Al6-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, January 6,1990
Windermere Farms: Home Of Prize-Winning Percherons, Clydesdales
BY MARIANNE WALKER
Centre Co. Correspondent
SPRING MILLS (Centre Co.) “I can’t help it;
it’s in my blood,” he admitted, shaking his head. “I
was bom this way— I just can’t help it,” he repeated
as he gazed out over the pasture, filled with about 20
Percheron and Clydesdale mares. Abe Allebach was
speaking of his love, or maybe it should be referred to
as his passion for horses. This small-framed man with
an unending enthusiasm for equines has spent most of
his life milking cows; always, always, with the idea of
making a living with horses in the back of his mind.
Over the years, Abe experimented with a variety of
breeds, including Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walking
Horses, and Standardbreds.
In 1972 the Allebachs invested in their first draft
horses, a pair of Percheron brood mares, and the rest is
as they say, history. “We basically got the two mares
thinking we would use them in parades that was
Abe’s thinking,” remembers Mary, Abe’s wife. “We
decided that was foolish. We might as well be making
some money with them,” she added.
The show circuit was a must for the Allebachs, back
in the early ‘7os. If they were going to promote their
stock, if they hoped to make any money in this horse
business. So, they “took to the show trail,” selecting
the very best of shows; the Sterling North American
Championship Show in Detroit; the Ohio State Fair’s
National Show in Columbus; The Keystone Interna
tional Livestock Exposition in Harrisburg: the Detroit
International; the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto; and,
of course, the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg.
‘These shows are the toughest competitions in the
United States and Canada,” said Abe. Six years ago
the Allebachs added Clydesdales to their showstring.
And, what a showstring they’ve amassed. Take Black
Home Duke, for instance. That’s Abe’s 18-hand stal
lion who has won at almost every major show in the
United States and Canada, including the Royal Winter
Fair. Duke serviced a total of 60 mares in the past year,
with semen being sent to 16 states.
Abe recently sold Ambassador’s Danny Boy, a stal
lion the family had campaigned for many years, dur
ing which time he had earned grand champion honors
at the Eastern Regional Show four years in a row, and
many championships at Farm Show. “It was important
that after my stallion did what he did, that I sell him
and start showing his offspring,” Abe said.
This year, the Allebachs will be showing 14 of their
35 draft horses at Farm Show, hoping for the success
they’ve had in years past. That success amounts to 29
grand championships and 19 reserves that the Alle
bachs have collected over the past 12 years at
Harrisburg.
Abe is quick to point out that these honors have
been won by the family; this is a family effort, for
sure. Abe and Mary’s son, Gerald, a sales manager at a
local car dealership, own many of the horses in part
nership. Together, Abe and Gerald are the showmen,
with daughter, Monica, assisting as the whip person.
“Mary’s work is behind the scenes,” Abe explained,
“but it’s very important.” With 14 horses to be bathed
once, and sometimes twice, at Farm Show, her groom
ing duties are indeed important. Each of the horses
must then be braided for competition.
Although the Allebach family as a unit contributes
to the success of their draft horses, it appears to be
Abe’s knowledge and drive that has been the main
impetus behind their prize-winning stock.
Allebach has an eye for correct conformation, and
there are key elements he searches for in selection of
his breeding stock. “You’ve heard the saying ‘no foot
- no horse,’ that’s the first thing I look for— a wide
heel,” Abe stated. “Then, I look for good slopey past
erns, well-formed hocks that are placed close together,
and I like a flat-boned horse.” He went on, “Those
things have to be right. I look at other things later. If
those things are right, they’ll move right.”
In the conformation classes, the draft horses are
PA Dairymen’s Association
NEW CUMBERLAND (Dauphin Co.) The
annual meeting and banquet of the Pennsylvania
Dairymen’s Association will be held Tuesday
evening, Jan. 9 at the Harrisburg Sheraton-East.
The events of the evening will begin with a milk
punch reception at 6 p.m. with dinner to follow at
6:30 p.m.
Several highlights of the evening will include the
awarding of the Charles E. Cowan Award and the
Extension Service Award to two individuals
involved in the dairy industry.
The evening will also feature the winning state
4-H Dairy Judging Team, which represented the
United States in international competition this past
summer, sharing their experiences, on the team as
well as experiences while representing Pennsylva
nia and the United States.
Tickets cost $l3 each and arc available by call
ing Sue Beshore at (717) 938-4876. Deadline for
tickets is Monday, January 8.
judged at the walk and the trot, so the movement that
Abe speaks of is crucial. The Allebachs also compete
in hitching classes of one horse, team, unicorn (a team
with one horse in front), four, six, and, occasionally,
eight horse. The hitching classes necessitate elaborate
carts and patent leather harnesses that may cost as
much as $6,800 for a team.
