Shown here in a unicorn hitch during the Boone County Draft Horse Classic, draft horses will return to the fairgrounds in August for the Boone County Fair.

By Anne Eickstadt

Editor

The first annual Boone County Classic was created by local draft horse breeders and enthusiasts and was held at the Boone County Fairgrounds on Friday, June 4 and Saturday, June 5. This draft horse show was the largest draft horse show in the United States and Canada, featuring almost 30 of the Nation’s top six-horse hitches coming from 15 different states and two countries. Exhibitors traveled from as far west as Colorado, as far east as New York and from as far south as Florida and as far north as Ontario, Canada to be involved in this event. The exhibitors pulled in with semi trailers hauling their Percheron, Belgian, or Clydesdale draft horses and historic freight wagons to compete under a judge over two days. These hitches represent family-owned farms as well as world-renowned companies that use the horses for advertising.

“This is a very competitive show,” said Jarod Ellingson of Green Oaks Percherons in Caledonia. “The horses have to move as one unit and the judges watch for minute details because these are world-class draft horse teams. The judges watch for how the horses hold their heads, how high they lift their feet, precision, obedience, and so much more.

“It can take 20 minutes to braid the mane of one horse in preparation for the competition. We braid a ribbon with our colors into the mane and wrap flowers around the ribbon for added flash and beauty. We wrap the tail into a bun and add another rosette. These are other details that judges watch for.

“Green Oaks Percherons had some new horses on their hitches who were not used to all the excitement of a show. They are fine while practicing at the farm but a show is an entirely different environment with lots of unfamiliar people, horses, and noises. They have to start somewhere and animals can have good days and off days.

“The draft horse community is very competitive but very tight-knit. At the end of the day members of other teams will come help ‘undress’ the horses, bathe them, and make sure they are comfortable. We are all best friends.

“Most of these teams will follow the circuit to Ohio for the next competition. Approximately five of the teams at the Boone County Classic also frequently attend the Boone County Fair. With the success of this inaugural event, it is possible that more teams will make the trip back in August for the Fair.”

Draft horse showing refers to horse shows exclusively for horses of the draft horse breeds. It primarily features driving exhibitors presenting their horses to be judged in harness. The horses can weigh two tons each and are commonly referred to as ‘gentle giants.’

Not only did the Boone County Classic draw in numerous equine exhibitors, there were many spectators coming in to watch from all over the country. At this event, there was food, business, and shopping vendors on site for spectators.

Classic Classes

The main classes in a show exclusively for draft horses are limited to driving competition, and the Boone County Classic included hitch classes for:

*Youth Cart – Drivers are 15- to18-years-old – with Jean Greenlee driving for Green Oaks, Caledonia.

*Classic Series Cart – Two Mare Team hitched side by side on a show cart

*Mare Unicorn -Three horses hitched as a team with one horse in front of the team,

*Gelding Unicorn

*Mare Four-Horse Hitch – Four horses hitched as two teams, one pair in front of the other

*Ladies Team

*Gelding Team

*Six – Six horses hitched as three teams, one in front of another

The male/female drivers must follow a dress code while exhibiting. Men and boys must wear a jacket and slacks or a suit with tie. Women and girls must dress to enhance overall entry; long dress, slack suit, or skirt and blouse. Attire in halter classes should be semi-formal (no blue jeans). A whip, hat, and gloves are optional.

In the arena

Exhibitors of these classes must follow a pattern for each class. The pattern is the same for every class. The hitches enter the arena one at a time, following one another. They travel to the right, along the rail in a counter-clockwise direction. A hitch is a unit consisting of the exhibitor, his or her horse(s) and vehicle, being a cart or wagon. The judge is observing each hitch from the middle of the ring where he or she is standing. All of the hitches make a few laps in this counter-clockwise direction and then reverse. A lap is completed when a hitch travels the entire way around the arena next to the rail.

When the reverse is made, the hitches diagonally cut the ring in half in order to go the opposite direction. This allows the judge to see the other side of each hitch. A couple more laps are made going in this clockwise direction. While making these laps on the rail, the horses are trotting and usually asked to walk for a few steps only once during the entire class.

Next, all of the hitches line up, coming to a complete stop in the middle of the ring, all facing the same direction. The judge then looks at each hitch individually and has them back up. This requires the driver of each hitch to direct his or her horse(s) to back either the cart or wagon a few feet, stop, and then step forward to the original position.

As the judges announce the winners, the teams pull out of their line-up and exit the arena.

2021 BOONE COUNTY CLASSIC SHOW RESULTS

The Friday Classic Series Six-Horse Hitch Class was won by Express Ranches Percherons from Yukon, Okla. and driven by Josh Minshull.  The Saturday Classic Series Six-Horse Hitch Class was won by Jackson Fork Ranch from Little Jackson Hole, Wyo. driven by Ross Honsberger.

Hitch Classes

Mare Team

Chad Zubrod, Guthrie, Okla.

Ross Honsberger, Little Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Angela Vreeland, Sherwood, Mich.

Albert/Jim Cleve/Day, Farmington, Mo.

Vikki Rebensdorf, Winchester, Ohio

Jerry Maker, Strawberry Point, Iowa

Mare Unicorn

Angela Vreeland, Sherwood, Mich.

Enos Yoder, Westcliffe, Col.

Vikki Rebensdorf, Winchester, Ohio

Chad Zubrod, Guthrie, Okla.

Steven Connell, Delmar, Iowa

Andrew Stalhiem, Amery, Wis.

Jerry Maker, Strawberry Point, Iowa

Behn Bros, Pecatonica, Ill.

Patrick Nampel, Marshall, Wis.

Gelding Unicorn

Craig Hammersmith, Defiance, Ohio

Jason Hill, Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada

Victoria McCullough, Wellington, Fla.

Tim Sparrow, Mona, Utah

Brad Schreiber, Plainview, Minn.

Andrew Kidd, Vickery, Ohio

Ladies Team

Ross Honsberger, Little Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Sarah Brockhoff, Dayton, Penn.

Victoria McCullough, Wellington, Fla.

Vikki Rebensdorf, Winchester, Ohio

Enos Yoder, Westcliffe, Col.

Andrew Kidd, Vickery, Ohio

Gelding Team

Jason Hill, Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada

Hannah Deer, Lisbon, N.Y.

Duane and Beth Wilcox, Mokena, Ill.

Bob Funk, Yukon, Okla.

M.G. Micklatcher, Albion, Mich.

Andrew Kidd, Vickery, Ohio

Mare 4 horse hitch

Angela Vreeland, Sherwood, Mich.

Chad Zubrod, Guthrie, Okla.

Jerry Maker, Strawberry Point, Iowa

Vikki Rebensdorf, Winchester, Ohio

Steven Connell, Delmar, Iowa

Behn Bros, Pecatonica, Ill.

Patrick Nampel, Marshall, Wis.

Andrew Stalhiem, Amery, Wis

Youth Cart 15- to 18-years

Chad Zubrod, Guthrie, Okla.

Enos Yoder, Westcliffe, Col.

Bob Funk, Yukon, Okla.

Brad Schreiber, Plainview, Minn.

Steven Connell, Delmar, Iowa

Andrew Kidd, Vickery, Ohio

Thomas Duffy, McFarland, Wis.

Ross Honsberger, Little Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Duane and Beth Wilcox, Mokena, Ill.

Andrew Stalhiem, Amery, Wis.

Jean Greenlee, Caledonia, Ill.

Thomas Duffy, McFarland, Wis.

Jerry Maker, Strawberry Point, Iowa

 
 
 
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