The 2015 Farmer Recognition Award was presented last week to the Nick and Sandra denBrok and family.
The presentation to the Esterhazy-area couple was made during the Grain, Forage & Seed Show Awards Reception Thursday at the Grain Millers Harvest Showdown.
Nick denBrok said the award was something the family is very proud to have received, adding they were initially surprised when Jason Popowich of Maple Farm Equipment let them know he was putting forward the denBrok’s name for the award.
denBrok also thanked the Yorkton Exhibition Association (YEA).
“We’d just like to say thank you for letting us show the horses in front of you for so many years,” he said in tipping his hat to the YEA.
The farm was started by John and Martina denBrok, Nick’s parents, with Nick and his father combined their love for livestock and created Rocky Bar Ranch. In 1975 Nick married Sandra Shackleton and started their life together. In 1979 John denBrok retired and Nick carried on the family farm as Rocky Bar Ranch Ltd.
Nick and Sandra now share their love for ranching with their three daughters, Jodi, Traci and Laci, all of whom were in attendance for the Harvest Showdown presentation.
The denBroks are best known for their Belgian draft horses. The family has bred the big horses for more than 30-years.
But they are best known for showing have attended events all over Canada and the United States over the years, bringing home many top placings.
“We don’t take in as many (shows) as before,” said denBrok, but they continue to take in a few important events each year.
So looking back on years on the show trail across North America, which stands out for denBrok.
“Probably the North American Belgian Championships on 2012,” he said, adding the event hosted in Brandon attracted 500-horses from across North America.
“We went to that show with a six-horse hitch we were pretty happy with,” he said. “… Out of 17 classes at that show we were top-five in every class with that group of horses.”
The run included four firsts, and seven seconds.
In addition to the Belgian horses the denBroks have been breeding some of the top quality beef cattle for the last 13-years. They run 270 head of commercial cattle, black Angus crossed with red Limousin, alongside a herd of 70 full-blood Limousin cattle. The Limousin herd has been built with top genetics including bloodlines from Britain.
The family also farms 8,800-acres, much of it dedicated to producing feed for the cattle and horses.
So what keeps the denBroks involved in farming, in particular with draft horses?
“It’s the love of the horses,” said denBrok. “We’ve bred Belgian horses all our lives; since I was 10-years-old. It’s something we’ve been doing for a long time.”
And the big horses won’t be going anywhere either, as the love of Belgians has spread to the next generation.
Horses are in Traci’s blood too. She started barrel racing and driving horses at a young age and has never looked back. She graduated from Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alberta with two diplomas. One in herd health and another in animal health technology. She is a Certified Equine Massage Therapist as well as a Certified Equine Chiropractor.
Traci met husband David Sandilands while going to school at Lakeland. David was born and raised in Scotland. He emigrated to Canada when he was 14.
David was a bullfighter for 16-years with some past accomplishments of fighting at the Canadian Finals Rodeo for five-years, and the Calgary Stampede for six-years.
With Dave retiring from bullfighting in 2012, Dave and Traci now to travel up and down the road together as a family with mom barrel racing and dad changing careers and is now steer wrestling at Canadian Cowboy Association and Manitoba Rodeo Cowboy Association rodeos.
In 2011, Dave and Traci built their dream playground; a 90-foot by 180-foot insulated indoor arena. It has a 36 by 60-foot heated barn with a 900 square foot heated viewing lounge.
The facility allows the Sandilands to host many educational clinics. They had Lynette Brodoway and Jane Melby host Barrel Racing Clinics in 2014, and Molly Powell and Lisa Lockhart in 2013, as well as Brett Thompson and David Sandilands Bullriding and BullFighting clinic in 2013 and 2014.
Daughters Jodi and Laci have always been involved too, said their father, noting when they travelled to shows across North America all three daughters were involved, including spending time on the wagon seat beside their dad as he drove two, four and six-horse hitches in competition.
“They’ve been helping and involved for years,” he said. “… It’s in their blood too.”
And the grandchildren are following the tradition being around the horses and the show ring at a young age, said denBrok, who is confident at least some will become the fourth generation to operate the farm.
“The grandchildren are already involved,” he said with a big smile, adding that is the best part of farming “… having family doing it with us.”
