The Fair
Every year, horses, along with cows, pigs, goats, sheep, poultry,
rabbits, and Guinea Pigs are hauled in to the fairgrounds all day Wednesday. The animals have
that evening to settle in, as the excitement starts the next morning. The
horses only show in Showmanship classes on Thursday, and that is not until
the afternoon, but the few and the dedicated are there when I get there
at 5 o'clock in the morning, when I turn on the lights in the horse barn
and double check to make sure all the horses are safe and sound. That is
the nice, cool time of the day to get your horse out and work out in the
arena. I must say, it isn't too crowded either.
After a long day of waiting for just one class, the horses, once
again get the evening off. The next day, Friday, is the longest day of
the year, I think. That morning, Halter classes begin. As you get out of
your Halter class, it is time to get your horse saddled and warmed up for
the Western Classes. Following the normal Equitation and Pleasure, is the
Western Riding, Command Class (which is a lot like Simon Says) we also
have Bareback and Double classes. Every year, the last classes are finishing
up long after dark.
Once again, the dedicated, (or more accurately, the ones who can
survive without sleep) are there, dark and early, on Saturday morning.
Saturday is English day. Luckily, we don't have to wait for the Cows and
Draft horses to get done with the arena so the Horse classes start earlier
on Saturday. We have Equitation, Pleasure, Bareback, English Riding, Dressage,
Command Class, and Versatility. For those of you who have never watched
or participated in a Versatility Class, it is a riot!! Riders go in dressed
in english attire, and show a normal class, then after they line up, the
gates are opened, and helpers pushing wheelbarrows rush in, strip the horse
and rider down to a minimum in the arena, and get them dressed in Western
wear. The riders are timed, and at the end of 5 minutes, are slapped back
on their horses, dressed or not, and show an entire western class. I tried
it once, but now, I just help. Trail is also on Saturday.
Sunday. The day we have all been waiting for. Sunday is fun day.
We usually have something like Ag-Olympics in the show arena in the early
afternoon, and then after the livestock parade, the fun begins!! We have
Costume Class, where the horse and rider are dressed up and are judged
on their costumes.. We have gymkhana, including barrel racing and the dizzy
stick race, which is the funniest thing in the whole wide world. On Sunday
we also get to ride the Draft horses in a class or two..
This is what we call Spear-A-Spud. Starting back along one of the
fences, you get your Draft horse going as fast as you can to the other
side (a trot) poke one of the potatoes that are in the bucket, turn around
and race back to the other end (again trotting). Dot and I took first place.
It is the second year in a row that I placed first on her in the Draft
Horse Class.
Dalmation.
This was the year I went as a fireman in the costume class. Enough
said?
Baby liked it.