STEINBACH, MAN. THE CARILLON n C5
www.thecarillon.com n
THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2026
Agriculture Now
Ground being laid for Arabian event
Footing technician Allan Quast operates a tractor in the main arena of the Keystone Centre to level the ground for the horses.
MATT GOERZEN BRANDON SUN
Keystone Centre last week on behalf of the Ara- bian championship to ensure that the dirt and sand base at the facility is perfect. Quast has been a “dirt guy” for 30 years and is lending his expertise to ensure the floor is built specifically for the Arabian horses. Quast has logged some 12-hour days during this stage leading to the event, he said. “It takes that much prep work to get it done,” he said. “You gotta get it right the first time around.” In his role, Quast measures and reviews the ground — and getting his hands dirty is all in a day’s work. “I drive the tractor too, because I’m fussy.” When the event actually begins, his work will slow down, he said. The Keystone Centre is preparing up to 450 indoor stables and 140 outdoor stables to ac- commodate competitors next week. Epp is slated to work with children from a local 4-H chapter to bed the stables with shavings in the coming days. The Keystone Centre has also stockpiled hay and shavings ahead of the event. The facility needs to be ready by Aug. 4, as riders can arrive in Brandon in advance to warm up and get settled in. Connie Lawrence, CEO and general manag- er of the Keystone Centre, said the goal of staff is to make the experience enjoyable for com- petitors and guests. “We try to make it as easy as possible for everyone who’s coming here,” she said. “The biggest thing they like about Brandon is our facility. It is a world-class facility.” The centre’s 44 fully serviced campsites are filled up, and the overflow campsites are now being filled, she said. Preparations for the event also include set-
by CONNOR MCDOWELL, Local Journalism Initiative S taff at Brandon’s Keystone Centre are working around the clock to lay the groundwork for Canada’s National Arabi- an Championship. The championship, which will run from Aug. 6-15, is bringing more than 300 horses and hundreds of visitors to Brandon. Devin Epp, sales manager in the Ag Centre at the Keystone Centre, said the primary task ahead of the event is laying dirt just right. “We have been working on this day in and day out,” he said. Starting July 24, staff began working on a 24- hour schedule to build the competition floor. Dirt was hauled into the arena and has since been worked into place persistently with trac- tors and hand-pushed equipment. The goal is to ensure the floor is as firm and evenly laid as possible, Epp said. The quality of the floor benefits the incoming Arabian hors- es, which evolved to prefer firm terrain. Staff are now raking 80 cubic yards of sand to sit on top of the hard dirt base and form a layer of about two inches. The arena is worked for a total of 10 to 15 hours per day. The preparations are painstaking — and the staff have found their stride this year com- pared to the first year the championship came back to Brandon, Epp said. “Last year, when we brought it back, it was a learning process,” he said. “But this year it has been smooth. It looks amazing.” To ensure that the arena is in tip-top shape, a footing expert has been sent in to oversee work on site. Allan Quast of Lacombe, Alta., came to the
ting up a lounge area, booking musical perfor- mances and arranging catered meals and cof- fee deliveries for competitors. Thirty maintenance staff and 11 manag- ers are involved in prepping for the incoming competition. MATT GOERZEN BRANDON SUN Outdoor horse stalls have been set up in the Keystone Centre parking lot to house participants in Canada’s National Arabian Championship, which starts next week Thursday.
MATT GOERZEN BRANDON SUN Devin Epp, Agricultural sales and event manager for the Keystone Centre, right, together with footing technician Allan Quast from Lacombe, AB, explain how the facility readies the arena floor for Canada’s National Arabian Championship which starts next week Thursday here in Brandon.
4.8 m
Pre-harvest glyphosate staging tips help produce market-ready crops A Winnipeg based organization is urg- ing farmers to follow label instruc- tios when applying their pre-harvest growers should always follow the prod- uct label for application rate, timing and pre-harvest interval (PHI). Harvesting ear- lier than recommended can increase the risk of unacceptable glyphosate residues in harvested grain.
Working in the fields?
glyphosate. Keep it Clean is reminding Canadian canola, cereal and pulse growers to follow proper staging practices for pre-harvest glyphosate application to help protect crop marketability and preserve access to domestic and export markets. Applying pre-harvest glyphosate for weed control too early can result in unacceptable prod- uct residues in harvested grain. Keep it Clean’s pre-harvest glyphosate staging guide provides visual examples to help growers identify when grain moisture content in canola, cereals and pulses is less than 30 percent – the only stage at which pre-harvest glyphosate may be applied. Where allowed, glyphosate is registered for pre-harvest weed control and is not to be used as a desiccant. Pre-harvest glyphosate may only be applied when grain moisture content is less than 30 per cent in the least mature part of the field, including any ar- eas of regrowth that may produce seed. “Glyphosate is an important tool in the grower’s toolbox for crop management, and when it comes to pre-harvest glypho- sate, timing is everything. By waiting until grain moisture in the least mature part of the field is below 30 per cent, growers can ensure their crop meets market standards and help keep markets open for all,” said Krista Zuzak, director of crop protection at Cereals Canada. To avoid unacceptable residue levels,
When using glyphosate for pre-harvest weed control in a tank mix with other products, such as saflufenacil, products must still be applied when grain moisture content is less than 30 percent in the least mature part of the field. Growers must also follow the PHI of the most restrictive prod- uct label. Keep it Clean said on-farm practic- es make a difference in protecting Can- ada’s reputation as a trusted supplier of high-quality canola, cereals and pulses. Growers, agronomists and retailers are en- couraged to use the Keep it Clean pre-har- vest glyphosate staging guide and confirm any market-specific requirements with their grain buyer before applying pre-har- vest glyphosate. Keep it Clean is a joint initiative of the Canola Council of Canada, Cereals Cana- da, Pulse Canada and the Prairie Oat Grow- ers Association that was created to provide growers and crop advisors with resources that help them grow market-ready crops. These resources include updates on poten- tial market risks and resources for on-farm practices that ensure crops meet the stan- dards of domestic and export customers. Keep it Clean is funded in part through the agrimarketing program under the Sustain- able Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
Watch for power lines.
Safety is the answer. hydro.mb.ca/farm
Powered by FlippingBook