WALKING WITH THE DRAFTS

Another summer almost gone, and the Indiana State Fair has come to an end for another year. The Indiana State Fair celebrated its 150th birthday this year and I attended for the first time. As some of you may remember I grew up on a farm in Wisconsin. We raised pigs, beef cattle, and horses. I was a member of 4-H and spent many summers at the county and the state fairs exhibiting animals. So farming, livestock and the fair have always held a special place in my heart. The only thing I can compare it to is Christmas.

Many of us enjoy our favorite things while attending the fair: Elephant Ears, roasted Corn on the Cob, Foot-Long hotdogs, lemon shakeups, and the midway. And then there’s deep-fried everything, everywhere, producing 5-star smells. Not to mention all the amazing farm animals that many “city slickers” don’t normally have the opportunity to see.

My favorite has, and always will be, the equine competition. As Winston Churchill put it, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of man.”

This year I had the opportunity to see my first draft horse show.

As I entered the Pepsi Coliseum, the organist was playing “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” while draft horses pulled their spit-shined carts around the ring. “These 6-horse hitch teams are worth a million dollars,” announced the ringmaster. “Most of these horsemen travel throughout the country from Iowa, to Wisconsin, to Indiana, to Michigan and Minnesota, even to Pennsylvania, state to state, exhibiting and competing.” “Held right here in this arena is the largest 6-horse hitch competition in North America.”

After the show I walked through the draft horse barn. I spotted my favorite stable, H & C Belgians. The Hitzfield & Country Road Belgians are a compilation of horses from Larry and Carol Hitzfield of Hitzfield Excavating, Roanoke, Indiana and their trainer Gary Miller, Akron, Indiana. They were busily unhitching and preparing to head back home.

I spoke briefly with trainer Gary Miller, Cole Stienbrick-assistant trainer, and Bre Kintz-stall manager. I could see that they clearly knew their way around each horse as they prepared to unharness. Each stable person had his own job responsibilities. Bre was unbraiding the mane and tail. Cole was unstrapping and pulling off the heavy harness and carrying it to Gary who was cleaning and putting another coat of polish on the leather preparing it to travel.

“We are currently building our horse hitch and are working with some young horses that we hope to work into our hitch,” explained Miller, the trainer. “Our horses placed well at every show that we went to so far this year and we are very happy with the results.”

Continuing, as he polished the leather, Gary commented, “Wendy, a 4-year old mare, really stepped up to the plate in every class she was in and is considered one of the best cart horses in the country. She has done an outstanding job of leading our unicorn hitch, 4 and 6-horse hitch. She has done everything we have asked of her and we look forward to the maturity that she will bring to the ring next year.”

I asked Gary what shows they competed in and when did they start their show season each year. He said they started the spring training in April and that the show season started this year about the middle of July and will continue through October. They travel starting with a couple of nearby county fairs, and then on to B rated shows, but the majority of them are A rated, to improve their placing overall in competition for the year.

Pointing his efforts at the 2006 Belgian National Show, held the first week of August, in Davenport, Iowa, Gary said, “Currently our string consists of 12 horses. 2006 was the first year in the show ring for 8 of these young horses and we did well. Our 6-horse hitch, lead by Wendy, won the prestigious National Grand Champion 6-Horse Hitch award.”

Racking up their points at the Indiana State Fair, Hitzfield and Country Road Belgians placed 1st in Team Hitch, and 2nd in Unicorn, 4-horse and 6-horse hitch competition.

The comradary found between draft horse people is one that I frankly have not seen in light horse competitions. It is all business in the show ring but outside the ring it’s a different story. Families gather around the barn (some 3 generations strong), sharing dinner while swapping stories about their horses, showing, and just catching up in general. It’s a relaxed atmosphere. Everyone is friendly, the kids play together, and there is good-hearted teasing and boasting.

Reflecting back on showing animals at the fair in my younger days…it IS all about family, good friends and of course horses. And this year, after my experience at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis, I can say that there’s no better place to take in the horse shows, excitement, and the flavor of the fair than the Indiana State Fair. See you there next year!