg – 2nd cut OG/MBG/
timothy and alfalfa blend

Class E – Horse hay for maintenance of the mature horse

1st Place – E & E Newfield of Winnipeg – 1st cut OG/MBG/
timothy blend
2nd Place – Kooistra Hay Sales of Swan River – 1st cut native
grass
3rd Place – Dave & Harley Henry of Rossendale – 1st cut native
grass

Class F – Horse hay for growth and performance

1st Place – Chapman Bros. Farms of Virden – 1st cut MBG
2nd Place – E & E Newfield of Winnipeg – 2nd cut
OG/MBG/timothy/alfalfa blend
3rd Place – Kooistra Hay