Such equipment might seem extravagant, but one of
the judging criteria is overall appearance, and when
there are as many as 400 Percherons entered in a given
show, the Allebachs believe that they must be
competitive.
Part of staying competitive is advertising your pro
duct, which the Allebachs certainly do. They buy
space in the “Draft Horse Journal,” and Abe is a direc
tor of the National Percheron Association and the Pen
nsylvania Percheron Association. “Most of the adver
tising is your reputation, though,” Abe admitted, Once
people get to know that you have good horses, then
you’ll have buyers.”
Three years ago Abe sold his cows, finally realizing
his life-long dream of a career in horses. He now crop
farms his 200-plus acres and cares for the horses,
including their training and all farrier work. And, if
you have the chance to observe him at Windermere
Farms on a blustery 0 degree day, calmly but firmly
leading Duke, the 18-hand, 2,000-pound stallion, you
GRAIN, CATTLE AND HOG
FUTURES MARKETS
From DIN farnwr utolllM daily update. Sarvlct phona: (717) •• 1-7(o*.
GRAINS 16 MARCH CORN
2 9 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 4 11 18 25 1
OCT NOV DK JAN
DIN TOES 10 01/04 TECHNICAL COHSXTS
MOVING AVERAGES
4-DAY 9-DAY
4.09 1/4 4.09 5/8
3.59 7/8 3.59 1/4
4.07 5/8 4.08 3/8
3.68 7/8 1.68 5/8
CLOSE
MAR WHEAT 4.09 1/4
JLY WHEAT 1.60 1/2
KC MAS WHT 4.07
KC JLY WHT 3,69 1/2
2.38 1/2 2.38 7/8 2.39 3/8
2.48 7/8 2.48 7/8 2.48 1/2
2.47 1/6 2.46 1/8 2.(5 3/8
5.79 5.81 7/8 5.87 1/2
6.05 6.07 1/8 6.10 7/8
6.15 3/4 6.15 1/4 6.16 1/4
180.29 179,96 181.25
19.01 19.24 19.43
KM COM 2.38 1/4
Jit COM 2.49
DEC9O CM 2.48 1/4
MAR MS 5.76 1/2
JLY BUS 6.02 1/2
KOV9O MS 6.15
Mil BEAL 179.80
BAB OIL 13.91
FEB cm
apr cm
BAR FOBS
FEB HOGS
APR HOGS
FEB BELS
76.95
75.(0
83.12
50.50
47.22
51.47
77.23 77.23 76.44
75.59 75.45 74.95
83.13 83.34 82.79
49.23 49.17 49.09
45.76 45.44 45.27
50.20 49.88 50.50
SOYBEANS SOYBEAN BEAL
JAB 5710 5630 5632* -40 JAR 1815 1791 1792* ■!
BAR 5842 5760 5764* -50 BAR 1818 1797 1798* -I
BAY 5974 5900 5902* -44 BAY 1818 1803 1804* -!
JLY 6094 6020 6024* -44 JLY 1840 1826 1830* -1
AUG 6120 6060 6060* -36 AUG 1847 1836 1836* -I
SEP 6132 6082 6082* -22 SEP 1855 1845 1845* I
BOV 6200 6144 6150* -16 OCT 1863 1850 1852* r
JAB 6284 6254 6254* -10 DEC 1882 1378 1879* •]
Dm GHAIKS 23 JAH SOYMEAI
COHTIACT HIGH; 230.0 LOW: 175.6
'll 'l
20 27 4 11 It 25 1
OK JAM
Closing bids: Thursdiy, January 4)
CONTRACT HIGH: 2.564 LON: 2*260
I'i"
M,,/,
PAST BEER'S (ENDING 12/29) CDRBEBT
18-DAY HIGH LOB CLOSE SUPPORT RESISIABCE
4.11 3/8 4,11 1/2 4.05 1/2 4.09 1/4 4-02 4.20
3.59 5/8 3.61 3.56 1/4 3.58 1/2 3.47 3.65
4.08 7/8 4,10 1/4 4.06 1/2 4.08 1/2 4.00 4.15
3.6! 1/2 3.69 1/2 3.67 1.68 3/4 3.44 1/2 3.75
2.39 3/4
2.49 3/4
2.47 3/4
5.68
2.40 2.38 1/4
2.50 2.48
2.48 2.44
5.71 5,64
5.82 1/4
6.18
5.85
6.19 1/2
5.78 1/2
6.10 1/4
181.70 177.80 181.60
19.08 18.78 18,70
76.55 77.37
74.65 75.67
84.65 84.85
48.42 48.70
44.52 44.87
49,05 49.90
77.92
76.00
85.60
49.60
45.55
50.75
SOYBEAB OIL
■8 JAB 1874 1848 1850* -14
■5 BAR 1920 1890 1891* -16
•5 BAY 1960 1932 1932* -17
■1 JLY 1992 1962 1963* -16
■2 AUG 2000 1970 1970* -15
0 SEP 2010 1980 1980* -11
-3 OCT 2020 1990 1990* -20
■1 DEC 2035 2015 2015*-10
DT* CHAINS 18 JULY WHEAT
MUTIACT HIGH: 3.850 LOH; 3.422
190.7 —, ,
189.9
149.1
114.3 II
187.5
U 6.7
115.9
1*5.1
184.3
183.5
182.7
181.9
181.1
180.3
179.5
178.7
177.9
177.1
175.3
175.5
174.7 -
27 4 11 II 25 1
DK JAN
know that this man was meant for a career in horses.
