BY VICTORIA KENDALL / CWHBA
PHOTOGRAPHY:
Four provinces, five days of inspections... Swedish judge Mikael Nolin crossed the country this past September and, with his Swedish eye on Canadian horses, liked what he found.
The 2026 National Inspection Tour ran from September 15-21 under the watchful eye of Sweden’s Mikael Nolin, who made stops in Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, concluding at the Alberta Chapter Breeders Show in Calgary.
Nolin is an experienced judge who specializes in jumping horses, and left impressed by their quality, and by the sheer size of the country he had to cross to see them.
Along the way he saw several premium mares and licensed stallions. His adjudication and comments were extremely educational for everyone who attended, from breeders and owners to the volunteers who handled the horses.
The cross-country route
The tour flew from Montreal to Winnipeg, then drove roughly 1,300 kms across the Prairies to Calgary.
Day 1: Tuesday, September 16 – Montreal
Morning inspections hosted by Pinnacle Equestrain
Day 2: Wednesday, September 17: Manitoba
Inspections at Eastridge Farm.
Day 3: Thursday, September 18: Saskatchewan
Inspections at two locations – Clearview Stables outside Regina, and Pelmac Stables outside Saskatoon.
Day 4: Friday, September 19: Alberta
Stallion licensing and mare inspections at ACE in Calgary.
Day 5: Saturday, September 20: Calgary
Alberta Chapter Breeders Show – The tour finale at ACE.
The tour team included Cathy Chalack (AB) and Victoria Kendall, with local senior inspectors Lisa Longtin, Dianne Million, Connie Dorsch, and Cassandra Morrish joining at their chapter inspections...
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