Along with her five-year-old Clydesdale mares Banga’s Reba and Joseph Lake’s Mac Fancy, Linda Banga of Canora had a very successful competition at The World Clydesdale Show in Madison, Wisconsin from October 25 to 28.
Banga and Reba won World Champion Mare Cart and World Champion Ladies Cart, as well as Reserve World Champion Best, Bred Cart Horse.
Banga, Reba and Fancy teamed up to win the World Champion Ladies Driver competition.
Banga said the World Clydesdale Show is held every three years. This year’s competition included over 150 competitors and 650 horses.
Preparations for the worlds started back in March.
“I committed myself to driving the mares many times a week,” said Banga. “My husband, Darcy Korol is a full-time farmer and rancher and I teach full time at Parkland College, so it was a struggle to juggle farming, teaching and the horses. It was especially difficult to prepare the mares in September and October because of the rain and snow. There were many times I told Darcy that I do not think I am good enough to go and maybe I should stay home and help with harvest. I am glad Darcy encouraged me to go and I set off for Madison with my mares, even though that meant leaving Darcy with our son Ty, 8, and 1,000 acres of combining.”
Banga said getting the mares ready to compete at a high level was a real team family effort.
“Even though we were busy combining Darcy would come home and harness the horses so that when I got home from school I could drive the mares before dark,” she said
“Our families and friends came to help the harvest when I was gone. My mom helped with Ty, Darcy’s dad Ben Korol ran errands, my sister-in-law Donna McCormick cooked meals and her husband Mel and their boys Bryce and Dylan were major factors in helping to get harvest done. We even had Bill Ochitwa, Lenard Krepakevich, Ward Manahan and Jim and Rob Bletsky come with combines to help finish harvest, while our uncle Moe Davyduke drove truck and Stan Stusek drove combine. If it wasn’t for family and friends keeping harvest rolling at home, I probably would have stayed home to help and there wouldn’t be any world championships won. We are forever grateful to all of them. In fact, on the day Reba was crowned World Champion Mare Cart, Darcy and the crew finished up our harvest; it was a good day.”
Banga said she still finds it hard to believe that she and her horses won three world championships and one reserve title.
“I think the biggest reward was having all of my fellow competitors give me a big hug and
congratulations. I respect my fellow Clydesdale breeders and I appreciated their words,” said Banga.
“I also really appreciated the people that came from Saskatchewan and Manitoba to cheer us on.”
Banga said even though there was stiff competition at the world championships, she experienced first-hand the strong level of support between the competitors.
“For me the biggest surprise was that fellow horsemen lent me their carts and wagons so that I could compete,” she said. “I did not take my own cart or wagon so I had to borrow equipment. The carts and wagons were classy additions to Reba and Fancy and were a major factor in us winning the world championships.”
One of the keys to success was the commitment to training and conditioning the mares, said Banga.
“No matter what the weather was like or how busy we were on the farm, we stayed committed to bringing out the mares having them looking the best they possibly could,” she said.
She said it was important to maintain a positive attitude, even when conditions were difficult.
“This fall was the worst fall ever with regards to harvest and it was easy to become negative. However, I read a daily devotion from a book called, Jesus is Calling, and it kept me on track to think positive and focus on the present instead of worrying about things I couldn’t control. In a way, instead of worrying about the crops in the field and about getting the mares fit for the World Show, I became thankful that I was lucky enough to compete with such beautiful mares,” Banga concluded.
