It’s a whole family affair for the Casebeers at the Calgary Stampede this year. Cody Casebeer a local of the Strathmore region will be competing in the heavy horse pull competition at the 2019 Calgary Stampede. The competition will take place this weekend at the Nutrien Western Event Centre from July 12 to 14.

Casebeer explained that the way it works is for each competitor there’s a group of people working together in the competition.

“There’s one person driving the team, that’s me. You have somebody hooking the team to the sled, my father does that, and my mother does a lot of the nutrition supplements and grooming,” he said.

Casebeer has been competing in Heavy Horse Pull for seven years and this is the sixth time he has competed at the Calgary Stampede.

He uses Belgian horses.

“That is the most common used in the horse pull,” he said.

“I just love how it showcases the brute power and strength these horses have,” said Casebeer.

“They are the ones that did all the farm work, and all the heavy lifting back in the old days before we had all these trucks and tractors. It’s just amazing what these two animals can do,” he said.

Lately Casebeer has competed in Northern Alberta at Stony Plain and Drayton Valley.

They have also done exhibitions of the sport in Millarville and Picture Butte.

The way it works is there are two horses that form a team. Competitors are grouped into three weight classes, light weight, middle weight, and heavy weight.

Competitors pull a weighted sled 14 feet within a 16-foot lane way.

Casebeer anticipates being in the heavy weight division, which competes on Sunday night from 5 to 7 p.m. Middle weight is Saturday night from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m., and light weight is on Friday from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m.

The competition is free to attend with admission to the grounds.