Murray was born and raised in the R.M. of Miniota, west of the Assiniboine Valley, where he still resides.
His first interest in horses began when his brother and two sisters drove to their one room school, which was on the same section as their farm in a one horse open cutter in the winter and by team of horses which he drove himself
part time.
Over the years he always enjoyed riding horseback. He took part in many of the cattle drives from Hargrave to the Community Pasture on the stony plains in the
spring and fall.
He belonged to the Miniota Gymkhana club and took part in all the fun and games and went on many trail rides.
In 1961 he married Bev Cole and together they raised 3 children, Trent, Blaine and Tracy who are all married with children of their own. Trent and Blaine both farm and are still in the PMU and both continue to raise Belgian horses. Tracy lives on a farm at Foxwarren where they have grain and cattle.
He bought his first Registered Belgian mare in 1967 which he used in a team to pull the Wynona School float in the Centennial parade at Miniota. He started to show horses in 1968 with a team of Belgians on halter and in harness, mostly at local fairs.
He showed horses at the Brandon Summer Fair several times and made his first trip to the Toronto Royal with 3 horses in 1980 then again in 1988 to the first North American Belgian show with a yearling filly. Since then, he has shown a few halter horses from time to time.
In 1973 he received his first PMU Contract and that is when he got more serious about raising Belgian horses with about 30 mares and 2 Registered Belgian Stallions. The herd increased over the years to 80 mares in the 1990s.
He was a member of the Miniota Rodeo Committee for over years and served as a director on the Virden Ag Society for for many years.
He has been a member of the Manitoba Percheron Belgian Club for over 30 years where he served as President for a 2 year term.
He has sold horses to many of the Canadian provinces and a number of different states in the U.S.. Many of them going for show horses and breeding stock.
When he’s not busy on the farm, Murray enjoys curling in the winter, and has taken up golfing the last 2 years. He has served on the Parkissimo Lodge in Miniota for the past 8 years. Murray and Bev take pleasure in attending many dances in the area.
Murray and Bev have six grandchildren and still live on the farm that has been in the Peel family for over 100 years where Murray still enjoys helping out whenever he’s needed.
| 2023 AWARD | Shawne Hagan |
|---|---|
| 2022 AWARD | Faye and Daryl Horn |
| 2019 AWARD | Kim and Grant Gee |
| 2018 AWARD | Cathy Gerrand and Duncan Campbell |
| 2017 AWARD | Everett More |
| 2016 AWARD | Jim and Elaine Hyde |
| 2015 AWARD | Rick and Paddy White |
| 2014 AWARD | Doug Sexsmith |
| 2013 AWARD | Geraldine Fowler |
| 2012 AWARD | Morris Clarke |
| 2011 AWARD | Lyle Brown |
| 2010 AWARD | Darrell Nolan |
| 2009 AWARD | Sherald Joynt |
| 2007 AWARD | Donna Hunter |
| 2006 AWARD | Wilf Dryden / Murray Peel |
| 2005 AWARD | Betty Joseph / Don Gee |
| Ron & Merle Coleman | Arnie Andrews | Ray Dryden |
| Dino Fontana | Ken Brown | Don Brown |
| Don Brown | Bea Lowe | Wilf Van Loo |
| Bob and Arlene Ross | Jack and Carol Forsyth | Betty Joseph |
| Wilf Dryden | Donna Hunter | Darryl Nolan |
| Orville Fowler | John Clarke | Bill and Pearl Brown |
| Lloyd Robinson | Stu Taylor | George Sproat |
| Ken Horn | Vern MacFarlane | Bill and Gail McQuaker |
| Ed Page | Don and Marg Gee | Murray Peel |
| Cecil Brown | Sherald Joynt | Lyle Brown |