Belgian Judge
Kyle was born and raised on an equine ranch in Virden, Manitoba, Canada. Kyle grew up showing a hitch of Clydesdales with his family across western Canada. At age 19, he moved to Oklahoma to pursue a career in the draft horse business. This opportunity provided Kyle with jobs in both Missouri and Texas for 5 years, showing a six horse hitch of Clydesdale geldings, winning a number of National Championships.
In 2011, Kyle and his wife Marcia moved to Sunderland, Ontario, where they managed and trained the Country Lane Belgians. Kyle and Marcia started a family, with 2 daughters, Hadley and Ryleigh. Over a period of 7 years, they accumulated a number of achievements with the hitch.
In the fall of 2017, the Forsyth family moved to southeastern Idaho, to continue their careers with the Double S Belgians. They added another daughter, Everly in 2021. Their family continues to successfully campaign the Double S Belgians for the Smith family at a number of shows across North America.
Clydesdale Judge
Brian, along with his wife, Colleen, and children, Taylor and Luke, are from Didsbury Alberta, Canada.
Brian grew up farming with horses and started showing draft horses at age 17. With his wife Colleen, he has fielded six and eight horse hitches in most major breeds including Clydesdales, Percherons, and Belgians. He has had the opportunity to judge draft horses in both North and South America as well as Australia and Scotland.
As an industry leader, Brian gives back by volunteering on several show committees.
Known as the trainer’s trainer, Brian enjoys conducting both public and private clinics.
Percheron Judge
Chad Cole is from Centre Hall, PA, where he and his wife, Rhonda, run the Percheron breeding farm, Pennwoods Percherons. They stand several stallions on the farm and ship semen all over North America. They also compete with their Percherons in halter and hitch shows across the country.
Riding Judge
Colleen grew up the daughter of respected horse trainers. She has spent 40 years as a career horse trainer and takes pride in being an all-around horsewoman.
Her experience includes barrel racing, reining, western pleasure, trail, dressage and jumping. Recently, she has turned her attention to developing her saddle seat skills.
The Coleman’s, under the herd name Eaglesfield, have maintained their own select herd of Percheron breeding horses over the past 30 years. Among their championships, in 2004 they claimed the World Champion Percheron horse title with a home raised mare “High Hope Heather”.
Hitch Announcer
Brad Bowie from Brad Bowie Communications lives in Niagara Ontario. Brad has been a Horse Show & Rodeo Announcer for 12 years. Brad has had the privilege to announce at Premier events for National Reining Horse Association, international Professional Rodeo Association, National Stock Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Association, Ontario Cutting Horse Assoc. and the Ontario High School Rodeo Assoc.
Line Class Announcer
Bill Keith brings his 35 years of Horse Show Announcing experience to the Triple Crown Draft Classic. A life long breeder and exhibitor of Hackney Ponies, Bill announces approximately 15 shows each year including the Great Northern Exhibition Heavy Horse Show which he also chairs.
Photographer
When we asked Michelle to provide us with a bio she shared with us… “I touched my first draft horse in 2009 and immediately fell in love with Clydesdales. I was asked to shoot the National Clydesdale Sale, then the National Clydesdale Show in Wisconsin and Boone County. We retired in 2012 and moved to south Texas, moving me out of the heart of draft horses. In 2015 I shot the Classic Series Finals and soon was shooting all over the country. This year marks doing the World Clydesdale Show in 3 different countries. I have published a book, Make Mine a Draft and am working on volume 2. I love shooting candids and showing more of what is involved in a draft horse show than just the actual show.”