Beginning of a legacy: Students establish broodmare program at Lakeland
Students in Lakeland College’s animal science technology (AST) equine major will have a lasting impact on the program, ensuring it continues to grow with a sustainable future.
As they wrap up their final semester, they leave behind the beginnings of a new generation for the Student-Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland (SMF)– Lakeland’s first broodmare program, with foals expected this summer.
“Our vision was to produce ranch-type horses with quality dispositions,” says second-year student Tiana Friesen, who's part of the program’s second cohort of students. “Establishing a new broodmare program was huge for us.”
“We started last year buying a group of broodmares and breeding them with some stallions in the area,” explains Abigail Grierson, second year student in the program. “We were trying to push the foals towards more ranch-type horses.”
This year, the class had two foals to work with, preparing them with basic groundwork and training. The foals were then sold in March at the annual Round Up Sale, a student-managed event organized by second-year AST students majoring in livestock, beef and equine. At the sale, they sold four ranch geldings for an average of $9,750 each and two yearlings for an average of $1,850.
Since the students bred most of their broodmares this year in an effort to make the program sustainable, next year’s class will have a few more yearlings to sell.
“This program was so good,” Friesen says. “It’s one of the greatest experiences of my life. I’m really glad I came.”
Grierson agrees, saying, “I learned a lot about everything, not just in the industry, but about myself personally. This program has probably built me more than anything else in my life.”
Outside of the Equine Centre, students delved into the business of equine operations, studying finance, marketing, microeconomics and more.
“We had to think about what appeals to the market and what people want to buy. We focused on how to market our horses in the most successful way,” Friesen says.
The hands-on nature of the program has prepared both Grierson and Friesen for the future.
“It helps put what we are learning into perspective. If we’re talking about training or breeding horses, it’s hard to understand it unless you have the opportunity to put it into practice,” says Grierson.
“This program gave me the opportunity to pursue my passions,” adds Friesen, whose goal is to work in horse training or breeding programs. “I’m really grateful it exists. I didn’t have these opportunities growing up. It really opened my eyes to what I’m capable of and I’m so glad I came."
Photos: (Top) Abigail Grierson and Tiana Friesen. (Midde) Tiana Friesen. (Bottom) Abigail Grierson.