60/ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011 THE RIDER The Canadian Gypsy Vanner Horse Club Submitted by Julia O’Neill


A Canadian club dedicated to Gypsy Horses was founded in 2007 by a small but enthusiastic group of Gypsy Vanner owners who had shown horses together for 2 years. On a cold March day in London, while showing


at The Can-Am, six people sat down to discuss the yet unnamed club. The band of six merry makers included Terry and Debra Elder of Spruce Ridge Farm, Julia and Dan O’Neill of OnceUponA Farm, Sherry Rupke of Mystical Meadows, Jackie Sherring of


Gemstone Farm. Julia O’Neill explains “It was decided that the club would be named “Canadian Gypsy Vanner Horse Club” as a clear and simple statement of who we are.


Everyone agreed that the purpose of the new Club would be to promote the Gypsy Vanner


breed for Canadians and to have fun with their horses. But the most important accomplishment that day was the banging of the preverbal gavel to officially start the CGVHC and, as the saying goes, the rest is history! A while later at a meeting in Picton, they finalized their mission statement:” to promote and enjoy the Gypsy Vanner Horse, support the mission of the Gypsy Vanner Horse Soci- ety, and educate others about the breed.” And, within a few weeks, the club had a logo, a banner to hang at events, and a website, www.canadiangypsy- vannerhorseclub.ca.


CGVHC meeting was held in Cobourg with 15 members in attendance: 12 in person and 3 others by conference call. Much was accomplished at that meeting with members volun- teering their skills to help the club grow.


The Gypsy Vanner Horse Club has participated in several events such as the “Spirit of the Horse” at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto and the Can-Am Equine Emporium in London.


Earlier this year, the largest


Currently, members across Canada, represent the Gypsy Vanner breed, the Canadian Gypsy Vanner Horse Club and the Gypsy Vanner Horse Soci-


ety at venues such as the Morris Manitoba Stampede and All About Horses in Lindsay Ontario, the Manitoba Royal Agricultural Fair, the Calgary Stampede, numerous agricultur- al fairs and open breed shows, parades and community events. New in 2011, CGVHC members participated in the first ever “Vanner Fair” in Caledon, hosted by member Jim Wilson at his farm, Deerfield’s Stable. The Canadian Gypsy Van- ner Horse Club is still young and will surely suffer some growing pains but with the cur- rent roster of 25 member fami- lies our “little club” can only get better!


Photos above by Marshall Davidson of


www.fotoworks.ca


Photos at right by © Ben Radvanyi


The Gypsy Vanner Horse


Information provided by The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society The Gypsy Vanner Horse is a beautiful and rare breed envisioned by the Romany People, commonly known as “Gypsies”, of Great Britain. These horses were selectively bred over generations to create the ideal caravan horse. The horses needed to be strong enough to pull a heavy caravan, gentle enough for a child to play on and care for and “easy keepers”. Flashy markings made each horse distinctive and therefore less likely to be stolen. The Gypsy Vanner Horse was first imported to North America in 1996 by Dennis and Cindy Thompson of Florida with the first gypsy making its way from there to Canada in 2004.


The Gypsy Vanner Horse is not a colour breed. It is a body type; therefore all colours, markings and patterns are acceptable.


The Vanner has the look of a small to average size horse - 14 to 15 hands high - with a draft horse type body. Proba- bly the most noticeable characteristic of the Gypsy Vanner Horse is the profusion of hair. Ideal hair is straight and silky, with some wave, curl and body being acceptable. Abundant feathering should begin at the knees on the front legs and at or near the hocks on the rear legs, extending over the front of the hooves. The mane, forelock and tail should be ample to pro- fusely abundant, double manes are common. And, last but certainly not least, a Vanner should have an alert and willing nature with traits of kindness, intelligence and docility. In addition to the Gypsy Vanners’ awesome good looks, the breed possesses a temperament that is friendly and engag- ing. Easy to train, smart, willing and eager to please, these horses have it all. Although originally bred to pull the Gypsy Caravan, these horses are now being used in all disciplines. Still used on wagons, you may also see Vanners pulling beau- tiful carriages, being ridden in Dressage, Hunt Seat, Saddle Seat, and Western or bareback. Due to their gentle nature and versatility the Gypsy Vanner makes an ideal family horse.


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