Duke never thought of misbehaving; he was chock
full of zip as horses are in such weather, but he never
thought of disobeying Abe. Suddenly it all makes
sense: Abe was bom this way he just can’t help it
This two-year-old Clydesdale mare, Crystal, Is one
Windermere Farms draft horses that will be shown at
Show this year.
DIN LIVESTOCK 17 FEB HOGS
LIVESTOCK IS FEB CATTLE
2.33 1/2 2.44
2.44 2.52
2.40
, tt
5.51 5.86
5.63 6.00
6.00 6.53
175.50 BAR 185,00
18.78 BAR 19.50
75.00 .
73.50
82.50 BAR .
48.00 51.87
44.50 47.50?
48.00 54.00
GRAINS 21 JAM SOYBEANS
3.660
3.646
2 9 16 23 JO 6 13 20 27 4 11 U 25 1
OCX MOV DEC JAM
LIVE CATTLE
HIGH LOU LAST CRG
7770 7665 7695* -20
7600 7510 7540* +5
7240 7110 7190**25
7207 7142 7142**37
7207 7140 7147* *4O
7315 7250 7250* *l5
/
( tt
I
|t
tt '
(tt |
111 It 1(1ll 11
All 11 V \
CHICAGO WHEAT
BIGS L* UST CBG
(110 (004 4092* -(
1892 3184 3180* -8
3814 3892 3804* -2
3884 3850 3684* -4
3772 3760 3764* *4
I.C. SOB®*
HI 2170 2170 2170*1974
UI 2224* *4
JU 2284* *4
«I 1830 1874 1578* -28 SIP
HIGH MH lASI CHG
HU 2394 2376 2312* -2 HU
HAT 2452 2440 2442* *2 HA!
JU 2400 2414 2490* 0 JIT
SEP 2416 2470 2410* « SB
DR 2412 2406 2412* *l2 DR
HU 2550 2530 2550*414
HAT 2592 2516 2590*410
DAIS
HU 1550 1500 1504* -22
JU 1700 1050 1054* -30 OK
FEEDER CATTLE
HIGH LOW LAST CHG
1535 8425 8455* *8
8370 8270 8312**35
8300 8182 8217* *22
8195 8110 8120* +l5
8105 8065 8075* *lO
8025 8022 8022**20
LIVE HOGS
HIGH LCW LIST CEG
HB 5050 5050 5050*4150
APR 4722 4722 4722*4150
JW 5045 5045 5045*4150
JU 5080 5010 5080*4150
AOS 4922 4922 4922*4150
OCT 4507 4507 4507*4150
CONTRACT HIGH: 51.87 LOH: 41.75
•/
tll|t
f'
CONTRACT HIGH: 77.92 LOU: 69.80
tt
tt
l-f
CONTRACT HIGH: 7.670 LON: 5.511
K.C. HHUT
HUB LOBUST CHC
BMI 0010 (0(4 4070* -6
nnooo 3176 3192* *6
JLV 3700 3(14 3694* *2
SBF 1754 3714 3734* 0
OK 1430 3120 3120* 0
BUI MM
nt 3924 3906 3912* -4
IM 3910 3194 3900* 0
JU 3H4 3102 3104* *2
Sff 3710 3774 3710* 44
OK 3910 3120 3130* 410
Of 14
Farm
43.50
43.00
42.50
6.010