8/ FEBRUARY 2013 THE RIDER COWGIRLS N’ ANGELS


20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Blu-Ray & DVD


Available exclusively from www.walmart.com It’s hard to find truly heart-warming, wholesome family films these days, especially movies that don’t glorify the “hootchie factor” for tween and teen girls. For- tunately, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has found a real winner in “Cowgirls N’ Angels”, the story of Ida, a feisty and rebellious young girl who longs to find her absent father who just happens to be a rodeo rider. Played with just the right balance of pre- cociousness and endear- ment by Young Artist Award winner Bailee Madison (Just Go With Us), Ida is a latch-key kid whose mother has emo- tionally abandoned her and spends her time shop lifting and getting into all sorts of jams.


During summer vacation in her Oklahoma hometown, Ida wanders on to the local fair-


grounds where the travel- ling rodeo has set up their arena, and she watches in awe as girls not much older than herself gallop around the ring in colour- ful costumes performing death-defying tricks on horseback. These are The Sweethearts of the Rodeo,


a team of trick riders made up of troubled teens and young adults, all mis- fits much like Ida. The all-girl team is run by aging former rodeo star Terence Parker (James Cromwell – Babe, LA Confidential) and his


leen Rose Perkins – NCIS: Los Angeles, Episodes) who both rec- ognize young Ida’s innate horse skills after discov- ering her secret late night rides on one of their hors- es, and they quickly recruit her for the team. Accepted wholeheartedly by the Sweethearts, Ida finds a new passion that redefines her life and as the team travels the west- ern rodeo circuit, she may also find the long-lost father she’s been search- ing for.


daughter Rebecca (Kath-


The film offers charming scenes of Ida learning tricks atop her newly named paint horse, Prince, as well as exciting rodeo footage of real-life bronc and bull riders and, of course, the Sweethearts themselves. There is nothing more emotionally charged than watching a team of synchronized rid- ers enter an arena carry- ing flags at full gallop. The cast includes many young actresses whose faces you will recognize from TV and films, but the real-life trick riders


are captured in some amazing footage. The opening credits of the film will intrigue viewers with vintage photos of cowgirls and rodeo trick riders from the Buffalo Bill days and the roaring twenties.


What little girl has not dreamed of riding a beautiful horse in front of cheering crowds as she performs amazing feats of skill and courage? Well, that was one of my dreams for sure but the closest I ever came to that was hanging on for dear


life to my fat little Shet- land pony as he bolted back to the stables thanks my mother smacking him unexpectedly on his rump. Young Bailee Madison hangs on tight, too, giving an outstanding performance both off and on horseback that is believable and inspiring; her character is an excel- lent role-model for young daughters everywhere. Does she find her father? Does her mum finally pay more attention to her? Do the Sweethearts win the big rodeo sponsorship


deal? Hey, this is a family movie, what do you think? As Ida’s grandpa used to tell her, the only difference between cow- girls and angels is that angels don’t ride as good! Cowgirls ‘N Angels is a really good ride for us all. Check out their offi- cial Facebook page: Face- book.com/Cowgirlsnan- gels


By Glenda Fordham Entertainment Columnist


Buying Horse Hay When Supplies Are Tight Written by Joel Bagg.


Many horse owners are finding it especially challenging this year to find and purchase suitable hay at a price they can afford. Hopefully, the low hay yields due to dry weather in 2012 will be short term in nature. However, there are also long term economic fac- tors in play that are limit- ing hay production. Tighter hay supplies may be the new reality of the future. Horse owners need to become astute hay buyers, develop good business relationships with hay producers and dealers, learn how to manage large bales on their farm, and minimize hay storage and feeding losses.


Weather and


Agronomic Problems Hay production was extremely challenging in 2012, with low yields and tight forage inventories. First-cut yields were fre- quently reported at 50 – 75% of normal. Although much is attributed to a dry summer, the lack of rain- fall in March, April and May had more of a detri- mental effect on total sea- sonal yield. Other agro- nomic factors that signifi- cantly reduced yields included winterkill and spring frost damage, as well as insect damage from alfalfa weevil, white grubs, armyworm and potato leafhopper. Second and third-cut yields were typically well below aver- age in many areas, or non-existent.


Longer Term Economic Trends


Economics deter- mines the long term sup- ply and price of hay. Hay will be available, but not necessarily at the prices we are used to paying. Historically, there have been surpluses of hay and a buyer’s market existed. This kept hay prices down to a level that was often below the farmer’s actual cost of production. However, economics have changed with the increased world demand and prices for crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat. Farmers have responded to these higher prices by growing less hay and more grain and oilseed crops. Corn and soybeans also have advantages over hay of more effective risk man- agement from adverse weather, more hedging and marketing options, and assurance of payment by licenced elevators. Significant reduc- tions in forage acres in Ontario occurred between the 2006 to 2011 Census years, of 500,000 acres of hay and 250,000 acres of pasture. That’s a lot of hay! Export demand for quality hay to the US is strong. Inventories of hay carried over in the spring of 2012 from the year before were at record lows. Higher prices will be necessary for farmers to make the decision to grow more hay and increase acreage. The days of cheap hay sold at or below the true cost of production are likely


over. Horse owners will need to deal with that new reality.


Hay Production Costs Hay producers have bills to pay too. Hay prices are up, but the costs of producing hay, including fertilizer, land, machinery, buildings and labour, are also up. On a “cents per lb” of hay basis, the price of phos- phorus and potassium fer- tility removed from the soil in hay is equivalent to about 2¢/lb. Land costs can range from 1¢/lb on land that rents for $60/acre and yields a 3 ton crop, up to 4¢/lb on land that rents for $320/acre for a 4 ton crop. Establishment costs (seeding, weed control, etc) are typically about 0.5¢/lb. Harvest costs (cutting, raking, baling, handling, etc) can add up to over 2.5¢/lb, while storage costs can add another 1¢/lb. Adding up these costs can bring the cost of production to over 7 – 10¢/lb of hay, before any return to risk, man- agement and profit. Qual- ity hay must sell at a pre- mium to compensate for rain-damaged mouldy hay sold at a discounted price. Returns for producing hay must be similar to com- peting crops or else farm- ers will simply grow those other crops instead.


Trend To Large Round and Large Square Bales The production of small square bales is decreasing and large square bales are increas- ing. For hay producers,


not only is more labour required to handle small squares, but this system also has less production capacity. A lot less hay can be made in a day with a small square baler. This means less hay can be made during those limited weather windows with no rain in the forecast. Horse owners switching to large bales will need a tractor and loader to move bales, and possibly a feed cart to be used in the barn. How- ever, this can provide more hay options as small square bales get more dif- ficult to source.


Large round bales are very common, but tend to be made to be fed on-farm or sold locally where they can be moved by tractor and wagon rather than a truck. They are usually less expensive and can work very well if fed outside in hay feeders. The use of large square balers are increas- ing because they increase production capacity, and also because large square bales are more dense and more easily transported than large round bales. For horse owners, large square bales also have the advantage over large rounds in that they can be “flaked” and more easily pulled apart if being fed inside. This is especially true if the balers are fitted with “pre-cutter knives”, where the hay is partially cut going into the baler chamber.


More Use of Hay Preservatives


In order to manage the risks of rain-damage,


or mouldy hay from hay that must be baled before it is quite dry enough, many hay producers are using hay preservatives, such as commercially available buffered propi- onate products. Refer to “Preventing Mouldy Hay Using Propionate Preser- vatives” (http://fieldcrop- news.com/?p=3655). Hay preservative use tends to be greater in “rainy” years, and with large square bales. There is no scientific evidence that CFIA registered hay preservatives are harmful to horses, but the health risks from feeding mouldy, dusty hay is well documented. Horse own- ers that choose not to feed hay treated with a hay preservative will find untreated hay increasing- ly difficult to source.


Hay Sources and Price Determination


Hay prices peaked at unprecedented highs during the dry summer, before softening slightly in the fall, but strengthen- ing again in the winter. Small square bales usual- ly bring a premium price, whereas large round bales are discounted because they are more difficult to handle, store and trans- port. Hay prices are wide- ly variable depending on quality, species, bale type, and location. Hay prices at the Elmira Pro- duce Auction Coopera- tive(519-669-4913) are currently ranging from 9¢/lb for poor quality hay to over 16¢/lb for premi- um hay.


The Ontario Forage


Council (OFC) has a free Hay Listings website for those wanting to buy or sell hay. (www.ontario- haylistings.ca/) As well, members of the OFC “Hay Marketing Forum”, an association of hay dealers, are listed at www.ontarioforagecoun- cil.com/hay-marketing- forum/members.html. Horse owners should seek to develop and maintain good busi- ness relationships with reliable hay producers and dealers that can pro- vide a quality product. Making prompt payment is important. Bale size, density and weights vary significantly. If possible, price comparisons and hay purchases should be made on a “per lb” basis, rather than a price “per bale”. Learn what hay quality criteria are “deal breakers”, such as mould and dust, as opposed to factors that can be forgiv- en, such as sun bleaching on the outside of bales.


Minimizing Storage and Feeding Losses


It always amazes me that even with high hay prices I still see hay stored outside uncovered on the ground, and fed outside without hay feed- ers. Significant losses result. Inside hay storage is preferable, and pays for itself in the long term by reducing hay spoilage. Bottom bales exposed to a concrete or dirt floor will spoil from moisture. Storing bales on pallets or a layer of straw or other material will prevent this spoilage. As a minimum,


bales stored outside should be placed on pal- lets and covered with a bale tarp. Unprotected bales will be damaged by rainfall, but also absorb moisture from the ground like a sponge, resulting in significant spoilage, mould and dust.


Using proper hay feeders outside will also save a lot of hay. A study at the University of Min- nesota by Dr Krishona Martinson looked at the amount of feeding waste with several different horse hay feeder designs. Hay wasted by feeding hay on the ground with- out a feeder was 57%. Hay losses using a feeder ranged from 5% to 33% depending on the type of feeder. With high hay prices, well designed hay feeders pay for them- selves very quickly. (“Selecting A Round-bale Feeder For Horse Use”www1.extension.um n.edu/agriculture/horse/nu trition/selecting-a-round- bale-feeder/)


Summary


Hay prices have skyrocketed after a dry and challenging growing season, but underlying economic trends are pointing towards longer term tighter hay supplies and higher prices than what we are used to. Horse owners should because astute hay buyers and develop strategies for securing quality hay and reducing storage and feeding losses.


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